Longacre Care Home Limited

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. At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained unchanged. 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, well-being and communication needs.

People were assessed by the management team before moving into the service. Assessments were completed using a range of tools, with involvement from relatives, advocate or healthcare professional, where appropriate, to make sure people's needs were fully understood. A relative told us, “Yes. It was thorough, very good. We saw two rooms and opted for the one with the en-suite. It was decorated before he moved in and it was done very promptly.”

The provider had introduced daily meetings. These enabled staff to identify and monitor risks, discuss changes in people`s needs and take timely action, including referrals to other healthcare professionals, where necessary.

A healthcare professional told us, “The residents are closely monitored for any changes in their condition by staff who know them well, which allows the surgery to be reactive to this vulnerable group.”

The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, inline with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

For example, nursing staff had completed the National Early Warning score 2(NEWS2)training, a recognised clinical tool used to identify early signs of deterioration in a person`s physical health. There were various examples where staff had effectively applied this tool in practice resulting in early escalation to emergency services and better outcomes for people.

The consistent use of evidence-based tools provided a structured and reliable approach to clinical decision making, minimised risks, and enabled people to receive timely and appropriate care when their needs changed.

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.

Staff used the Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation (SBAR) tool to assess and support people with deteriorating health. This meant people could be referred quickly to primary and emergency services without having to repeat their story to different people, helping staff to respond faster and improve health outcomes.

People had personalised hospital passports which recorded key information about a person`s health when they needed to go to hospital or move between services. Hospital passports included details such as age, allergies, medical history, communication needs and how people preferred to be supported. This information helped healthcare staff in other services to understand a person`s needs, making sure care was safe, and consistent.

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control.

A person told us, “I get up and go to bed when I want”. People were enabled to make decisions about their daily lives and were supported through responsive and adaptable care to maintain their health and live well despite having underlying conditions.

Staff worked in way that was adaptable to meet people’s changing needs and demonstrated an understanding of the importance of supporting both physical health and emotional well-being.

A healthcare professional told us, “The residents are closely monitored for any changes in their condition by staff who know them well, which allows the surgery to be reactive to this vulnerable group.”

People were supported to maintain a healthy diet, with their choices and preferences respected and meals adapted to meet individual needs so they could eat safely and comfortably. A staff member told us,“[Name]is diabetic, so we do alternative puddings and diabetic custard”. Families were encouraged to be involved in mealtimes, helping to create a positive and reassuring dining experience. This approach supported people to enjoy their food, maintain their well-being and remain engaged in daily life.

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent and met people`s expectations.

We saw various examples where routine monitoring had a positive impact on people`s outcomes and wellbeing. For example, one person who experienced mild to moderate pain in both lower legs had their pain levels assessed and referred to the GP for review. Their treatment was changed to include a combination of oral, transdermal and topical pain relief. This helped reduce their pain levels and enabled them to continue moving around with support.

Care records showed examples where staff regularly monitored people's needs and identified when treatment needed to be reviewed or when referrals to specialist services was appropriate. People we spoke with were confident that staff were meeting their clinical expectations. A person told us,” Yes. It`s good medical treatment”

The provider ensured people's rights around consent were clearly explained, understood and consistently respected in the delivery of person-centred care and treatment. This was in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005(MCA)Records showed consent was routinely sought at admission and during care, including for treatment, and information sharing, with relatives involved, where appropriate.

Staff were observed seeking consent in a respectful way, with people's choices upheld. A person said. “The staff are very good. They don't push their thoughts on other people. I'm allowed to have my own voice.”