Holly 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.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

We have not awarded this service a score for Responsive.

Find out about when we will not publish a key question score and what we look at when we assess Responsive.

The provider was exceptional at making 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.

Assessments of needs records included excellent information to ensure person centred individualised care was provided. People and their representatives were included in assessments and decisions around the care people received in the service. The management told us, all people’s care files had details about linking in with families to seek their views. The management team told us about 1 person and how they had worked with them to make improvements in their quality of life. They were able to demonstrate how the work they had done with them had over time supported them to live in a more settled environment that suited their needs and promoted better outcomes for them.

Some relatives said they had been kept up to date about people’s needs and their care, but not all said they had access to the family members care plan. The provider discussed that they would link in with people and if they were happy with sharing information to families this would be supported. Regular reviews took place; when required to ensure care was person centred and reflected people’s current needs and choice. We discussed with the management some feedback about ensuring staff followed guidance from professionals about one person’s care. People and relatives told us they were very happy with the care they received. One said, “Holly house is really good; the staff look after [person] it feels like home.” It was clear staff discussed care needs with people and care provided to them was person centred and people were supported with 1:1 or 2:1 support when needed.

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.

Care records included information about professionals who were involved in people’s care. The management team told us about comprehensive information that was shared with professionals each month to advise them on the persons achievement, incident reporting, alerts, any medical appointments and any activities undertaken.

A relative told us that their family member was supported to appointments as needed and we saw people attending appointments during our visits to the service. Professional feedback was mixed; some were positive about the service and the care they provided and that guidance and advice was followed. However, others fedback the need for the service to ensure recommendations and guidance from professionals was followed.

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

Records were completed in paper format and staff had access to information about people as they needed. Assessments of people’s needs and care planning was very detailed, with several files of information for each person. A range of information about discussions between staff and the management team about people was recorded as taking place in the form of staff meetings and reviews, this allowed for updates to be shared.

Information about the service was available to people and staff. People were supported with their communication needs. We observed the use of pictorial aids and information to provide people with prompts and daily goals in their own rooms, and a range of information and guidance was available to the staff team to support care delivery. Staff were seen speaking to people with patience and understanding. One staff member said, “Everyone here can communicate verbally and have no additional needs.” A relative told us they felt the staff worked well as a team and communicated well with them and that information, “Is kept secure and confidential.” Another told us the staff, “Contact me if there are any problems.”

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.

People and relatives raised no complaints. Comments included, “Yes (I would know what to do). I have not complained, I can’t recall.” Ways to share feedback about the service was in place for the staff team and people. Policy and procedure about how to manage complaints was available, positive feedback was seen, no complaints had been received. Staff knew the process for complaints. One told us, “If a relative has concerns I will always report this straight to the management.

People had access to advocates to make important decisions. An advocate discussed the importance of ensuring management plans were in place in relation to supporting people to reduce anxieties and escalation of people’s behaviours. There was some feedback about the changes in management and how this had impacted on people’s behaviours. The provider discussed how they had supported the changeover in the management team and their plans moving forward with the new manager recruited during the assessment to their post. People told us they were happy with the new changes in manager since our visit to the service and that they listened.

A service user guide was in place and included detailed information. The provider had developed a newsletter. This included the services vision and values and sharing good news stories.

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

Relatives and representatives for people said professionals were involved as needed. One talked about, the service strengths are. ‘Consulting with external professionals and maintaining transparency about incidents and actions taken.’ Information about the involvement of professionals was noted in care records as well as in reviews of care and staff and professional meetings.

Communal areas were open and accessible to all; as they wished. Staff told us and we saw the service had developed a good system that allowed for people to access the laundry facilities fairly. A staff member told us, “The building is good and accessible. People can use the facilities and have time slots to use the laundry room. People can use the kitchen whenever they want.”

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.

Care records included information about how to support people according to their individual needs. The provider had thoroughly considered how people were transitioned safely into the service. Senior management and the registered manager talked about how they adapted care to meet people’s needs and linked in regularly with professionals to adapt and change to meet the needs of the people they supported. There was recognition that the service worked with partners to explore if placements needed to be reviewed or people reassessed for their suitability. They talked about 1 person who had been supported into an alternative location that was more suited to the individual needs of the person.

Staff told us people were treated fairly and the care was tailored to their needs and wishes. One said, “People are treated very well from what I have seen.” Relatives told us people were involved in the decisions about their care.

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.

Staff told us they had received training in end-of-life care and the training records we looked at confirmed this. One staff member told us they were undertaking further training to become the champion in end of life care. Another told us, “Everyone has goals as well as documented plans for the future.” No one was in receipt of end-of-life care. Up to date policy and guidance was available to the staff to support decisions in relation to end of life care.