Elm House

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.

The provider ensured people attended meetings about their care when they felt comfortable to do so. This meant decisions were made with the person’s consent and input, ensuring the care being delivered was person-centred.

Leaders told us new staff must read the care plans for all people at the care home before working with them. This ensured staff knew how to adapt their approach to meet each individual’s needs. Staff knew people well and this ensured they made the correct decisions to support people in a person-centred way. One relative told us, “If [person] is feeling distressed, they need space to calm down before talking about it”.

One relative told us, “The plan for [person] is individualised and reviewed every 4-6 weeks. They go volunteering, attend a social group, go swimming and on day trips regularly”.

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’s care plans were informed by the care and support plan created by the local authority. This showed the provider were delivering care that was aligned with the support needs that the local authority had commissioned. The provider expanded upon the local authority care plans by consulting with people and their relatives to ensure that they were person-centred and detailed.

The provider had systems in place to record any communication with other agencies involved in people’s care. This meant the provider listened and acted upon the advice provided by other professionals.

Staff and leaders were familiar with the Equality Act 2010 and ensured that the principles of the act were considered in the care that was being provided. The provider worked with all agencies involved in each person’s care to ensure their needs were met in line with this legislation.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

Staff and leaders understood people’s individual communication needs and recorded detailed information about these in their care plan. Staff adapted their approach to meet people’s individual needs so information was delivered to people in a way they could understand.

When it was required, the provider referred to external specialists to help people’s communication. For example, some people had worked with a speech and language therapist (SALT), who developed a personalised report and plan to help with communication and understanding. This showed the provider empowered people to communicate and understand information as effectively as possible.

The provider ensured care plans and any other important information was available in an easy-read format, with pictures and straightforward sentences to aid understanding. This showed the provider was committed to providing information in accessible formats.

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 provider asked people, their relatives and staff to complete a survey which gathered feedback about what was working well and what could be improved. After analysing the responses, leaders created a, ‘You Say, We Do’ action plan which detailed the feedback they had received and what they intended to do to improve. This showed the provider listened to, and valued people’s opinions.

Regular meetings were held with people and their relatives invited to attend. The provider kept detailed minutes of these meetings which recorded the discussions held about each agenda item, and a ‘Conclusion’ section which showed any actions which would be taken because of the discussion. This meant people were listened to and involved in decision-making about things such as activities, maintenance, food, and the introduction of new staff. In a recent meeting people were asked for feedback about a new member of staff. People fed back that they liked a particular staff member and wanted to see them more. It was recorded as an action for leaders to ask the staff member whether they would like to work more shifts. This showed that people’s requests were valued and acted upon if possible.

One relative told us “If [person] ever suggests something that they want to do, the staff make sure that they do it. For example, they have just asked for new bedding and curtains, and they helped them to get these straight away”.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

The provider was knowledgeable about legislation which protected people’s rights and supported equality., such as the Human Rights Act, Equality Act 2010, Care Act 2014 and Mental Capacity Act. Staff received training and care plans were informed by relevant care and human rights legislation.

Care plans were detailed in describing the individual needs and methods of supporting each person. This meant there was equity in access to care because the staff adapted their approach to meet the needs of the individual based upon the guidance given.

The provider had a complaints policy in place, with easy-read versions of documents available. This meant people were supported to give feedback about the service without feeling it would impact negatively upon them.

One relative told us, “I know how to complain but I have never needed 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.

Staff received training in hate crime awareness, which meant that they were given the skills to spot signs of discrimination and unconscious bias and support people to be treated equally. For example, staff told us one person does not like queuing in small, crowded shops, meaning they would sometimes not be able to purchase items they wanted. The staff team discussed this and identified they could stand in the queue for the person while they waited outside. This meant staff considered people’s individual needs and identified ways in which they could ensure they were able to access community services and activities like anyone else.

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.

Each person’s care plan contained information about their thoughts around the end of their life, including their preferences for healthcare treatment, final wishes and funeral arrangements. If a person did not want to discuss this, it was recorded in their care plan. Some people’s care plans also included information about their understanding of the concept of death and how they would like to be supported if other people they were close to passed away. This showed the provider was mindful of the impact this could have upon people.

People’s decisions around healthcare interventions and whether they would like to be resuscitated if their heart stopped, along with information about how they like to be cared for, was contained in a hospital passport which could be handed over to staff in the event of somebody having to go into hospital.