Responding to the Experiences of Service Users Policy

Policy Statement

This policy sets out the values, principles and procedures underpinning {{org_field_name}}’s approach to communicating with service users, learning from their experiences and views about the service and using their feedback to improve service quality.

It is in line with the Regulation 17: Good Governance of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, which requires all care services to have quality assurance systems that include surveys of service users’ views.

{{org_field_name}} believes that its services can be enhanced by listening attentively to what its service users have to communicate about the quality of the care and support they receive and by acting on that information. To this end, we have a variety of arrangements for service user feedback to which we pay diligent attention in line with the relevant regulations and best practice guidance.

Listening to Service Users

We will take every possible opportunity to enable our service users to express views about the care and support we provide and will act on the comments we receive to improve the service, in particular by:

creating conditions in which service users feel comfortable about giving feedback on the service to staff
enabling service users to give their views on the service and make improvements through such means as regular residents’ meetings
encouraging all staff to be alert to views, whether of praise or criticism, expressed by service users about day-by-day service delivery
providing systems for staff to report such informal feedback to managers
ensuring that informal feedback is considered seriously by managers and where appropriate used to improve the quality of the service
informing service users of the value of their feedback and of action taking in response
carefully observing service users whose capacity to communicate orally is limited in order to note the elements of the service which promote their well- or ill-being as indicators of their views.

Feedback from service users’ friends, relatives and other representatives

We value feedback from service users’ friends, relatives and other representatives as providing an important route to understanding the views of service users themselves. This is done through continuous checking with the service users, and others who are involved in their care, and the use of regular satisfaction surveys. In particular, we will:

encourage anyone who has contact with the service to pass on any views about the service that they pick up, especially where this helps us to understand the views of service users who might otherwise be unable or unwilling to communicate directly
facilitate the formation of carers’ groups or forums and other mechanisms for relatives and others to express their view collectively
inform relatives and carers of action taken in response to what they have told us.

Formal gathering of feedback

We will take specific steps to gather the views of service users, and others who represent their view, by:

carrying out regular service audits and surveys of opinion
seeking information from informed stakeholders such as those delivering services with which we co-operate in the care of service users
publishing the results of all audits and surveys.

Concerns and complaints

We will use formal complaints and investigations to gather information about the quality of the service, in particular by:

publicising our complaints procedure and making it readily accessible
analysing views expressed by service users and others in the course of our investigating complaints in order to assess what can be applied generally to improve the service
encouraging service users to express their concerns at a level below the formal complaints procedure
making it possible for service users to express concerns individually or corporately through service users’ meetings or similar forums
inform them of their right to take any concerns they might have about the service to their service commissioners (where applicable) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

We will pay particular attention to any views on the quality of care expressed by service users that are communicated to the CQC.

Adverse events or incidents

We aim to learn from adverse events, incidents, errors and near misses, in particular by:

encouraging service users to inform staff of all adverse events
analysing adverse events from a service user perspective
recording adverse events and taking appropriate action to avoid similar happening in future.

Duty of candour

In the event of any adverse event or situation in which our service users have suffered moderate or severe harm as a result of mistakes we have made and about which we have notified the CQC, the agency must comply with its duty of candour.

We will exercise our duty of candour by:

telling our service users and others involved in their care and support openly and honestly what has happened
give them a full apology
explain fully what has happened
provide them with all necessary practical and emotional support and assurances about their continuity of care.

Compliments and suggestions

We welcome compliments and suggestions from service users, their families and friends and other stakeholders of {{org_field_name}}. Compliments may communicate deep satisfaction and gratitude for a specific contribution or service or relate to specific aspects of the work or to individual staff. Such comments are often made to care workers, but in some cases, such as following the death of a loved one, people may not feel able to speak directly to the care workers. The manager will ensure that such messages are passed on to those involved since this is a powerful way of confirming good practice and boosting staff morale.

We have a compliments book in the agency office where individuals may write particular comments and a suggestions box is also available for any suggestions of improvements that could be made to the service.

Training

All staff are trained to be responsive to the experiences and views of the people using the service.

Staff involved in quality assurance procedures are expected to have specialised training to carry out their roles as part of their ongoing training. This could form part of their Diploma in Health and Social Care programmes and corresponding management training.

Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}

Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}

Next review date: this policy is reviewed annualy (every 12 months). When needed, this policy is also updated in response to changes in legislation, regulation, best practices, or organisational changes.

S153. Responding to the Experiences of Service Users