St George's Nursing Home (Oldham)

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 as good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.
 

This service scored 79 (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.
Care plans included detailed information about how individuals preferred to be supported. For example, one person’s care plan highlighted the importance of using a gentle touch to gain their attention. It had been identified that sudden movements or being startled could trigger aggressive behaviour, but a calm and gentle approach led to a much more positive response.
Some relatives expressed that they did not feel as involved in their loved ones’ care planning as they would have liked. One person told us they had not seen their relative’s care plan. We shared this feedback with the management team, who acknowledged the concern and identified ways to improve family involvement moving forward.
Despite this, relatives reported that staff kept them informed of any changes in their loved one’s care. One relative said, “I saw his care plan when he came to live here. All his background information has been included in the care plan.”
 

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.
The needs of the people living at St George’s Nursing home included mental health, acquired brain injury and dementia support. A psychologist was involved in reviewing the care plans and speaking to people and their families to ensure their needs were fully captured and understood.
Continuity of care was maintained when people transitioned between services. Upon hospital admission, their hospital passport and current medication were promptly shared to support consistent care, particularly for those receiving mental health support. If a family member was unavailable, a staff member always accompanied the person to hospital to ensure their needs were met and they felt supported.
 

The provider was exceptional at developing appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.
The service demonstrated a thoughtful approach to communication and providing information. Large print and pictorial menus were available to support accessibility, and although there were no people whose first language was not English, staff had previously used translation tools to support individuals. For example, when a person’s son, who had previously translated, was unavailable, staff used Google Translate to communicate and help calm the person. The provider had recently purchased headphones with a translation function to assist with communication for any people in the future who spoke a different language.
 

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.
The service encouraged feedback and this was gathered through regular surveys completed by staff and residents. The results were analysed and actions taken as a result. For example, a carers forum was implemented after a staff satisfaction survey showed that carers felt they did not have a voice.
A resident’s meeting highlighted that some people wanted changes to the menu including higher quality sandwiches and more variety. The information was shared with the kitchen so the relevant changes could be made where possible.
Management told us that they received very few formal complaints and that queries or concerns were normally dealt with effectively by the lead nurse on the units.
 

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.
People were supported to access the care and support they needed. The provider told us that management were always available and an on-call rota included nursing support for all days including weekends.
Reasonable adjustments were made to ensure people had equal access and opportunities. One staff member told us, “I have a resident who has bipolar, on both extremes of [their] illness [they] cannot go home to [their] partner, however we daily monitor [their] mood if this indicates that [they] are stable and [they] have capacity [they] are allowed to go on a home visit supervised by [their] partner. I have 2 residents who have capacity. They have their own set of keys for the unit so that they can leave when they want to.”
 

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 use of advocates, involving family and spending time with people, listening to them and engaging with them ensured that everyone received good outcomes and experiences.
During a music therapy session which also involved families and relatives, we observed staff spending time with each person and ensuring they experienced the music according to their own needs. They held their hands, sang with them and held instruments so people could play them according to their own abilities.

One staff member told us, “We have access to OT (Occupational Therapy) services, or physiotherapy services in GP” and “(we send) care staff along with residents to places or shops or where they want to go is a very good example of still maintaining the residents freedom or improving independence with least restriction in place.”
 

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.
Care plans included information about what mattered to them and information about their religious beliefs. Information relevant to when people were approaching end of life was detailed, person specific and reviewed regularly. Information about capacity and DNACPR was clear and there was a focus on maintaining dignity and respect. The provider told us that staff had training in end of life care and they followed the SWAN model which is an approach to end-of-life and bereavement care that focuses on dignity, compassion, and person-centred care.