Bethany House

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 inadequate. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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.

The provider had implemented new assessment templates, which were robust and comprehensive, and which helped to ensure needs assessments were effective and person-led. Appropriate actions had been taken in response to the new needs assessments, and, as a result, people’s support was more person-centred.

Staff understood people’s communication needs, as there was now clear and consistent guidance in place for staff to follow.

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.

Staff used recognised assessment tools in line with best practice guidance, and these were completed regularly and the outcomes kept up to date. This meant that areas such as people’s nutritional needs, and risks around falls and skin breakdown, were effectively monitored.

Significant work had been completed around the administration of a medicine prescribed on a ‘when required’ basis to aid a person when they experienced anxiety or distress. Robust de-escalation and communication plans were now in place, and this had significantly reduced the administration of this medicine. This had made a notable positive impact and wasin line with the NHS England STOMP (Stopping the Over Medication of People with a Learning Disability or Autism) initiative.

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. Hospital passports and one-page profiles had been reviewed and rewritten so they now contained all key information which was accurate and up to date.

Communication within the service had improved, and staff felt supported and part of an effective staff team. Staff told us, “There is now a much happier staff team, morale is now high, and the new [registered] manager is very approachable”, and “Since the last inspection, staff communication has become more consistent, and I have seen better teamwork.”

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives.

People, relatives, the staff team and healthcare professionals had all been involved in a full review of people’s needs. This had resulted in an improvement in the quality of care provided, and people were now supported to live healthier and more fulfilling lives, in line with their personal wishes and preferences.

The registered manager had made referrals for people to outside organisations such as occupational therapy, the falls team, physiotherapy and for assistive technology assessments. Advice and recommendations were incorporated into people’s support plans and daily activities. Staff now had clear guidance in place to help them detect any health issues or concerns promptly. Staff supported people to attend regular health appointments and processes were in place to share information from these appointments effectively.

The provider monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. Since our previous assessment, outcomes for people had improved. People were engaged in more meaningful activities, the care environment had improved, and people’s health needs were met. This all had a positive impact on people using the service.

Processes were in place to continuously monitor the support provided to people and the impact and outcomes of this. Tools had been implemented which enabled staff to assess whether people were enjoying activities when they were non-verbal and communicated enjoyment in other ways. This helped the staff team to offer and provide activities that were meaningful for people. This work was continuous and ongoing.

The provider and management team looked ahead at potential services and programmes for people which could improve their quality of life, and various future initiatives were being considered and planned.

The provider told people and their representatives about their rights around consent and people’s choices were respected when delivering person-centred care. Staff sought people’s consent before carrying out day to day tasks and, where possible, people were given choices and options and their wishes respected.

Where people lacked capacity to make a certain decision, the provider carried out appropriate capacity assessments and decisions were made in a person’s best interests. This decision-making process was compliant with the Mental Capacity Act and included discussions with relevant professionals and representatives, and consideration of least restrictive options, and people’s needs and wishes even where people were unable to communicate these verbally. Documentation was in place to support and record this process.