1 Sheringham 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 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 ensured people’s needs were thoroughly assessed and regularly reviewed to reflect any changes. People had lived at the service for a long time, and staff demonstrated a strong understanding of their individual needs, preferences and histories. Care plans were detailed and person-centred, supporting staff to deliver consistent and effective care.

Assessments were ongoing and responsive. Staff reviewed people’s needs regularly and adapted support when changes were identified, ensuring care remained appropriate and effective. This included working with people, their relatives and external professionals to ensure a holistic approach to care planning.

Relatives told us they were actively involved in planning and reviewing care and were kept informed about any changes. One relative said they were, “always aware of meetings or day to day activities,” which demonstrated consistent involvement and communication.

This meant people received care that was based on a thorough understanding of their needs and was regularly reviewed to ensure positive outcomes.

The provider ensured people received care and treatment in line with current evidence-based guidance and best practice. Senior staff with specialist knowledge supported the service by providing training, guidance and oversight of practice. They worked alongside care staff, observed practice and liaised with healthcare professionals to ensure people received high-quality, consistent care.

Staff received regular training relevant to people’s needs, including learning disability, autism and healthcare interventions. They told us this training was meaningful and supported them to deliver appropriate care. One person explained that staff, “make an effort to understand my thoughts and what I’m experiencing.”

Staff worked collaboratively with healthcare professionals to meet people’s needs. Where people required specialist support, such as for health or nutritional needs, staff followed professional guidance and ensured care was delivered safely and effectively. External professionals also supported in assessing staff competency and providing additional guidance where required.

This meant people received care that was informed by best practice, supported by specialist input and delivered by a knowledgeable and skilled staff team.

Staff worked well together to ensure people received consistent and coordinated care. There were regular team meetings and daily handovers where information about people’s needs and any changes was shared. Staff followed structured plans during each shift to help ensure tasks were completed and people’s needs were met.

Staff told us they had regular opportunities to speak with managers and senior staff, and team meetings included discussions about learning from incidents and when things had gone wrong.

Staff worked in partnership with external professionals, sharing relevant information and following their guidance to support people’s care and treatment.

People were supported to maintain good health and wellbeing. Staff assessed, monitored and responded to people’s healthcare needs and worked closely with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to ensure appropriate care and treatment was provided. Records showed people received regular health checks and reviews of their medicines.

Staff acted as effective advocates for people when liaising with healthcare professionals. They explained how they challenged decisions where necessary to ensure people received the treatment they needed and were not overlooked or dismissed due to their disabilities. This helped to promote equitable access to healthcare.

Staff responded promptly when people became unwell and sought timely support from external professionals. They monitored people’s food and fluid intake, as well as their weight, to identify any changes in health or wellbeing. People were offered a choice of freshly prepared, nutritious meals which supported their dietary needs and preferences.

Relatives told us staff supported people to stay healthy. This was reflected in comments such as, “Yes, [person] is well supported with their healthcare needs.”

People’s care and wellbeing were routinely monitored to ensure they received the right support to meet their needs. Staff observed changes in people’s health and responded appropriately, adjusting care where required. Relatives confirmed this approach and gave examples of how staff had responded when people became unwell or experienced changes in their needs. One relative described how staff had identified a person was uncomfortable and arranged for new equipment to improve their comfort.

Staff had the skills and knowledge to monitor people’s clinical needs. Staff carried out these checks when people became unwell or following accidents and incidents. They shared this information with relevant healthcare professionals and used it to monitor people’s recovery or any deterioration in their wellbeing.

Relatives told us they were kept informed about people’s health and any changes, “They keep me fully informed by sharing appointment letters and updating me on the outcomes, so I always know what’s happening. If [person] needs to go to hospital, they make sure to keep me updated throughout, which is very reassuring.”

The provider acted in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People’s mental capacity was assessed in relation to specific decisions, and staff supported people to make their own choices wherever possible.

People using the service were able to use verbal communication. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of individuals’ communication needs and presented choices in ways people could understand, such as through observation, familiar routines and personalised approaches. This helped to maximise people’s involvement in day-to-day decisions.

Where people lacked the mental capacity to make more complex decisions, staff worked with relatives and other representatives to make decisions in people’s best interests. Staff were able to explain how they applied the principles of the MCA in practice and had completed training to support this.

Relatives told us they were involved in important decisions about people’s care. They explained that staff provided consistent and familiar support, which helped people to feel safe, understand what was happening and be prepared for changes in their care or treatment.