Elliot Avenue

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

Effective – this means we looked for evidence that people’s care, treatment and support achieved good outcomes and promoted a good quality of life, based on best available evidence.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

This service scored 71 (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’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them. When new people moved into the home, their needs were thoroughly assessed prior to this transition. However, we did identify that consideration was not always given to compatibility between residents. Staff told us and records confirmed that this sometimes led to difficulties in managing relationships within the shared spaces in the home. In discussion with the management team, they confirmed that they were aware of these issues and had sought support from the providers in house positive behavioural support team.

The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

Staff completed training so they had the right skills and knowledge to support people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.Relatives told us that staff knew how to communicate with their family member and were aware of their health needs. There were provider systems and teams in place to ensure that the management leads of services were kept up to date with guidance and legislation. This was then shared with the staff teams.

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. Staff told us about how they worked with their colleagues and communicated well within the team. Staff told us and records showed that advice from external health professionals formed part of people’s care records. A staff member told us, “We work very well with external professionals. We have good communication with medical professionals and the local GP practice.” Families told us they were kept well informed in relation to health appointments and relevant information was shared with them.

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support. Staff told us how they had worked with people to identify goals to improve their lifestyle and diet. They were proud to tell us about how they had worked with individuals to increase their physical activity and make healthy food swaps. We observed 1 person happily return from a session at the gym, accompanied by a member of their support staff. We saw how staff had used pictorial communication to support this person to understand the importance of healthy living and fitness. Staff told us about how this person’s confidence in attending the gym had grown and they were now able to use equipment independently. We also saw how another person had been supported to increase their activity levels by going on walks and slowly increasing the distance travelled. Staff told us how this person now asked to go on walks and was excited to do so.

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves. Staff knew the people they supported well and how to support them to achieve both health-related outcomes and try to improve their quality of life. People’s life skills and strengths were documented to guide staff and discussions held to consider and agree people’s goals. Staff shared evidence of people’s individual achievements, however big or small, explaining the impact on their confidence and wellbeing. A staff member told us how they had worked with a person to be able to put their own socks on and the sense of achievement they got from being able to do this.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment. We observed staff seeking consent before providing support. Staff told us different ways they could present information so people could give their consent without verbally communicating. People's communication needs were clearly documented in their care plans.

Trained staff could demonstrate their understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005, and the importance of asking people to make choices and respecting this choice. The management team completed decision specific mental capacity assessments and made decisions in a person’s best interest if they lacked the mental capacity to make the decision themselves. Where there were restrictions in place within the home, such as locked doors or cupboards, the provider had completed mental capacity assessments, best interest decisions and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) referrals.