Aldringham Court

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 inspection 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 service, a member of the management team undertook an assessment on their needs. This included input from people, their relatives and other professionals involved in their care, where appropriate. The needs assessments were used to inform people’s care plans and risk assessments, which were kept under review.

A person told us prior to them moving into the service, the registered manager visited them in their home and discussed their needs and how they wanted to be cared for. A relative told us the registered manager visited their family member at home for the assessment and said, “Both me and [family member] were involved and I feel we are consulted if there are any changes."

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.

Policies and procedures included reference to legislation and best practice guidance. Staff were kept up to date with the requirements of their role in training and meetings.

Records showed people, and their relatives where appropriate, were consulted about the care they received. People and relatives told us they were supported with visits to the home, including by friends and family.

Nursing staff competencies demonstrated they were up to date with the requirement of their role.

People’s dietary and hydration needs were assessed, and records showed these were being met, such as where people required a specific texture of their food and drink. Fluid intake was monitored daily and staff were advised to offer additional fluids when people were not drinking much. The chef was knowledgeable about people’s individual needs and how they were met. Records showed catering staff were provided with training in dietary needs, such as recommended textures, which reduced the risks of choking, for example.

People told us they felt the quality of the food they received was good and they got enough choices of food and drinks.

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.

The registered manager told us they shared positive relationships with external professionals involved in people’s care. This included commissioners and health care professionals. The registered manager had worked with the local GP surgery to improve communication, which the registered manager told us, was working well.

We observed the staff team worked well together to ensure people’s needs were being met and requests for assistance were being responded to. The registered manager told us how the staff worked together as a team. This was also evident during lunch, this was well coordinated by the head chef, who guided care staff as to who needed assistance and what meals had been chosen.

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.

Where there were concerns about people’s wellbeing, records demonstrated actions were taken, including referring to external health professionals, with people’s consent. Where guidance was received, such as from the speech and language therapy team (SALT), this was documented into people’s care plans, including guidance for staff in how this was being followed. However, this information was not always being added throughout the care plans and risk assessments.

People’s records included the support people required with maintaining good oral health, and how this was being met.

People told us they could see the GP when they wanted to. A person told us how they felt the nursing staff had supported the person to see the GP and their health was being monitored, they referred to the nursing staff as, “Brilliant."

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.

People’s health and wellbeing was being monitored and kept under review, including weights, pressure injury, and wounds. Where there were concerns, referrals were made to external professionals, where required. People’s relatives were not concerned about their family member’s weights, a relative told us their family member had put on weight since they moved into the service and felt they, “Ate well.”

Records of wounds showed these were being analysed and measures put in place to reduce the risks of infection and deterioration. Records demonstrated the nursing staff were providing care and support and the wounds were continuously monitored and the treatment kept under review to reduce deterioration.

People’s care records included their specific health needs and conditions, how these affected them in their daily lives and the support they required. Their health was kept under reviewed and any signs of deterioration, actions were taken, such as seeking support from external professionals, where required. Regular clinical and nurse meetings showed people’s conditions and wellbeing was being monitored and care and support provided as required.

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

The service was working in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) referrals were made where required and these were kept under review. This reduced the risks of people being deprived unlawfully of their liberty.

People’s care plans included their capacity to make decisions and any support required, such as if decisions would be required to be made in their best interests.

People told us they chose what to do in their lives, and they were supported to make their own decisions. People’s care records guided staff to ensure they asked for people’s consent and we saw staff asked people for their consent before providing any care and support. This demonstrated the training they had in MCA and DoLS was effective.