Abelands

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 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 were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people and their families, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.
People’s needs were assessed before they came to live at the home. People and their relatives were able to have input to support plans as peoples needed changed. People were given choice at all times and the staff understood the importance of flexibility to allow people to remain in control of their own treatment and support. A healthcare professional said, “Given the complexity of the individuals supported, the team at Abelands are highly experienced.” The home was run with the people who lived there at the centre of all decisions, a staff member told us, “Just because people are living here [in a care home], it doesn't mean that their choices should be limited.”
 

The provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.
People at Abelands were able to visit and interact with the local community. Prior to arrival at Abelands some people had been unable to go out often as they had complex needs. People were supported to attend appointments for their health, and also to go out and participate in events they enjoyed. A relative told us, “[Abelands] seems quite well ordered, but it's not intrusive or regimented, it's not over timetabled, the home has a sensible pragmatic flexibility within it.” We saw evidence of people attending sporting events, medical appointments and musical events.
 

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.
The provider ensured families were kept up to date with events at the home and with the health and daily lives of their relatives. People were supported with easy read information, and photographs. Staff explained things to people in ways they understood. Relatives told us they were happy with the way communication via phone calls and video calls with people, allowed them to know of day-to-day life at the home. Families told us good communication helped to alleviate any fears they may have had about people needing to go into a care home. A relative told us, “If there are issues they communicate that, if he has an appointment at the dentist or with the psychologist they notify me about that. I am happy with the communication.” And another said, “They give us updates over a few weeks, they send photographs through of what he is doing, and things like that, on a day-to-day basis. I could probably tell you what he is doing right now, he will be out on a walk.”
 

The provider made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.
People had choice about their lives and were confident to talk to staff about things they disliked, or changes they wanted. Staff told us the registered manager and the provider listened to and acted on suggestions. A member of staff told us, “Staff meetings are regular. We all sit in the meeting and we all throw in our suggestions and ideas and we put the guys at the centre of what we do.” Relatives told us it was easy to contact staff with any concerns, “We've got their phone numbers and e-mail, when we are down there, we talk to the staff that are there. If we are trying to get something sorted out and the immediate staff there can’t answer, we ask them to pass on the message to the deputy or the manager and they will pass it on and they'll ring us back when
they can.”
 

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.
Support plans were detailed and included information for staff about both medical and lifestyle needs and preferences. Support plans were up to date and reviewed frequently. There was evidence of coordination of care with other healthcare professionals and outcomes were monitored and updated appropriately.
 

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.
People at Abelands had complex needs and support plans reflected this. To ensure positive outcomes for people there was clear guidance on managing triggers that could lead to people becoming distressed and how to calm people if they became upset. Relatives told us how the home had made a difference to people’s lives, a relative said, “All of his previous care homes lasted three years or less and he has been at this one for ten years, it is very successful and he is happy there.”
 

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future.
People were supported by staff to plan for the immediate future, and also for longer term goals. Families were very involved with both care and planning. People at the home were young, and did not want to discuss death, however staff ensured they could discuss anything they wanted to at any time. During the visit a person asked staff if they could have a talk about men’s health, and staff told him they would arrange this.