EVHM LLP - 5 High Beech Close

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 newly registered 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 provider made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them. Before people were admitted to the service, they had opportunities to visit the service, to meet with the other residents and to spend time there so that they could make an informed choice about moving in. Staff also assessed how people were during these visits to make sure everyone was compatible.

A staff member told us that when a potential new person visited the service, one person made it very clear that they did not want a man living at the service and this was respected. When people’s needs changed a full assessment was carried out to ensure staff could continue to meet people’s changed needs.

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

People’s care and support was delivered in line with best practice guidelines. People were supported to choose food and drinks that were healthy and met their nutritional and dietary requirements. It was noted that one person tended to choose the same lunch most days and that this was not a particularly healthy option. The person had recently been advised of a change to their health and had asked during a house meeting for support with eating more healthy foods. The deputy manager had started the process of seeking advice about the type of diet that should be followed.

People’s care records stated their nutritional needs, dietary requirements, likes, dislikes and allergies. One person had a nut allergy, and we were advised of this on entering the service. Where people were at risk of choking, advice had been sought from the Speech and language therapy (SaLT) team and there were guidelines for staff to follow to support people safely with their eating and drinking.

Training records showed staff had completed training courses to enable them support people appropriately with their nutritional needs.

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 had good working relationships with visiting health professionals. One health professional told us they had, “Put a plan in place for a person and staff had followed the plan.” They said, “Staff were kind and caring and knew people well.”

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.

Staff told us they contacted the GP if people were unwell. Staff knew the healthcare services involved in meeting people’s physical and mental health needs. Each person had a health action plan which identified their health needs and how they would be met. We saw records of health checks and reviews people had, and they showed people had regular contact with health professionals.

A health professional told us, “The team follow my guidance and recommendations, and in my opinion, they work well with and establish a good working alliance with myself as well as other health colleagues.The team are also honest and open with me, when things are difficult, or when difficult conversations need to be had. My client is always a part of these ongoing clinical discussions, and any problems (e.g. discussions about behaviours that challenge) are handled sensitively by staff. They do not criticise my client when they display challenging behaviour, instead, they work towards understanding why this has occurred in the first place.If only all residential services worked this way.”

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.

A health professional told us, “This team has genuinely helped my client to gradually overcome some of their emotional difficulties (e.g. their anxiety), and my client has also responded well to the fact that this is a stable and cohesive team that work together, whilst also remaining positive and cheerful in their approach. It has been a pleasure to work with them.”

People told us about their various health appointments and the support they received from staff to make sure they could attend them. The registered manager told us, “’We work with professionals and if there are any significant changes in people’s health or wellbeing, we escalate these to the appropriate professional for advice and support.”

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

Care plans described how staff should support people to make choices. If people had relatives or professionals who acted on their behalf, this was also clearly recorded. People and their relatives told us carers always asked for permission before providing care and we saw this during our visits to the service. Capacity assessments were completed as appropriate and staff acted in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Staff explained things to people in ways they understood, so they could make informed decisions about what they were consenting to. When people lacked the capacity to make decisions staff had followed the principles of the Mental Capacity Act to ensure decisions were made with those closest to them, were the least restrictive and in their best interest.

Staff had undertaken the Mental Capacity Act training to ensure that they understood the importance of obtaining consent before they delivered care and treatment.