Doulton Court Lodge Care Home

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 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 service assessed people’s needs in a thorough and person-centred way. Assessments covered physical health, mental health, communication, sensory needs and social needs and were completed by staff with the right skills. People and their representatives were involved as much as possible so their preferences and strengths were understood. Where people needed support to take part, this was provided. A relative told us, “When we had just taken our [family member] to Doulton Lodge the staff made sure that they got to know us quickly to make us all feel welcome and learn about likes and dislikes.” Assessments informed very detailed and personalised care plans which were reviewed regularly so information remained current. Information and guidance about people’s health conditions and how they impacted their daily lives was thorough. However, for some conditions such as diabetes and dementia, this was split across various sections of the care plan, which could make it difficult to see the full picture.

Staff kept clear records and shared updates through handovers which helped them respond when needs changed. Information in daily records was detailed about people’s health needs but did not always reflect people’s feedback or person-centred approaches observed in practice. This made it harder to fully review and analyse people’s outcomes. However, the registered manager did have oversight of this and monitored that people’s needs were met.

The service delivered care and treatment that followed current legislation, national standards and used evidence-based guidance. Staff understood people’s assessed needs and used recognised tools to monitor risks such as nutrition and skin health. People were involved in planning their care so they understood how best practice applied to them. Staff supported people to meet their nutritional and hydration needs and records showed people had enough to eat and drink. Where people had specific dietary needs such as modified textured food, allergies or preferences these were set out clearly in care plans and understood by staff. The registered manager kept up to date with good practice and monitored that care remained in line with guidance through audits and reviews.

The service worked well across teams and with external professionals to deliver coordinated and consistent care. Staff shared information effectively so everyone involved understood people’s needs and how support should be delivered. When people moved between services referrals and handovers included clear and up to date information which helped maintain continuity. Staff worked with health and social care partners when specialist input was needed and followed up actions to support expected outcomes. A professional told us, “Doulton Court is a home that values collaboration, welcomes external clinicians, and genuinely strives to deliver high-quality, person-centred care. My experience working alongside the team has been consistently positive, and I feel confident [people] benefit from the culture and leadership within the home.”

The registered manager had oversight of health and wellbeing support and monitored that actions were taken to prevent avoidable deterioration. The staff team supported people to manage their health and wellbeing in a way that promoted independence and healthier living. Staff encouraged people to make choices about diet and daily routines and supported them to stay as active as possible. A relative said, “My [family member] is a fussy eater but there are always alternative meals for them. If they cannot sleep [staff] will make drinks as well.” Care plans included clear information about individual health needs and staff monitored for changes using a recognised tool called NEWS2 which tracks health stats to help with early identification of concerns. Referrals to health professionals were made when needed and recommendations were followed. A relative said, “What a lovely home Doulton is and how proactive staff are with GP and physio referrals and I know [family member] is being looked after."

People were supported to attend routine health checks and screening appointments. A relative told us, “If my [family member] is unwell a GP will visit the same day.” Another person said, “I can ask for a chiropodist and I know it will happen.” A professional told us, “The staff and management team work collaboratively with us. They seek proactive advice, follow recommendations, and clearly prioritise [people’s] wellbeing. Much of our joint work focuses on falls assessments and falls prevention. We have supported several [people] who required more targeted intervention or specialist equipment. In these cases, [the registered manager] is always open to discussing appropriate devices and is proactive in ensuring that the right solutions are put in place. They consistently understand that peoples’ needs are individual and a ‘one size fits all’ approach does not work.”

The service monitored people’s care and support to make sure outcomes were positive and met what people wanted to achieve. Staff understood people’s goals and supported them to make progress with their health, wellbeing and daily living. People were involved in reviews so their outcomes could be updated and planned with them. The registered manager analysed information from audits, care records and feedback to identify improvements and ensure care stayed effective. Staff worked with external professionals and specialists to improve outcomes for people and maintain quality of life.

The service made sure people’s rights around consent were understood and respected. Staff explained care and treatment in a way people could understand and supported them to make informed decisions. Decisions about people’s wishes for treatment were recorded and shared appropriately and people and relatives were consulted where required. People were given time and information to consider their options and staff checked consent before providing care. One person told us, “Staff ask if it is alright to deliver care, if it is not then they come back.” When people lacked the mental capacity to make their own decisions, staff completed decision specific assessments and followed best interest processes involving relatives or advocates where appropriate. Records required further detail about people’s responses during the assessments to better evidence their involvement. Care plans included clear information about people’s ability to make decisions and how they should be supported. Staff understood the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and used different communication methods to involve people as much as possible. The registered manager had oversight of consent processes and monitored that decisions were recorded and followed.