Eastfield

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 Requires Improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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.

Staff 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.

People’s care needs were clearly recorded in their care plans. These outlined peoples’ likes, dislikes and preferences. We read information on when people preferred to go to bed and when they wished to wake up. Where people had health conditions there was specific guidance available for staff, for example when to recognise signs of abnormal blood sugars in someone who was diabetic.

A staff member said, “I use the care plan to get to know people and their needs. I interact and talk to people. We communicate with them all the time. For example, with [person’s name] if they feel you have done something wrong, then I apologise. That helps him to feel less anxiety.” A second told us staff had more time now to interact on a personal level with people and felt staff’s knowledge had developed resulting them in being more confident in the way they supported them.

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

Care plans reflected a person’s changing mobility, cognitive needs, and communication challenges, with regular reviews involving the person and family. There was a small consistent staff team on duty which helped support continuity and build relationships between people and staff.

Staff worked closely with a person's health care professional to manage changing health needs and information was shared appropriately. For example, where one person’s mental health was deteriorating, the registered manager had re-referred them to the mental health team.

Staff supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to people’s individual needs.

People lived in a service which had been adapted for their needs. This included clear signage and signposting. Each person had a picture frame on their bedroom door with their picture and information about them. This helped people’s orientation around the service and supported them in identifying their own room.

Other information shared with people was presented in pictorial format. For example, the daily menu and snack menu.

The registered manager made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. A relative said, “If there are any problems I ring [deputy] or [registered manager]. I would speak to them or email.”

Regular resident’s meetings were held where people could discuss their views on the food, the environment and activities taking place. People were encouraged to make suggestions and ideas and these were followed up on by the registered manager or activity staff. In addition, family members were invited to get together every 3 months to give their feedback on the care being provided.

Surveys were completed on a regular basis giving people the opportunity to give their feedback on the service and a suggestion box had been placed at the service entrance. The registered manager told us, “My office is situated in a great place, so people can see me as soon as they come through the door.”

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

Everyone was given equal opportunity to receive the care they needed promptly. This included being referred to a healthcare professional quicky should they become unwell, ensuring their medicines were reviewed by the GP and arranging appointments for them to follow up on health concerns, for example to the dentist.
In addition, the registered manager ensured there were enough staff on duty so their daily care needs were met consistently and without delay.

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. Relatives told us staff took the time to ensure everyone had the opportunity to be involved in activities. A relative said, “Staff go and get people’s glasses so they can participate (in activities) independently.”

Staff made an effort to understand what might make someone's care experience more difficult or unequal. For example, where one person became anxious if they did not feel their care was being provided promptly or in the case of another person whose first language was not English. The registered manager told us, “We had a French person living with us before and I arranged for a language student to come and have lunch with them. I’ve emailed the language students again to see if they’d like to come in and spend time with [person’s name] as they are (European nationality).”

The registered manager had worked hard to build links with the local community to enhance people’s outcomes. They told us, “Two different Churches come in to take services and Communion. They also do 1:1 visits. We have the therapy dogs come in and a local bird group did a presentation. We’ve gone out into the community to the local coffee morning club and garden centre. We discuss at resident’s meetings who wants to do what and work out the logistics of the trip so we can make it happen.” A relative said, “They have barbeques. They had tea and cakes for Father’s and Mother’s Day. They do keep fit in chairs, get in a petting zoo and therapy dogs.”

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.

We read where some people had expressed specific wishes in relation to the end of their life or whether they had completed an advanced care plan.

The registered manager told us there was a good relationship between them and the local hospice palliative care nurse. This helped ensure that staff had support with caring for a person when they reached this stage of their life.