Ashton Lodge of Sunbury-on-Thames

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 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 made 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 and their relatives told us they were involved when planning their care and that their needs were met in a person-centred way. One relative told us, “[Person’s] care needs are demanding but they are all met.” Another relative commented, “[Person] has good and bad days but there are specialist carers in charge for [person].”

Care plans were generally person-centred and included details on how to support the person. Staff took the time to find out about people’s lives where they wished to share this, and this was reflected in people’s care plans. Where we identified some care plans could contain further information to explain people’s conditions, the deputy manager addressed this prior to the end of our site visit and there were wider plans in place to review all care plans which were ongoing at the time of the site visit. Staff knew people well and we saw how they were able to anticipate people’s needs. For example, when a person appeared to be anxious, staff were able to reassure the person by using terms which they knew would put the person at ease. In another instance, a member of staff showed us how they communicated with a person using body language as the person was unable to communicate verbally. This showed a good understanding of the individual’s preferred method of communication to ensure they were involved in decisions relating to their care.

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 and their relatives told us staff were flexible and worked in a joined-up way to meet their needs. For example, where people wanted to have more community engagement, staff worked with local organisations so people could undertake those activities more frequently.

Staff told us they had enough time to read people’s care plans and get to know people to allow them to have continuity. They told us they had time to sit with people and speak on a one-to-one basis to build a relationship, and we found this to be the case during our site visits. This meant that there was continuity in people’s care because staff were able to clearly describe their needs and preferences to new colleagues and external partners. The registered manager and deputy manager worked with other health and social care partners to coordinate people’s care in joined-up, and responsive way.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. Documentation was available in different formats such as prompt cards, and we saw policies and procedures were available in easy read formats.

For example, we found procedures and feedback forms were available in various formats, such as easy-to-read and pictorial formats, to ensure people were able to participate and make informed decisions. Staff had provided people with the complaints procedure in different formats, and the provider had systems in place to produce other documentation if this was required.

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.

People were encouraged to provide feedback. We saw surveys had been sent out regularly to people and their relatives. Feedback could be given using various formats and there were meetings which people could attend to find out about the service and contribute to the day-to-day running. Where the service received feedback, they acted on this and used it to learn from. A relative told us, “They do hold relatives’ meetings again now. You can attend in-person or on Teams. They explain how the home is going through a modernisation process, and they intend to update us. They intend to have regular meetings every three months”.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. We saw during the site visits and in care records that people who had physical disabilities were supported to attend activities and appointments. Where people had other barriers, staff worked to remove them. The service understood the local area well and worked with local partners to ensure people were able to access services. Feedback from local partners reflected this.

 

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. The provider understood the challenges people faced and worked with partners, such as local community leaders, to ensure people’s experiences were positive. One partner told us, “The arrangement made by the Care Home to transport the residents to our [place of worship] and ensure their safe return has been exemplary.”

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. People were encouraged to discuss their arrangements in relation to end of life care with staff, whilst respecting their wishes if they chose not to. End of life care plans included information about people’s wishes, whether there are any ongoing discussions, and whether there is any documentation in place, such as in relation to resuscitation.