Walsingham Support - 19 Beech Avenue

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 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.

People's care and support needs had been assessed comprehensively before they moved into the service. The provider worked closely with family members and other professionals involved in people's care to develop a detailed understanding of each person's individual needs, preferences and desired outcomes. This helped ensure the provider was confident they could meet people's needs.

Assessments and care plans were regularly reviewed and updated to reflect any changes in people's health, wellbeing or circumstances. Care records provided staff with clear and current guidance on how to support people in a person-centred way. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people's needs and spoke knowledgeably about the care and support they provided.

The provider planned people’s care and treatment with them; however, we found some improvement needed to be made.

People's care and treatment needs were assessed and understood by the provider. Appropriate clinical tools were used to monitor and evaluate risks associated with nutrition and hydration. People's weights were monitored regularly, and any significant changes were responded to promptly. Where concerns were identified, referrals were made to relevant healthcare professionals, including dietitians and speech and language therapists. Staff and the registered manager followed professional advice effectively.

Staff monitored people's skin integrity as part of the support they provided. Although the provider had recognised the need to introduce a formal clinical assessment tool to evaluate risks relating to skin integrity, this had not yet been implemented. We also found repositioning records were not always completed consistently. However, we found no evidence of harm. The registered manager provided assurance that a recognised clinical assessment tool would be introduced as part of the home's ongoing quality improvement programme.

People who required modified diets received food and drinks at the correct consistency in line with professional guidance. Meals were freshly prepared and appeared nutritious and appetising, this helped to support people's dietary needs while promoting their enjoyment of food and mealtimes.

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 provider had effective systems in place to ensure information about people was accessible, accurate and consistent. Care records incorporated relevant information and guidance from partner agencies, healthcare professionals and commissioners, helping to ensure staff had up-to-date information to meet people's needs safely and effectively.

The provider and registered manager had identified areas where record-keeping could be strengthened, including the consistent recording of repositioning support and fluid intake monitoring. Action had been taken to address these issues, including the provision of ongoing staff training and increased oversight. While improvements were required in these areas, we found no evidence that people had come to harm. The registered manager provided assurance that appropriate action had been taken to improve recording practices and maintain safe care.

Staff worked well together and demonstrated a positive team culture. One staff member told us, “The team are good and we support each other.” Another said, “We have got a good team at the moment, and we get on really well.”

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.

People were supported to live healthier lives because the registered manager and staff team maintained effective oversight of their health conditions, medical needs, and routine health checks. Each person had a Health Action Plan (HAP), which provided staff with clear guidance about the individual's health conditions and the support required to manage these effectively. Health Action Plans also included information on how staff should support people to attend healthcare appointments.

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 experienced improved health outcomes because the provider had effective systems in place to monitor and respond to their health and wellbeing needs. Improved monitoring of nutritional intake enabled staff to identify concerns promptly, resulting in people receiving appropriate support, increased nutritional intake, and positive weight gain.

The provider had clear processes in place to support people to make decisions and to seek their consent to care and treatment in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Mental Capacity Assessments (MCAs) had been completed where required, and best interest decisions were clearly documented when people lacked the capacity to make specific decisions for themselves.

Staff spoke confidently about how they supported people to make choices. During the inspection, we observed staff interacting with people in a respectful manner, offering choices and seeking consent before providing support. This demonstrated that people's rights, preferences and independence were promoted in practice.