Cherry Lodge

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 provider met people’s needs.

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

At our last assessment, the service was in breach of legal regulation in relation to person centred care.At this assessment, enough improvements had been made and the service was no longer in breach of regulation.

This service scored 71 (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 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.

Feedback received from people and relatives showed people’s needs were met and they were consulted about the care and support provided. A relative told us, “They really are doing a wonderful job, everything [family member] needs is done, [staff] call if anything happens or any issues.” Another relative told us their family member had previously used the service on a short-term basis and, “[Staff] were so good with [family member], [they are] now staying permanently, [family member] is happy.”

People’s care plans included their specific needs and preferences. The registered manager told us they had trialled a new electronic care planning system, and after 8 weeks, they had identified it did not meet the service’s needs. Therefore, they were reverting back to the previous system. Staff were in the process of ensuring any changes made in that 8 weeks were incorporated onto the current system. We were assured the care people required and preferred was being delivered because staff knew people well and there were electronic prompts for staff, which identified the care people needed.

People told us they felt they were consulted about the care they received. A relative said, “I come in once a year and go through [family member’s] care plan, [registered manager] said I can come in more. I know [family member’s] needs are met.”

There were some shortfalls in how the provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was not always joined-up, flexible or supportive of choice and continuity.

People’s care records included their diverse needs and how they were met. Staff had received training in people’s diverse needs and conditions, including dementia, diabetes, mental health awareness, disability awareness and equality. This supported the staff team in understanding people’s diverse needs.

However, we received mixed views about if people were supported to participate in social activity. Some people told us they would like more things to do to keep them occupied, and sometimes they got bored. Another person told us, “I am not bored, I am happy.” People told us the activity staff had recently left, which had impacted on their social activities. The registered manager confirmed this and told us they were actively recruiting to the role. In addition, the activity staff member who was leaving still came to the service 2 or 3 days a week until a replacement could be found. Visiting entertainers were booked and care staff delivered some activities. We saw people were using the art equipment in the service, and the care staff were doing some Halloween decorations with some people.

A relative told us, “I check on Facebook they do a lot, [family member] says [they] do not like some things, then I see [them] doing them on Facebook. They do baking. I know [activities staff] recently left but still comes in and they are looking for a new activity person, [care] staff do some activities.” Another relative said, “There are things going on and I see the staff have time to chat with people.”

The registered manager told us people could go out in the community if they wished, for example to a local park, and told us about other outings which had previously been arranged. However, people did not always wish to go out. The registered manager told us about the key worker system, where staff could support people to do the things they chose to. For example, a person attended a local beauty shop, and another went shopping in the town.

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

People’s care records included how they communicated and how staff were to communicate effectively with them. The registered manager told us how they had recently identified a person was able to communicate more effectively with the use of an electronic tablet, which the person could have access to. They were planning to seek advice from external professionals regarding the availability of equipment, as well as the tablet, to support the person’s communication.

Where required, documents, such as the complaint procedure, could be provided in accessible formats, such as larger print and easy read.

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.

There was a complaints procedure in place, and this was followed when concerns or complaints were received. Records showed lessons from concerns and complaints were used to drive improvement.

People and relatives told us they knew how to raise concerns and felt they would be addressed. A relative told us how they had not made a formal complaint but had spoken with staff when their family member first moved in and their concerns were addressed immediately.

Resident meetings minutes showed people were asked for their views of the service and they were acted on. The registered manager shared an example of how people had raised they were disturbed by the volume of the call bells. Actions had been taken to reduce the sounds; this reduced the disturbance for people but also considered that staff could still hear the call bells when people needed assistance.

The registered manager told us there was low responses by relatives for meetings and surveys. However, they told us relatives could speak with staff when they visited or by telephone. This was confirmed by relatives, who told us staff were accessible if they wanted to speak with them. The registered manager was considering how relatives could further share their feedback of the service.

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

People told us they felt their needs were met and the staff provided them with the care and support they preferred. This was confirmed by relatives. People had access to other professionals when needed, such as health care professionals.

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.

The registered manager shared examples of how they had challenged services and advocated for people, when they had identified people were not receiving the services required. The registered manager told us how they continuously tried to find dentists for people to use, and how they addressed this if people required treatment.

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’s care plans identified when they had made decisions about their end-of-life care such as if they wished to be resuscitated and if they had a recommended summary plan for emergency care and treatment (RESPECT) form in place. This is a documented record of agreements and clinical recommendations for people’s care in an emergency or end of life, in case they were not able to make decisions at the time. The registered manager told us the documents were being uploaded onto the electronic care planning system and incorporated into the care plans. The registered manager shared examples of how they demonstrated people’s choices at the end of their life, including playing their favourite song when they felt the service, but this was not yet documented.