Quality Policy

Policy Statement

AESN Care is committed to delivering safe, effective, compassionate, person-centred and consistent care and support. Quality means more than compliance: it means listening to people, respecting dignity and choice, supporting independence, protecting people from harm and continuously learning how services can improve.

1. Introduction

AESN Care supports adults through services including supported living, domiciliary or home care, learning disability support, autism support, mental health support, dementia and elderly care, physical and sensory disability support, complex needs, dual diagnosis and community-based support where applicable.

2. Purpose

This policy sets the organisation's overarching commitment to quality. It is intentionally distinct from the Quality Assurance Policy, which describes monitoring, audit and governance systems.

3. Scope

The policy applies to all AESN Care services, employees, managers and relevant partners involved in delivering or supporting care.

4. Policy Objectives

• Provide safe and effective care.
• Respect dignity, privacy and individuality.
• Promote independence, choice and control.
• Safeguard adults from abuse and neglect.
• Use competent and supported staff.
• Communicate effectively.
• Work in partnership with people, families and professionals.
• Listen to feedback and learn from experience.
• Maintain accountability and continuous improvement.

5. Definitions

Person-centred care means support shaped around the individual's needs, wishes, strengths, preferences and outcomes. Quality means the degree to which care is safe, effective, compassionate, responsive and consistent with people's rights and needs.

6. Legal and Regulatory Framework

The policy supports applicable CQC expectations, relevant fundamental standards, the Care Act 2014 where applicable, the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and relevant regulations, equality and human-rights requirements, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and other relevant care legislation and guidance.

7. Roles and Responsibilities

• AESN Care Management is accountable for organisational quality and governance.
• Managers are responsible for implementing quality expectations in their areas.
• Staff are responsible for safe, respectful and person-centred practice.
• People we support and their representatives should be invited to contribute to care decisions and feedback where appropriate.

8. Safe Care

AESN Care will seek to identify and manage risks, maintain safeguarding arrangements, support safe staffing and competence, and learn from incidents and concerns. Care should be delivered in accordance with assessed needs and agreed plans.

9. Effective and Person-Centred Support

Support should reflect the individual's goals, preferences, communication needs, strengths and assessed needs. People should be supported to make choices and maintain independence wherever safely possible.

10. Dignity, Respect and Choice

People we support should be treated as individuals, with privacy and dignity protected. Staff should communicate respectfully and involve people in decisions about their lives and support.

11. Safeguarding and Consent

Safeguarding concerns must be acted upon promptly. Consent and mental capacity should be considered in accordance with applicable law and care practice, while lawful safeguarding information sharing must not be blocked by an overly broad interpretation of confidentiality.

12. Competent Staff and Professional Conduct

AESN Care will seek to ensure staff are appropriately recruited, trained, supervised and supported for their roles. Staff are expected to maintain professional boundaries and communicate respectfully.

13. Communication and Partnership Working

Quality care depends on effective communication with people we support, families or representatives where appropriate, health and social care professionals, commissioners and other relevant partners.

14. Feedback and Complaints

Feedback, compliments and complaints provide important information about people's experience. AESN Care will use feedback to identify strengths, concerns and opportunities for improvement.

15. Quality Assurance and Governance

AESN Care will use appropriate monitoring, audits, incident review, safeguarding review, care-plan review, feedback, supervision and management oversight. Detailed assurance arrangements are set out in the Quality Assurance Policy.

16. Equality, Diversity and Human Rights

Quality includes equitable and inclusive care. AESN Care will consider disability, culture, religion or belief, communication, accessibility, reasonable adjustments and individual preferences.

17. Confidentiality and Data Protection

Good-quality care depends on accurate information while respecting privacy. Information will be collected, recorded and shared lawfully and securely.

18. Reporting and Escalation

Staff must raise unsafe care, safeguarding concerns, serious incidents, professional concerns and significant quality failures promptly through appropriate routes.

19. Continuous Improvement

AESN Care will seek to learn from incidents, complaints, feedback, audits, safeguarding activity, staff experience, external guidance and changes in people's needs. Improvement actions should be proportionate, clear and followed through.

20. Breaches / Non-Compliance

Failure to meet quality or professional standards may require additional supervision, training, improvement action, safeguarding escalation or disciplinary action depending on the circumstances.

21. Related Policies and Procedures

• Quality Assurance Policy
• Safeguarding Policy
• Clinical Complaints Policy
• Health & Safety Policy
• Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy
• Data Protection Policy
• Whistleblowing Policy

22. Review and Continuous Improvement

This policy will be reviewed in light of service-user feedback, quality information, incidents, complaints, safeguarding learning, regulatory developments and changes in AESN Care's services.

23. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed periodically and sooner where a significant change makes an earlier review appropriate.

Related Policies

• Quality Assurance Policy
• Safeguarding Policy
• Clinical Complaints Policy
• Health & Safety Policy
• Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy

Review Arrangements

This policy will be reviewed by AESN Care Management at appropriate intervals and sooner where there is a significant change in legislation, regulation, service delivery, risk, guidance, learning from incidents or complaints, or organisational arrangements. Review findings and resulting actions will be documented.

Approval

Approved by: AESN Care Management