Magnolia 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 82 (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 treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

People received care that was driven by their wishes, strengths and needs. The care they received supported them to grow, thrive and live positive lives. One person took part in football on a weekly basis which was something that brought great meaning to them and helped them develop social connections. They had initially been able to do this with staff support but were now able to play independently and had gained in skills and confidence in doing so.

Staff had worked creatively to support people in achieving things that other people in society might take for granted. For example, one person had experienced anxiety around going out shopping or to eat a meal in public locations, however staff had put in place strategies to do so at times that were quieter. This person had responded well to this and their anxiety had significantly reduced. A staff member told us, “I am proud to be their key worker. They have come a long way”.

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 were supported by a consistent and dedicated team of staff who were knowledgeable about them as individuals. They had the information they required to provide continuity of care and communicated well between each other for example during handovers to ensure any changes in people’s care needs were known and responded to. One relative told us, “When they take on a new staff member, they seem to settle in well and with my relative. (Relative name) seems to like anyone who works with them”.

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

Staff worked creatively to ensure people had access to information in a way that met their communication needs and allowed them to be involved in their own care. Where people could not communicate verbally staff could tell us confidently how to they would recognise what they were trying to express through facial expressions and body language. One professional working with the service told us, “Staff are really good at reading body language and visual cues for people who are non-verbal”.

People had adapted communication tools such as pictures or Makaton to support them in making choices. For example, staff would sit down with people to allow them to plan the menu for following week using pictures to guide that conversation, as well as in picking activities or holidays. There were also easy read guides available on a large range of topics to present this information in a way that was accessible to people’s needs. Staff had recently worked to create and use an easy read guide around safeguarding for one person and cancer screening for another, which empowered them to be involved in these processes and break down barriers to participating in these as equals.

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.

There were frequent opportunities for people to share feedback on their care, or that of their loved ones. This included regular meetings where people could come together with their peers to give feedback on the care they were receiving, including planning activities they would like to do together or individually Staff used pictures and visual cues to help everybody participate in these meetings and be involved in decisions. People also had regular meetings with their key workers to discuss the care they were receiving, and things they wanted to achieve from living at Magnolia House. For instance, one person had a passion for football and had been supported through the keyworker process to attend a football camp. Surveys were carried out for relatives and an adapted easy read version for people living at the service, which were analysed used to support ongoing quality improvement.

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

People lived in an environment that was personalised to their needs. The majority of people had limited mobility and the majority of the building was a single story with an accessible garden to allow them to use the space at their own. One person had fallen recently and staff were working with them to access equipment and put in place handrails to ensure they could continue to access areas of their own home safely. Staff ensured people experienced no barriers to accessing health care appointments including with their GP, dentists, chiropodists and wider specialist teams. People had health action plans setting out which services where involved in each persons care, and the support they needed to access appointments to ensure they received the regular support they needed to live healthily.

The service had put in place equality and diversity profiles, setting out the barriers the people were likely to face in society and how they could support them to overcome them. One person had recently experienced a significant deterioration in health, and staff had worked collaboratively alongside multi-disciplinary partners to advocate for them and ensure they received the treatment they needed. Relatives and professionals we spoke to noted the profound difference made to this persons life, who had made a significant recovery. They were now able to travel longer distances with their peers to go on trips outs and holidays, and staff supported them to have meals in restaurants by bringing an adapted blender to prepare their diet to the correct consistency.

Staff and leaders were innovative in how they listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes. Staff and leaders actively used this information to provide exceptionally tailored care, support and treatment in response to this.

The service supported people to lead empowered and active lives, where they were able to take part in and achieve the things that mattered to them. They were able to form strong social connections and participate in their local community as equals. People led their own care and staff worked creatively to support them in achieving their own goals and new experiences. Staff had worked alongside people to choose and arrange a holiday, which people expressed to us they were excited about and looking forward to. Staff were also exploring with people longer terms goals such as travelling abroad and supporting people to apply for a passport to allow that to be possible. One stakeholder told us, “It is very apparent that residents also have full social lives and get out and about often. Poor mobility of residents does not appear to be a barrier for staff taking them out”.

People were empowered to develop positive social and personal connections through attendance at local community groups and holding events such as barbecues at Magnolia House. Where people expressed their own sexuality or a wish to have a personal relationship, staff worked with them to enable them to do so in a way that was safe and empowered.

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.

The service worked creatively to help people plan for important events in their life, including supporting them to participate in things that were meaningful to them such as holidays or maintaining relationships with family and friends. Where people had more complex health needs, staff worked collaboratively with local services such as hospices to put in place a plan of how people wished to be supported if their health deteriorated.