THE PERSONAL CARE FRAMEWORK: MEASURING THE IMPACT ON USERS

Healthwatch Hounslow reviewed the impact of the Personal Care Framework (PCF) being embedded in the service and care provision among providers and how this has been received by care users and their representatives. They surveyed 85 people.

Feedback from service users was generally positive.

•  The majority (95.3%) of respondents were unaware of, or had never heard of, the PCF;
• The majority (70.6%) of them felt that care was delivered to them jointly by social workers, carers, and health professionals;
• The majority (83.5%) of the service users said the care they received also promoted independence and helped improve their quality of life;
• 82.4% of service users felt safe in their homes/residential care homes as opposed to in a hospital or nursing home;
• The majority (90.6%) of the service users reported they lived in a clean and tidy environment;
• 79% of service users said that they regularly meet their family/friends and take part in social activities. 6% of the respondents said they were not in contact with family and friends or engaged in social activities, either because they did not have family and friends or because they were confined to their beds;
• 85% of the service users felt that they had enough control over their daily life;
• A majority (92%) of the service users said they thought their carers were professional. 95.2% thought they were understanding and 87% thought they were patient, clearly explained medication matters, and were aware of their cultural and communications needs;
• The majority (87%) reported they had easy access to their medication with clear instructions. Only 2.3% reported a major incident over their prescription.
• Only 4.7% said the family member who cared for them had adequate respite care. These were respondents who were living independently in the community and accessing services from domiciliary care