St John's Care Home

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 68 (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 did not always ensure people were at the centre of decisions about their care and support. Records and guidance did not consistently reflect people's preferences or provide clear information about how they wished to be supported. Care records did not always support person-centred practice. People's preferences were not always recorded clearly and some information was contradictory. This increased the risk of inconsistent care and meant staff could not always rely on records to understand what was important to people. Senior staff and the registered manager demonstrated limited understanding of how to support people to express their sexuality and develop relationships. This created a risk that people's rights, choices and emotional wellbeing may not always be fully considered.

Despite these concerns, staff were committed to providing person-centred care and generally knew people well. People spoke positively about the support they received from staff. One person told us, "Staff are lovely, any of them will do anything for you, even if they are busy, they will drop it and come and help you."

People were offered a range of activities and were able to choose whether to take part. One person told us, "I am told what’s happening each day but I don’t do many. I’m quite happy in my room with the TV." Another person said, "I do some activities, there is a good selection. I’ve made some friends. I can also do gardening with someone from the wellbeing team."

Relatives described staff as understanding people's individual needs and preferences. A relative told us, "[Staff] have really taken the time to know my [family member] as their condition has progressed."

The provider generally understood people's needs and worked to ensure care was joined up and consistent. People experienced continuity of care and told us staff provided support when it was needed.

Staff worked together to provide consistent care and people told us they received the support they expected. One person told us, "All my care is done well." Another person said, "The staff are fine, I get the help I need."

Information was shared between staff and with external professionals to support continuity of care. People were able to access healthcare services when required and relatives told us they were kept informed about changes affecting their family member. A relative told us, "[Staff] always inform me of any changes."

The provider generally ensured people and their relatives had access to information about the service and the support available. Information was provided in different formats, including posters, emails and verbal discussions to help people stay informed and involved.

People and relatives told us they received information about changes affecting their care and support. Staff shared information through a variety of methods and worked to ensure people and relatives were kept updated about important events and decisions. Feedback from relatives about information provided was positive. A relative told us, "I am informed always of any changes."

The provider encouraged people to share their views about the care they received and generally responded to feedback in a timely way. People were involved in decisions about their care and were informed when changes had been made following concerns or requests.

Systems were in place for people and relatives to raise complaints, compliments and suggestions. People told us they felt comfortable approaching staff and were confident their concerns would be listened to. One person said, "If I have questions, I’m not afraid to ask the staff." Another person told us, "If I was concerned about something I’d be happy to talk to anyone here about it."

People gave examples of concerns being acted upon promptly. One person told us they had raised concerns about an uncomfortable mattress and a heavy duvet. They said both concerns were addressed within a day and alternative bedding was provided in line with their preferences.

Feedback from relatives was also positive. A relative told us, "They always listen and are always supportive."

The provider ensured people could access the care, treatment and support they needed when they needed it. People were supported to access healthcare services and staff worked to reduce barriers to receiving care and treatment.

People told us they were able to access facilities within the home and received support to maintain their independence. One person told us how they had struggled to walk around the garden using a walking stick when they first moved in. They said, "Within 30 minutes of mentioning it to staff, they had a seated walker [for]me to use."

Staff supported people to access healthcare professionals and seek advice when required. Relatives told us they were kept informed about changes in their family member's health and were involved when decisions about treatment and support needed to be made. A relative told us, "[Staff] will get the GP in, the dentist and the optician.”

The provider did not always consider whether some people were at greater risk of experiencing poorer outcomes or unequal experiences. People's views about their outcomes, wellbeing and experiences were not always routinely sought or used to shape care and support.

Records did not consistently demonstrate how people's personal experiences had been considered when planning and reviewing care. As a result, care was not always tailored in response to factors that may have affected people's experiences or outcomes. Opportunities to formally gather and review people's views about the outcomes they wanted to achieve were limited.

The provider had worked with healthcare professionals to support people's health needs and there was evidence people received support to access appointments and specialist services when required. However, systems for understanding whether people experienced equitable outcomes were not fully developed.

Relatives described being supported to access healthcare services and receiving help to advocate for their family members when needed. A relative told us, "The [staff] very good at navigating this lack of power of attorney and keeping us informed."

The provider supported people to plan for important changes in their lives, including future care and end of life wishes. People and relatives were involved in discussions about future decisions and were given opportunities to express what was important to them.

Systems were in place to record people's end of life wishes and preferences. However, records were not always fully completed, which meant important information about some people's future wishes was not always clearly documented.

People were supported to maintain important relationships and take part in significant life events. One person described how staff had supported another person to attend their relative's funeral, which had meant a great deal to them. People were also supported to access faith-based services where these were important to them.