Dean House

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 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 support choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

People received personalised care from staff who knew their likes, dislikes and preferences. One person said, “Staff are good, excellent. I can’t fault the carers, and they work well together.” A relative told us, “They’ve got a good group of staff. The kitchen is good, and the laundry lady. The maintenance of the property is good. The ladies who do the medication are on the ball. The activities person is marvellous.” Another relative said, “They treat people with unfailing kindness and care, and they’re all cheerful.”

We observed a staff member giving 1 person their lunch in bed. The person was very unwell and sleepy. The staff member exhibited a chatty, cheerful, sensitive and kind manner, apologising to the person for having to wait a little while because their meal was too hot. The staff member presented the food in little forkfuls, just enough for the person to manage comfortably without being overwhelmed. The staff member adjusted the person’s glasses to make sure they were straight on their face. All these little kindnesses clearly made a difference to the person who was engaged and smiling, despite being so poorly. This was an example of outstanding care. In all our observations of staff, we observed a cheerful, positive and caring approach.

The manager described person-centred care as, “Residents being at the centre of their care, choices, preferences, all about them, treating them with dignity and respect. Making sure all their needs are met and gaining consent always.”

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.

People had access to a range of health and social care professionals and received co-ordinated care and support. The manager said, “When I first get a new resident I will talk with them, introduce myself and sit and have a chat. I write down the background to their life, what they did at school, workwise, retirement, and activities they are interested in. This enables me to understand what each person needs and prefers.” A healthcare professional described how they worked in partnership with staff and people at the home and of this collaborative approach enabling responsive and focused care.

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

There was signage around the home to help people navigate and orientate, and information was supplied in an accessible format. For example, information in care plans could be shared with people in a way they could easily understand. Where people struggled with verbal communication, pictorial cue cards provided assistance. There were plans to provide menu choices through photos of meals which would help people understand what food choices were on offer.

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

We asked people if they had ever had to make a complaint and who they would raise this with. One person said, “I complained about a woman wandering in my room. Anything can go missing if someone goes into your room, and your room is a private thing. Now they’re very aware of her, and they keep an eye on her at night, so she doesn’t come into my room.”

Residents’ meetings were organised to enable people to share suggestions and ideas, which were listened to. The minutes of meetings recorded what actions had been taken, for example, with regard to activities and outings. Questionnaires were sent out to relatives and friends. From the last questionnaire, out of 15 sent, 7 responses were received, and comments were positive overall.

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

Dean House provided a safe, accessible environment for people, including motivational activities and ideas to keep people engaged. In addition to the planned activities on offer, people could watch films, complete jigsaws, listen to music and look at magazines. These provided stimulation for people, including those living with dementia.

People’s care and support were accessible, timely and in line with legal requirements. Information about people within electronic care plans enabled staff to understand people’s diverse needs, which were catered for. People had access to a range of healthcare professionals and support from external agencies as needed.

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

Dean House is registered to provide care and support to people with a variety of needs, including older people, younger adults, dementia, mental health and those with a sensory impairment. The layout of the home, the experience and skills of staff and the way the home was managed all ensured people’s different care and support needs were met. A staff member told us, “We’ve all had training in equality and diversity. We understand about people’s religious beliefs, sexuality preferences, race, anything like that. We all need to be treated as humans; we’re all entitled to our beliefs, being appreciated and equal. Some people are religious. On a Sunday we do a church service, residents can join in with Songs of Praise on television.”

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 were supported by staff and healthcare professionals to make decisions about their future plans and end of life wishes. Their capacity to make specific decisions had been assessed and many people involved their relatives in their future plans. Care plans documented people’s choices in this regard. Some people had Recommended Summary Plans for Emergency Care and Treatment (ReSPECT). These focused on people’s individual needs and preferences and included advice in an emergency situation where a person may be unable to communicate, such as during cardiac arrest. Plans included whether people wished to stay at the home as they reached the end of their lives or be admitted to hospital for palliative care. Staff completed training on end of life care.