Thimbleby 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 – 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. This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated outstanding. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently better than expected compared to similar services. People’s feedback described it as exceptional and distinctive.

This service scored 92 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People’s needs were assessed before they moved into the service and reviewed to ensure care remained appropriate. People and relatives told us they were involved in the assessment process and that staff took time to understand individual needs and preferences. Feedback about the admission process was positive, with comments such as, “They showed us around and took [my family member] to the room. Showed them all around. They asked about [my family member's] capabilities. It went smoothly,” Another relative told us, “Very good. I phoned and told them I need help. [Staff] asked us questions including any allergies, what they like and [don't] like,” and “[My family member] moved from another home. [We were] happy with the move. Absolutely fabulous no issues.”

Assessments considered people’s needs, abilities and preferences, and information gathered was used to inform care planning. People who had moved between services told us information had been shared appropriately to support continuity of care, with one relative explaining, “They did pass information over.”

People and their relatives were involved in planning care and reviewing needs. Feedback indicated care plans were discussed and updated, with relatives describing involvement and communication. One person said, “I’ve seen my care plan and they explained it.” While another relative confirmed, “Yes, we were involved in one of our [family members]. They both have care plans and they are reviewed regularly.”

People had access to appropriate assessments following changes in need. Staff worked with external professionals to support this, including referrals to occupational therapists and other services where required.

People received care and treatment that was informed by best practice guidance and specialist input and was consistently adapted to achieve improved health and wellbeing, enabling people to maintain independence and quality of life.

Staff supported people with exercise and rehabilitation programmes where required. A qualified exercise therapist worked with people to improve mobility and reduce the risk of falls and injury, and staff were completing training in an armchair fitness programme to provide ongoing, tailored support. This ensured people were supported to maintain strength and confidence in their daily lives.

Relatives reported clear improvements in people’s health and mobility, demonstrating the positive impact of care. Feedback from professionals highlighted a highly proactive and consistent approach to rehabilitation. They reported that access to community physiotherapy services was limited and described how staff worked proactively to address this by following guidance and implementing prescribed exercises effectively. They gave examples of people who had benefited from this approach, including improvements in mobility and independence. This ensured people continued to receive the rehabilitation support they needed, leading to improved mobility and a reduced risk of falls.

Staff delivered care in line with recognised best practice for supporting people living with dementia, adapting their approach to meet individual needs. They demonstrated a strong understanding that people may respond differently to care and adjusted their approach based on what was most effective for each person. For example, staff described how they identified when a person became overwhelmed during personal care and explored underlying causes, including unmet needs and communication difficulties. Staff adapted their approach using personalised communication, reassurance and techniques such as singing, which helped reduce distress and enabled the person to be supported more effectively, resulting in a calmer experience and better engagement with care.

Staff, teams and services worked in a highly coordinated and proactive way to deliver responsive, joined-up care that consistently met people’s needs. There were embedded systems to support joint working with external professionals. The service worked proactively with health professionals holding regular meetings to review needs, anticipate changes and plan care. Professionals described the service as exceptionally organised and responsive in identifying people requiring review and making timely referrals. This helped ensure people received timely and appropriate care.

Internal communication was well established and supported consistency. Staff used care plans, handovers and day-to-day communication to ensure people’s needs were understood and met. Relatives confirmed they were kept informed, supporting a coordinated and transparent approach.

Staff worked collaboratively with volunteers and community partners to enhance people’s lives, demonstrating a creative and inclusive approach to partnership working. Volunteers were fully integrated into the service, supporting meaningful one-to-one engagement and group activities, such as hobby clubs and quiz days, which promoted social connection within the wider community. These partnerships were mutually beneficial, supporting both people living at the service and volunteers, including those experiencing anxiety or isolation, to build confidence and feel a sense of purpose. In addition, spiritual support was available through a volunteer pastoral lead, ensuring people’s emotional and spiritual needs were met. This demonstrated a coordinated, person-centred approach to working with others to achieve positive outcomes for people.

Staff worked in collaboration with families to enhance people’s understanding and experience of dementia. For example, during Dementia Week, families were invited into the service to take part in activities which helped them understand what it may be like to live with dementia, using specialist equipment. This demonstrated a joined-up approach, where staff and families worked together to better understand people’s needs and improve the support provided.

Staff, teams and services worked seamlessly together to deliver highly coordinated and proactive care, supporting people to maintain and improve their health. Communication between staff and external professionals was effective and supported safe, responsive care. Staff shared timely information about people’s needs, identified deterioration early and sought advice promptly. This enabled effective decision-making and ensured people received the right care at the right time.

There were clear examples where effective joint working led to significant improvements in outcomes for people. For example, one person who had previously been unable to walk was supported through a coordinated rehabilitation programme, enabling them to regain mobility and increase their independence. This demonstrated the impact of strong partnership working and continuity of care in achieving positive and meaningful outcomes for people.

Internal communication was well established and supported consistency. Staff worked effectively together to ensure people’s needs were clearly understood and consistently met, with information shared in a way that supported coordinated and seamless care.

People’s outcomes were consistently monitored and improved through a proactive and person-centred approach to care. The service had implemented a dementia strategy which provided a clear framework for enhancing care and improving people’s quality of life.

Feedback from relatives demonstrated clear improvements in people’s health and wellbeing. Relatives described significant changes since their family members had moved into the service. A relative told us, “Without a shadow of doubt, [my family member] would not have survived if not in the home.”

Standardised tools and documentation had been introduced to support person-centred care and consistent practice. These included ‘All About Me’ life history books, which helped staff understand people’s backgrounds and what was important to them. Assessments were completed to ensure people received the right level of support based on their abilities.

Systems were in place to monitor and improve practice, including dementia care assessments and mealtime experience audits, which helped track progress in improving outcomes. Observations showed people were engaged, content and actively participating, demonstrating positive outcomes and meaningful improvements in their day-to-day experiences.

The service had taken steps to improve the environment and wider support available, including developing more dementia-friendly and engaging spaces, creating information hubs for families and visitors and delivering dementia workshops to support both relatives and the wider community.

Staff had developed their knowledge through training and engagement with dementia specialists, supporting them to better understand people’s needs and adapt care approaches to improve wellbeing.

Relatives described the impact of care on both people and their families, with one stating, “They do have positive outcomes. They have changed [my family member’s] life and ours. I don’t have to worry about them so much… The pressure is off us. They are happy and safe.”

People were supported to make decisions about their care and treatment, and staff consistently respected people’s rights. People and relatives told us staff regularly sought consent before providing care. One person told us staff always checked with them first and ensured they were ready before supporting them to get up. Another person told us, “I find [staff] very polite and [they] won’t just get on with [helping me].”

Observations confirmed staff consistently asked for consent before providing support. Staff took time to explain what they were doing and ensured people were comfortable before proceeding, demonstrating a respectful and person-centred approach.

Staff supported people to make their own decisions wherever possible and respected when people chose to decline care. Relatives told us people were encouraged to make choices about their daily lives, including personal care, routines and meals.

Where people lacked capacity, staff demonstrated a clear understanding of their responsibilities. Capacity assessments and best interest decisions were completed to a high standard and reflected a person-centred approach. This helped ensure decisions were lawful, well considered and in line with people’s individual needs and preferences.