Woodheyes

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

Before people moved into the home, comprehensive assessments of their needs, preferences, and choices were completed to ensure the service could meet their individual requirements. These assessments informed decisions about admission and supported the development of personalised care from the outset.

People and their relatives were actively involved in the assessment and decision-making process and were given opportunities to discuss needs, wishes, and expectations. Feedback from relatives was positive, with 1 relative telling us, “They [the provider] are very good at adding wishes to the care plan.”

The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

People had unrestricted access to food and drinks throughout the day and were supported to eat and drink in line with their preferences. While there were set mealtimes, people were not restricted to these times and could choose to eat outside of the scheduled periods if they wished. One staff member told us, “There is always food available at alternative times and breakfast should finish at a certain time, but we never rush anyone.” Care plans reflected people’s individual preferences, dietary needs, and any required support with eating and drinking. This ensured staff were aware of how best to support each person to maintain their nutrition in a dignified and respectful way. Meals were prepared with flexibility and choice in mind. The chef prepared breakfasts in response to people’s preferences on the day and offered a choice of meals at lunchtime, with suitable alternatives available if someone did not wish to eat what was on the menu. People spoke positively about the food and mealtime experience. One person told us, “The food is lovely and well presented,” while another said, “They [the provider] ask you every morning, and there are 2 choices.”

Care plans were personalised to reflect people’s individual needs, preferences, and circumstances and were developed in line with current best practice. They included clear guidance on supporting people with nutrition, hydration, and the management of long-term health conditions, ensuring care was adapted and responsive.

The provider had sufficient policies and procedures in place to guide staff practice, alongside relevant training and regular supervision. These arrangements supported staff to deliver care safely, confidently, and with compassion, helping to ensure people received consistent, good support that promoted their health, wellbeing, and dignity.

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

Staff were kept up to date with people’s needs through structured handovers at the start of each shift and daily communication throughout the service. Information about people’s care, appointments, and planned visits was shared effectively via the electronic care management system, ensuring staff were aware of planned activities and any changes to support arrangements.

Staff told us the electronic system supported them in monitoring people’s well-being and identifying emerging concerns, such as when a person was not drinking enough, enabling timely intervention. Some staff worked flexibly across roles, which helped maintain continuity of care and supported the smooth day-to-day running of the service.

Feedback from external professionals was consistently positive. They spoke highly of the service and the way the staff worked collaboratively to support people’s needs. One professional told us, “We love coming here. Staff work well with us, and we have never had any concerns.”

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people’s individual health needs and were clear about when and how to seek advice from relevant healthcare professionals. People were supported to attend regular health appointments, and routine health checks were carried out, including visits from healthcare professionals such as a chiropodist. This helped ensure people’s ongoing health needs were monitored and addressed in a timely way. A resident told us, “I saw the doctor the other day; she came about my hands. They look after all of it.” This demonstrated staff were responsive in arranging medical support when needed.

Staff showed a strong awareness of how people might present if they were unwell, particularly for those who were unable to verbalise pain or discomfort. They explained how they looked for non-verbal indicators of illness or distress and monitored changes in behaviour as potential signs a person’s health may be deteriorating. One staff member told us, “Someone might stop eating, or flinch away if you touch them.”

Positive feedback was also received from healthcare professionals, who spoke highly of staff knowledge and engagement. One professional told us, “Staff are always with me, they’re helpful, and they know about the residents,” while another said, “Anything I advise, they always follow.” These practices helped promote positive health outcomes and supported people to live healthier lives.

.

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves.

Systems were in place to regularly monitor and review people’s care and support. This enabled the provider to evaluate the effectiveness of care delivery, identify any changes in people’s needs, and make adjustments in a timely way. These arrangements supported continuous improvement and helped ensure care remained responsive and aligned with people’s preferences and well-being. Feedback from relatives reflected positive outcomes for people using the service. One relative told us about the noticeable improvements their loved one had made since moving into the home. A relative told us, “They [Person] had put on weight, which they needed to.”

Staff had received Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) training, which equipped them with the knowledge and skills to recognise potential stressors and triggers.

We observed staff actively encouraging people to maintain their independence and make healthier choices in relation to their lifestyle, mobility, and personal hygiene. People were offered meaningful choices around their personal care, including whether they preferred a wash, bath, or shower, and were supported at times that suited their individual routines. Where people were at risk of deterioration in their hygiene, health, or skin integrity, staff worked collaboratively with them to provide personalised support that promoted dignity, wellbeing, and positive outcomes.

People’s weight was regularly monitored to help identify any unexpected or unplanned weight loss. This enabled staff to recognise potential nutritional concerns at an early stage and take effective action. Where people were unable to use weighing scales, alternative monitoring measures were implemented to ensure their nutritional status continued to be assessed. This included the use of upper arm circumference measurements, which provided additional information about changes in body mass and well-being. These monitoring systems supported timely interventions and helped ensure people’s nutritional needs were sufficiently managed.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

Staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and demonstrated a good understanding of its principles. They told us they actively supported people to make their own decisions wherever possible and ensured consent was sought before care and support were provided.

Throughout our visit, we observed people being offered meaningful choices in line with their individual needs, preferences, and abilities. This included choices about daily routines, care, and activities. Staff took time to explain options in a way people could understand, supporting empowerment and decision-making in practice, and ensuring care was delivered in accordance with MCA principles.

Where people were assessed as lacking the capacity to make specific decisions, Mental Capacity Act (MCA) assessments had been completed and recorded in a decision-specific way. There were evidence of best interest decisions being made appropriately with records of meetings that involved people using the service and, where appropriate, their relatives or representatives. This helped ensure decisions were made in the person’s best interests and reflected their wishes, feelings, and preferences as far as possible. This helped ensure decisions were made in the person’s best interests and reflected their wishes, feelings, and preferences as far as possible.