Arden Park

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.

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.

Senior staff completed a pre-admission assessment prior to people moving to the service and involved the person, and where appropriate, their relatives and health and social care professionals. Providing assurances the service could meet the person’s needs and preferences which helped to develop a personalised care plan. One relative told us, “Staff understand him and they update us”. Another relative said, “They will talk to us when we visit, and they tell us what’s going on”.

Staff told us they were briefed when a new person moved in, information was also available on their handheld devices where they accessed the services electronic care records system. Care plans and risk assessments had been developed and reviewed on a regular basis or sooner if people’s needs changed. Any changes in people’s care and needs were effectively communicated to staff teams who knew people’s support needs. Staff discussed any changes in people’s needs at daily handovers for each person at the start and end of each shift.

The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them.

Staff were aware of people’s dietary preferences and ensured they received adapted diets where required. People were supported to have snacks and drinks within their reach. Staff ensured people had access to drinks of their choice throughout the day. Relatives told us, “She likes the food. They know what she likes and they give that to her.” Another relative said “She is eating well so that means she enjoys it. She is on a normal diet.”

Staff knew when to refer people to professionals with specific expertise – for example by involving the speech and language therapy team if a person required support with communication or dietary needs.

Systems were in place to monitor people’s support needs if staff had any concerns with people not having enough to eat or drink. The approach supported people to have good nutrition and hydration and minimised the risk of malnutrition. However, this needed to be further developed by equipping staff to use industry standard tools to achieve further outcomes for people.

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

People were able to access the care they wanted without delay. A person told us staff had promptly responded to their request to be registered with a local GP. Another person explained they were supported to see opticians and audiologists when they wanted to see them, with support from staff. The person said, “If you need anything you go to [staff].”

Daily handovers took place between members of the management team and staff to ensure people’s health and well-being issues were discussed. One staff member told us they took place at the start and end of each shift. The staff member said, “We talk about falls, and when people are ill, because of risks.” The staff member gave us an example naming a person who was currently ill, and said, “You need to make sure [person’s name] bell is within reach, and that you are helping them to get to the toilet.”

Health and social care professionals reported information was readily available, up to date and accurate. This demonstrated the home collaborated with external professionals. Staff gave examples of health professionals regularly visiting and providing advice and treatment including Occupational Therapists, Tissue Viability Nurses, chiropodists, District Nurses, and occasionally the falls team. Following a visit from a health professional there was no reference made on daily logs; however, a record was made that the concern had been escalated.

Systems were in place to ensure information was shared effectively across staff teams, which included a handover for each person at the end of the shift and during staff meetings.

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.

People were confident they were supported to meet their health and well-being needs through routine monitoring and timely referrals. One person told us they needed to have a specific level of fluids to help them to remain well. The person told us staff had sourced a mug for them which held just the right amount of fluids to help to support their physical well-being. The person told us staff regularly monitored their weight, so they could determine if they were retaining too much fluid. The person told us as a result, “I am seeing improvement and feeling better.” Care plans showed involvement with people and relatives, for example people with diabetes to be given a diabetic diet.

Staff took time to encourage people to maintain their independence and skills when eating, by ensuring appropriate equipment was available, such as adapted cups. Staff offered people alternatives from the 2 main course and sweet menus, if they wished to eat something different.

Systems were in place to ensure the service supported people to access a wide range of health professionals. Staff gave examples of improved outcomes for people in relation to pressure care. Health and social care professionals told us they had developed a good working relationship with the service. Helping to ensure people were provided with prompt care when they needed it.

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.

The service had a robust approach to monitoring the effectiveness of people`s care, support and treatment. Staff encouraged people to improve and maintain their quality of life. Relatives told us the service was in regular communication which helped to ensure people had positive outcomes. A relative told us how their loved one had always enjoyed working and having an opportunity to help with activities in the home made them happy. They said, “[Person] likes the singer, allows them to help. Always been a worker so feels like they should be doing”. Staff monitored people’s outcomes related to people’s health, care and treatment and action was taken to continuously improve it.

External health and social care professionals were positive about how the service worked in partnership to assess and monitor people’s health needs including reviews of their medicines. Relatives and health professionals told us that staff knew people well which allowed early intervention to make sure people received the care when they needed it. Care records showed the provider liaised well with health and social care professionals which helped to ensure people maintained their health and wellbeing.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

People’s wishes and views were considered when their care was planned with a detailed summary of capacity and which areas support was needed. Staff asked if people wanted specific support and listened to and acted upon their wishes. For example, when people wanted personal care, or where people wanted items which were important to them to be located.

Staff had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act and had received up to date training. Where family members needed to be involved in best interest decisions it was clearly communicated to staff who understood people’s rights when making decisions.