Archived: Cumberland

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 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 service made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, well-being and communication needs with them.

People, and others involved in their care, had been actively involved in assessments of their needs conducted by managers prior to any prospective new service user’s admission. Assessments considered each person’s health, care, wellbeing, and communication needs, to enable them to receive care or treatment that has the best possible outcomes.

People’s choices and preferences had been used to plan their individualised packages of care and support. Assessments were routinely reviewed and updated accordingly to reflect any changing needs. Staff understood people’s individual needs and how these should be met.

The service 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.

People received personal care and support from staff according to their individually assessed needs and wishes. A person told us, “I tell them how to prepare my food and the kitchen staff understand what I like.” A relative added, “My [family member] likes the food they serve here which always look very appetising.”

Staff worked well together to deliver and meet people’s needs and wishes in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards. Staff told us they followed guidance in care plans when supporting people. This included providing the appropriate level of support in line with guidance in relation to individual needs, including nutrition, moving, and handling.

Care plans were comprehensive and detailed covering residents’ individual needs and were reviewed and updated regularly. Staff were supported through training and supervision to deliver care and support people in line with legislation, good practice and standards. Managers also conducted regular monitoring checks on staff’s working practices.

The service worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

People were supported by managers and staff who worked well-together and with other external health and social care professionals and bodies. Systems were in place to make sure information was shared in a timely manner by everyone involved in people’s care. This all helped to ensure a joined up, consistent approach to delivering safe and effective care to people in line with their individually assessed needs and preferences.

The service supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. The service supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

People were supported by staff to stay healthy and well in line with their assessed needs and wishes. People told us staff supported them to stay in regular contact with relevant external health care professionals. Staff knew when people were unwell or in pain, discomfort or showing signs of an infection and supported people to access health care services for their health care needs. For example, staff ensured people routinely attended scheduled health care appointments and had regular screening and check-ups with a range of community-based health care professionals including, GP’s, nurses and opticians. A person told us, “The doctor always comes to see me.” A relative added, “Medical attention is provided to my [family member] in a timely manner.”

Information about people’s healthcare needs was assessed and reviewed at regular intervals. This meant staff had up to date information about people’s needs to help them support people to live healthier lives.

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves.

Managers monitored the care and support provided to people and knew what action to take if any improvements were required. Managers and staff worked well with external health and social care professionals and bodies to continuously monitor and review people’s care needs and ensure the support they received remained effective and safe.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

The service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. Staff involved people in their care, offering choices and respecting people’s decisions. Mental capacity assessments were completed with people and others involved in their care. Where people did not have the capacity to consent to their care, managers and staff held best interests’ decisions and liaised with those that had legal authorisation to make decisions on people’s behalf. People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (Dols), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We found managers and staff liaised with the relevant local authorities to ensure appropriate Dols arrangements were in place to ensure people’s safety. Managers and staff confirmed they had received Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLs) training.