Queensgate Residential Care Home

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 requires improvement. 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 63 (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’s admissions processes did not always ensure accurate information about people’s needs was collected and shared with staff. Staff told us information given to them about people did not always match the support people needed. This made it difficult for staff to always provide person-centred care to meet people’s needs.

Care plans were regularly reviewed and updated with key information as staff got to know people, their preferences and their needs. People and their relatives were involved with reviews and updating care plans when they wanted to be.

People were cared for in line with best practice and current legislation. Evidence based tools were used to assess areas of risk, such as pressure damage and falls. Where people were at risk of weight loss or dehydration, food and fluid monitoring records were implemented and weights were monitored. There were some delays in making referrals to dieticians though these had been identified and acted upon by the management team. Staff had access to care plans and risk assessments to read them as and when needed to support with delivering care in line with best practice and people’s needs and preferences.

The provider ensured staff completed appropriate training, so their knowledge and skills reflected good practice, and they could keep people safe and meet their needs. Staff performance was monitored through supervision, observations and competence assessments.

There were some shortfalls in referrals being made in a timely manner for some people. However, when referrals to external services were made, staff worked positively for the benefit of people using the service. The provider was working with the local district nursing team to arrange training for senior staff in order for them to replace dressings until the district nurses could visit.

The provider had made positive changes to staffing in the service through using a different agency for providing 1-1 support. Staff were mostly positive about teamwork and were complimentary of the new agency staff. A staff member said, “They're so good with people. Some former agency staff spoke down to people. I’ve noticed the difference, they’re so compassionate and very caring. You can see the difference in people.”

People were not always supported to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence and lead healthier lives. Referrals to relevant healthcare professionals were not always made when required. The provider had identified this shortfall, and referrals had been made for people who needed them. When professionals were involved, staff followed advice and worked to address any concerns.

People were provided with a variety of meals and their preferences were respected. A person said, “The food is all right and if you don’t like what’s on offer, they’ll find something you do like.” A relative told us, “The food looks nice and [Person] has a bacon sandwich every day for breakfast.” Staff appropriately supported people to eat and drink, though one person’s relative told us the person was not always supported to drink whilst their drink was hot.

Systems supported the provider and staff to monitor the care people received in order to improve outcomes for people. For example, the provider’s electronic care planning system prompted staff when people required positional changes, which helped staff to meet people’s needs to reduce the risk of pressure damage. This system enabled the management team to monitor care provided.

Most staff sought people’s consent prior to providing support and respected people’s right to refuse. Though we saw some interactions where staff did not always fully engage people in what was happening. Staff were knowledgeable about how to seek people’s consent, including from people with communication difficulties.

Staff were trained in mental capacity and DoLS.