The Pines

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the service met people’s needs.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.
 

This service scored 79 (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 was exceptional at making sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.
People living at The Pines were encouraged to direct the course of their lives and excel in their opportunities to be happy and fulfilled.
Staff were confident in their approach with people; they knew them well and had enough information about them to provide safe and person-centred care. We observed people and staff interacting in individual ways. Without exception, all staff told us, “People we support are always at the centre of everything we do.” This was not just a viewpoint but was embedded in every single interaction we observed.

People were supported to access a wide range of activities and hobbies, this included people from The Pines and the providers other locations, being supported to run their own club in a local community hall to host partnership events with health and social care professionals. This demonstrated a person-centred approach through all care plans and risk assessments.

A staff member said, “Working here has shown me the importance of person-centred care, teamwork and treating every person with dignity, respect and compassion. Seeing the positive difference, we make to people's quality of life makes me proud to be part of the team.”

A health and social care professional commented, “The provider has supported people to come along to meetings and events where they have the opportunity to have their voices heard and raise issues that are important to them. For example, people using the service led a meeting all about what people want and don’t want from their staff.”

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

Opportunities for people to realise their dreams were just a natural course for people living at The Pines. For example, a relative said, “Our loved one had a goal in mind, of being able to enjoy food again. With the support of the health care professionals and time taken to train and encourage staff confidence, it happened. The goal of enjoying birthday cake for the first time in more than a decade, and now they continue to try new things. Staff proudly told me just recently they like ice cream!”

Records showed input from various health and social care professionals. This meant everyone could have access to current guidance or treatment plans, which helped ensure people were receiving the correct care and treatment.
 

The service supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

The Pines met the requirements of the Accessible Information Standard (AIS). Since 2016 all organisations that provide publicly funded adult social care are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard. The AIS tells organisations what they have to do to help ensure people with a disability or sensory loss, and in some circumstances, their carers, get information in a way they can understand it. It also says that people should get the support they need in relation to communication.

Staff told us this standard was applied to the people the service supported and understood people’s communication needs. Staff informed us they were able to provide information in a way that people understood by following communication preferences set out in individual care plans, we observed this in practice as some people used a visual timetable and picture labels around the kitchen to support them to complete tasks such as making their own cup of tea.
 

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

People were encouraged to share preferences, such as meal choices, preferred routines and personal goals. Staff used knowledge of people’s backgrounds to initiate meaningful conversations and respond to emotional cues.

Relatives reported feeling involved and valued. A relative told us about the, “You said, We did” display board and why it was important to their loved one to be able to celebrate milestones and show off the choices made about their day-to-day lives.
 

The service made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

The service supported people with a wide range of complex and diverse needs, including emotional distress, mobility issues and end of life care. Staff made reasonable adjustments such as supporting people who could not use call bells with regular checks, adapting mealtime approaches and using cultural knowledge to meet individual preferences.
 

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

People experienced positive outcomes that were linked to personalised support and responsive care. Staff monitored progress well and acted when outcomes changed. Staff advocated for people to ensure they were treated fairly and had the same rights as everyone else. For example, the registered manager used national guidance to provide information about a person’s rights in an easy read format to support understanding.

 

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

People and their relatives had been involved in planning for the future; everyone was given the opportunity to discuss their hopes and wishes. People had individual care plans for their future wishes which had included where and how they wanted to receive care in their last days. Staff told us they understood people’s specific needs and information was treated in confidence and with respect.