Derwent Lodge

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 64 (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 did not always ensure care was person-centred, as care plans lacked sufficient detail about people’s preferences, personal histories and what was important to them, meaning care was not always reflective of their individual wishes or needs.

Care and support plans were in place and most were regularly reviewed, however they could be further developed to include more information on people’s likes, dislikes and preferences and to reflect their life history. Clinical needs were well documented. We were told following the assessment visit that care and support plans were being reviewed to ensure they contained more information on people's preferences and life histories and were more person-centred.

A professional commented, ‘Derwent Lodge consistently demonstrates a positive and person-centred approach to care. I feel the team maintains a calm, supportive environment and shows genuine commitment to the wellbeing and progress of the individuals they support. My interactions with the service have reflected a strong culture of professionalism and compassion for their service users who often have complex physical and mental health issues. The staff at Derwent Lodge know their residents well.’

Care was coordinated and continuous. Care records reflected support from relatives and other services.

Staff received appropriate induction to support the provision of care and rotas showed continuity of care.

The provider did not always supply appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

Care plans provided guidance for staff on how to communicate with people including those with diverse needs, though, these could be further developed. We were told following the assessment visit thatcommunication care and support plans were being reviewed and updated to provide further guidance on how staff could communicate with individuals with diverse needs.

Information in an appropriate format was not consistently used for a person with a learning disability whose first language was not English. Though staff felt that the person could communicate their needs, a health action plan was not in place to better support the person to understand and manage their health needs.Evidence was provided following the assessment visit demonstrating that a health action plan was now in place.

An accessible information standard policy was in place. Information was available in different formats on request.

People who used services and people who were important to them were listened to.

People told us they felt able to raise concerns. No people who used services or relatives reported feeling unable to speak up. A person said, “I would speak with the manager and staff at the home if I needed to make any complaints." A relative told us that they knew how to complain and had been happy with the response to their concerns.

Complaints guidance was available to people who used the service and their families and an accessible information policy was in place. A Complaints policy was in place and complaints processes were in place. Formal complaints had not been received recently but we reviewed the response to a more historic complaint which appeared appropriate.

Meetings took place for people who used services. Minutes were taken of the meetings. We also saw the results of a survey which was largely positive. The registered manager told us that staff would discuss the results with people who used the service and would then aim to implement suggestions into the service.

People were supported to access the care and support they needed.

Care plans considered people’s needs and any adjustments that could be made to ensure they had equal access to services which included how their mobility needs could be met.

Staff told us they were committed to ensuring everyone received equal and fair support and staff completed training in this area.

A professional commented, ‘Staff report any concerns to us in a prompt manner and help us rectify any problems our patients experience. They will often chase housing or social care issues to help move the patients on in a timely manner.’

People experienced fair and equitable care.

Policies were in place and staff completed training in this area.

Care plans evidenced how people’s disabilities were considered, where appropriate, and support provided, for example, with mobility.

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.

An end of life care policy was in place though made no reference to training. Staff did not receive any regular end of life care training; however, we were told that they had received training to support an individual in this area in the past.

Planning for the future care plans were in place and were clear whether people wished to receive emergency care, however, they required regular review to ensure they continued to reflect people’s wishes. We were told following the assessment visit that future care plans had been added to the electronic care record system and would be reviewed monthly going forward.

A relative told us that they had been involved in discussion about planning for the future when their family member received a diagnosis of a serious illness.