Avon House Rest Home - Balcombe

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 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.

The provider placed people at the centre of their care and treatment by involving them in decisions about how their needs were met. Staff worked in partnership with people and, where appropriate, their relatives, to respond to changes in their needs while promoting choice, independence and control over their daily lives.

Some care records we reviewed reflected person-centred principles, identifying people's individual needs, preferences and the guidance staff required to support them in a personalised way. This was consistent with the provider's ethos of delivering person-centred care.

We observed that in practice, staff supported people in a person-centred way by listening to them, upholding their rights and respecting their wishes while promoting choice and control over their daily lives.

The provider worked collaboratively with local healthcare professionals to ensure care was joined up, responsive and reflected people’s needs. Records showed concerns about people's health were communicated promptly to the GP or emergency services, where appropriate, enabling timely review and clinical decision making. Appropriate referrals were made to external healthcare professionals, including hospital services where additional assessment or treatment was required. The provider also worked in partnership with community healthcare professionals to access specialist advice, and staff training whenever necessary.

During the assessment, we observed effective partnership working in practice. A manager arranged to discuss people`s health with the GP during a face-to-face review, while a community nurse attended the service to provide specialist wound care and treatment for another person. This collaborative approach helped ensure people received timely access to healthcare, continuity of care, and coordinated support as their needs changed.

The provider supplied people and their relatives with appropriate, accurate, and up-to-date information in ways that met their individual needs. Information was shared through a range of accessible methods including face to face discussions, written correspondence and electronic communication where appropriate, helping people and those important to them remain informed and involved.

Although most people using the service did not have significant communication needs, staff recognised and responded to individual requirements. For example, people were supported to use hearing aids, glasses and other aids to maximise communication and independence. We also saw evidence of timely referrals to specialty services, including audiology, where changes in people's hearing needs had been identified.

This personalised approach helped people access information in a way that met their needs, promoted effective communication and supported their involvement in decisions about their care.

The provider encouraged people to share their views, raise concerns and provide feedback about their care and support. This was reflected in the provider's ethos which states, “To be open and transparent with residents and each other and to speak up if something is wrong.”

There were a range of ways for people, relatives and staff to raise concerns or provide feedback including informal discussions, face-to-face conversations, formal meetings and written processes. Recent records of residents` meetings, showed people were routinely invited to raise concerns, complaints or suggestions, and where issues were identified, they were acted upon. We also saw evidence that learning from concerns and complaints was used to support improvements within the service. People told us they felt confident with the systems and processes of raising complaints.

This open and inclusive approach helped people and staff feel listened to, encouraged meaningful involvement, and promoted a culture where concerns and feedback could be shared openly to support continuous improvement.

The provider understood the importance of removing barriers to ensure people had equitable access to care, treatment and support. Reasonable adjustments were made to meet people's individual needs, including providing an accessible environment and ensuring the premises could be safely accessed by people using wheelchairs. Staff understood their role in helping people overcome barriers to accessing care and treatment, ensuring support was provided in a way that promoted equality and respected people's rights.

We observed staff adapting their approach to meet people's individual needs, helping ensure everyone could access, support and participate in daily life. For example, a staff member recognised that background noise was making it difficult for a person to engage in conversation. With the person's agreement, they reduced the volume of the radio and supported the person to move to a quieter table where they were able to comfortably converse with others.

This personalised approach helped remove barriers to participation, promoted inclusion and ensured people could access care, support and social opportunities in a way that met their individual needs.

The provider recognised when people were at greater risk of poorer health or well-being outcomes and adapted care to meet their individual needs. Through ongoing assessment and monitoring, staff identified changes in people’s health and wellbeing, with care plans and risk assessments updated to provide clear guidance on how people should be supported.

For example, following a fall, which resulted in an injury to a person’s wrist, staff sought timely support from healthcare professionals and monitored the person`s recovery. Staff encouraged the person to report any pain; and recognised the potential impact the injury could have on the person's sleep and emotional well-being. Staff adapted their support accordingly while the injury healed. As the person`s recovery progressed, they regained function and continued with their daily routines.

People were also supported to access healthcare professionals when required, with referrals made to specialist services to ensure their changing health needs were met.

This personalised approach helped reduce the risk of poorer outcomes, promoted recovery and enabled people to receive care and support that reflected their individual needs.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, including future care and end-of-life wishes. Although no one was receiving end of life care at the time of the assessment, we saw evidence that when a person's health began to deteriorate, staff worked proactively with the GP and planned sensitive discussions with family to consider future care, including implementing a recommended summary plan for emergency care and treatment (ReSPECT), which records a person's wishes and clinical recommendations for future emergency care and treatment.

Staff understood their responsibilities in supporting people at the end of life and worked with healthcare professionals to ensure timely planning and access to appropriate clinical support when needed.

A relative of a person who had recently passed away shared their experience about the “compassionate care” provided and how they “could never have imagined the level of care” their family member received. They described staff as “unbelievably caring and thoughtful,” during the person's final days. This approach helped ensure people's wishes, comfort and dignity remained central to their care while providing reassurance and support to those closest to them.