An Darach House

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• 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 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People were at the centre of decisions about their care and support. Staff knew people well and worked with them to understand their preferences, routines and the things that were important to them.

People were supported to make choices about how they spent their time and how they wished to be supported. Staff took time to explore options with people and adapted their approach to help them express their views and preferences. Care reflected people's individual interests, routines and wellbeing needs. A professional said, “[Person] is safe here and sees it as their home. The staff are their family. When I walk in, it feels like home. Their bedroom is personalised for them and they have music in their room.”

Relatives told us staff provided personalised support that reflected their family member's interests and preferences. A relative told us, “Staff take [my family member] on outings, clubs and trips in the vehicle. There is a big garden, and they can ride their bike in it. They like to watch TV and do jigsaw puzzles on the floor. When I call and want to visit, staff will tell me if they are busy doing other activities. They like music nights, going out for meals and swimming. Staff will also give them quiet days to rest and chill out. [Staff] will do what [my family member] wants to do. They would get unsettled in a different holiday environment, so day trips are better for them.”

The registered manager understood people's individual needs and supported them to live full and meaningful lives. Care was planned around people's preferences and helped maintain continuity in their support, relationships and community involvement. Care plans provided staff with clear guidance about how people wished to be supported and promoted a consistent approach to care. People's needs were reviewed regularly and care was updated when changes were identified. Staff supported people to remain involved in their local community and maintain relationships that were important to them.

Relatives told us people were encouraged to maintain important relationships and take part in activities that were meaningful to them. A relative said, “Staff make a nice fuss of [my family member] on their birthdays. [Staff] take them out for dinners and spa days. They do BBQs, garden parties and bring animals in. They did have a cat on site, but she died of old age. Other friends are invited to the social events. Staff arranged for my family member to keep in touch with an old school friend by taking them to visit.”

The registered manager ensured people and their relatives received information in formats they could understand and used a range of communication methods to support their individual needs. They were aware of the Accessible Information Standard and provided timely information in ways that were tailored to each person. Staff understood how people preferred to communicate and adapted their approach to help people express their views, make choices and understand important information about their care and daily lives.

Staff used pictorial schedules, pictorial rotas, easy read documents and social stories to support communication and understanding. Social stories were used to help people understand changes in their lives, including planned trips, changes to routines and health related matters. A professional told us, “[Person] has a timetable of activities and staff use pictorial language. They can also make their needs known to [staff] with signs and body language.”

The registered manager encouraged people and their relatives to share their views about the service and ensured there were opportunities for feedback to be given. People and relatives told us they felt listened to and involved in decisions about their care and support.

Staff understood people communicated in different ways and paid attention to body language, vocalisations and other non-verbal forms of communication. This helped staff understand people's wishes, preferences and experiences when they were unable to express themselves verbally.

People and relatives knew how to raise concerns or make a complaint if needed. Information about the complaints process was available within the home in accessible formats and relatives told us they felt comfortable raising issues. One relative said, “Concerns were raised with the [registered] manager but nothing of any significance. I was not made to feel bad for asking questions and I was given appropriate feedback. I would raise any concerns immediately with the [registered] manager.” Another relative said, “No complaints here and I know that I can talk to the [registered] manager if I have any concerns. [My family member] is happy to be there and is always happy to go back.”

Relatives also told us they were kept informed and had opportunities to provide feedback about the service. A relative told us, “I completed the annual feedback survey two weeks ago. They had an awards ceremony for staff and the residents. I could not go but they video recorded and shared with live streaming. I cannot think of any improvements needed at the moment.” Another relative said, “No improvements needed and [my family member] is happy there. [Staff] love them like family, and they have a nice life. [Registered] manager will call me regularly to talk about them and they can email me as well. I would not want [my family member] to be anywhere else.”

The registered manager ensured people could access the care, support and services they needed when required. Staff supported people to attend healthcare appointments, access community facilities and take part in social opportunities that were important to them.

People received support to maintain their health, wellbeing and relationships. Staff worked flexibly to help people access activities, appointments and visits with friends and family. Arrangements were made to remove barriers and ensure people could access support in a way that met their individual needs.

Relatives spoke positively about the efforts made to support their family members. A relative said, “Transport is provided to bring [my family member] and a staff member home once a month. Once this was difficult to arrange and the [registered] manager stepped in to bring them home on a Saturday morning and take them back on a Sunday afternoon on at least 3 occasions. I would give the home 10 out of 10 for their care.”

The registered manager recognised people's individual needs and planned support to help ensure everyone had the same opportunities to achieve positive outcomes. People's care was tailored to reflect their circumstances, preferences and any factors that may affect their experiences or wellbeing. This helped ensure people were able to access meaningful activities, maintain relationships and experience positive outcomes in a way that reflected their individual wishes and circumstances.

Staff understood the people they supported and considered any barriers that may prevent them from taking part in activities, accessing services or achieving personal goals. Individual planning was used to identify the support people needed and the adjustments required to help them participate in opportunities that were important to them.

People were supported to plan for important changes in their lives and to express their wishes about the future. The registered manager worked with people, relatives and relevant professionals to ensure future needs and preferences were understood and recorded where appropriate.

People had opportunities to discuss their future goals, health needs and wishes. Health action plans and personal goals were in place to support people to maintain their wellbeing and work towards outcomes that were important to them such as learning cooking skills, going on holiday or doing sport.

Staff used personalised approaches to help people understand significant life events and changes. This included the use of social stories and therapeutic support where needed. For example, staff used these approaches to support a person following the death of a close relative, helping them to understand what had happened and provide reassurance during a difficult time.