Holly Court

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
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 made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.
A comprehensive need assessment was in place, and we saw evidence of family involvement and other professionals where appropriate, for example Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapist and Consultant Neurologist. Families told us, “We have an annual review and go through the care plans." and “They can communicate in their own way and they [staff] understand.”
Staff showed an excellent understanding of people’s needs and used ongoing observation, reflection and feedback to adapt support in real time. Support plans remained current and responsive, with staff reviewing and adjusting approaches as needed.
 

The provider 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 were supported in line with their needs, including nutrition and hydration. One relative told us, “They’re very hot on nutrition as [person] skin glows, hair looks good and he’s never been looked after as well as this.”
When staff supported people to eat and drink, they did so respectfully and in a dignified way. Where people didn't want lunch, alternatives were offered (several) until they chose something they liked.
People were engaged in cooking and preparing meals together with staff on Sundays. The service had developed a recipe book which included Makaton signs and pictures so people could choose what they wanted to make and eat and there was an on-site restaurant people could use if they wanted to.
Care plans were person centred and we observed staff being respectful when they spoke about people referring to them as “adults” or “the adults” throughout. Staff regarded people as individuals, rather than in terms of care tasks, and spoke with animation about their individual preferences and personalities.
The provider attends national and regional forums to keep up to date with best practice guidelines and shared learning.
 

The provider always worked well across teams and services to support people. They shared thorough assessments of people’s needs when they moved between different services, so people only needed to tell their story once.
There was good communication across staff and with the extended team of therapists, Speech and Language Therapist (SALT), chiropody, and without exception, staff gave praise for great teamwork and leadership. A staff member said, “they work well together and they are supported by the management team.”
A health professional told us, “Staff were very receptive to guidance, and we work with them around individual’s needs.”
Another professional said, “It is always a pleasure to work at Holly Court. The staff are consistently welcoming, friendly, and professional. Communication is excellent, and the team are always helpful and supportive.”
Staff worked proactively with multidisciplinary team partners to manage health needs, risks and safeguarding.
Managers shared learning from incidents, feedback and reviews openly across the staff team and partner agencies to improve the outcomes for people.
 

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.
Staff encouraged and supported people to make healthy choices in ways accessible and meaningful to them. This included support with nutrition, hydration and physical activity, taking account of sensory needs and energy levels.
Staff were alert to changes in people’s health or wellbeing and took prompt action when concerns arose. A relative told us, “As soon as they hear a crackle the physio is called to do checks.”
The service created ‘Social stories’ to explain what will happen when visiting hospital or the dentist for example. The stories were developed with people and individualized, taking account of people’s communication needs so people were prepared before appointments.
 

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.
Systems and processes were in place to effectively monitor people’s care and treatment. The registered manager maintained robust oversight of people’s health monitoring to support improved outcomes, for example one residents’ medication was potentially impacting on their quality of life, this was raised with the person’s GP and their prescription changed which supported the person to be better engaged in activities and improved their wellbeing.
In addition, the provider had been pro-active in supporting the development of an outcomes module within their electronic records system so integrated teams could accurately monitor peoples progress and outcomes.
 

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.
Staff understood their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act and assessed people’s capacity appropriately, recognising capacity may vary and can change over time. We observed staff obtaining consent from people for all tasks throughout the day. Staff involved people in their care and encouraged them to make decisions.
People were supported to give consent in ways that reflected their individual communication needs, preferences and level of understanding, with information provided in accessible and reassuring ways. Where people were unable to give consent, decisions were made in their best interests, involving families, carers and other relevant professional partners as appropriate.