Pinetree Lodge

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 the last inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection 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.

Staff made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them. The staff worked closely with the hospital teams when considering new admissions to the service. Initial and ongoing assessments were completed with people and their relatives, and staff understood how people’s health conditions affected their day‑to‑day wellbeing. Care plans were accessible to staff and updated when new information or behaviours were identified. Staff described how “upon every new admission, debriefs are provided for all staff to read and ask questions where necessary,” and that updates were made as they got to know individuals better.

Care and treatment were delivered in line with current best practice and supported by evidence-based tools. Staff demonstrated strong knowledge and understanding around how to work with people experiencing memory difficulties. Care records included detailed information about clinical needs and were redesigned by the management team to support accuracy and ease of use. Staff worked with external professionals when required. A staff member told us, “We look at the service we provide here at Pinetree Lodge on a daily and weekly basis to see if where and how we can improve the service.”

Staff 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. Relatives also saw positive relationships across teams, noting caring interactions and coordinated responses to health concerns. Many reported timely communication and valued the continuity provided by long‑standing staff. The management team promoted teamwork, open communication and shared learning, and staff described strong support from colleagues and leaders. Several staff said the registered manager “ensures we uphold teamwork” and that they felt well supported in their roles. Staff worked effectively with health and social care professionals, including GPs, community mental health teams to make sure care was tailored to the person’s needs.

Staff supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. People’s nutritional needs and preferences were assessed and well understood by staff. Relatives highlighted the time and care taken to support people with eating and drinking, including one‑to‑one support when needed. Staff helped people access healthcare professionals promptly, and relatives described being informed quickly when concerns arose. Staff worked proactively with external clinicians when involvement occurred, and documentation demonstrated clear guidance around health conditions and associated risks. People’s emotional wellbeing was supported through caring interactions, and staff showed empathy and patience.

Staff routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured outcomes were positive and consistent, and they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves. Staff described clear systems for updating care plans following new information, and management undertook oversight to ensure needs were met. A relative said, “The staff inform us of [person’s] condition in a sensitive manner giving due consideration to our feelings and have often taken the time to support us to come to terms with [person’s] illness and that is something that I have been very grateful for.”

The service told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment. Staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act and associated codes of practice. They appropriately completed capacity assessments and ‘best interests’ decisions. We noted the new forms on the electronic record system better aligned with the MCA requirements for assessing capacity. Staff understood they needed to consider how any restrictions imposed needed to be reviewed via the use of capacity assessments. The service on occasion supported people who were subject to sections of the Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007) such as those on leave from hospital under section 17 leave. Staff understood the requirements of this act and its associated code of practice and ensured all guidelines were followed.