Skirbeck Lodge

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.This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated good, this meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 81 (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 people decided in partnership with staff, how to respond to any relevant changes in their needs.

Staff were familiar with people's individual routines and likes and dislikes and knew people well. They understood the importance of providing person centred care and offering people a choice in relation to how they chose to live while working in line with people’s conditions and restrictions.

Staff used innovative and individual ways to involve people and their families in their care and support plans in order for them to feel empowered to express their views. The care and support plans were reviewed and changed as people’s needs changed such as long-term ongoing physical concerns that would impact on a persons mobility.

Feedback from external teams stated, “Skirbeck is a really lovely welcoming homely high-quality service that is extremely person focused. It tailors its support to the individuals’ needs of all the individuals living there get 1-1 and get to access a wide variety of activities within the home and community. Activities are tailored to the person’s needs and all the staff are caring and approachable.” Visiting professionals stated the service was focused on providing person-centred care and support, and achieves exceptional results, which was apparent in a short space of time the service had been open.

Staff offered people choices and supported them to make decisions. People felt confident and comfortable to be able to voice their opinions and make decisions around their care with the support and guidance of the staff. A person told us, “I am included and Involved in my care. I can make decisions and choices of how I want to be treated and cared for.”

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.

Staff had a good relationship with professionals, who gave positive feedback. One professional told us, “Skirbeck’s commitment to individual safe care, willingness to be creative in what has been a new experience for our whole system and commitment to Lincolnshire only has been invaluable. They are open to working closely with clinical staff and adjust their approach to meet individual people’s needs.”

Staff were very happy and proud to share the positive progress of people they supported and gave examples of how the team worked together and provided assurances around their safety and reduced anxieties. This included one person struggling with their feelings and how to express themselves in a way that they understood, and others were aware of. Staff suggested that a colour coded card system could worn on their person to show staff and other people how they were emotionally feeling that day and how they would like staff and others to interact with them.

The staff team made sure people had easy access to clear information about their care and restrictions, using formats that suited their individual needs. People were supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs such as large print text or having the addition of images if required.

People were kept informed about any changes that affected them, such as new medication guidelines or updated risk assessments. The provider had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty.

Staff were updated through morning and evening staff handover meetings, weekly team meetings and written communications including changes to support plans and risk assessments. Staff members told us that they are aware of where to locate policies and procedure paperwork and how to access additional information online. Staff worked to ensure that people were actively included in decisions that affected their care through community meetings and ward rounds, striving to create a more inclusive and empowering environment.

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 kept them updated about any changes. The service used meetings and surveys to provide people the opportunity to have a voice. The provider monitored feedback provided and addressed any areas of concern.

There was a complaints procedure, and complaints received were responded to appropriately and used to improve and develop the service. One example included people who requested an additional fridge which staff agreed to within the kitchen, as people felt that there was not enough space between the people who lived with Skirbeck.

People told us they were able to raise any concerns or complaints to the staff team and felt comfortable to do so with outcomes provided if appropriate but were not aware of how or who to contact externally. One person told us, “I am included and Involved in my care. I am able to make decisions and choices of how I want to be treated and cared for.”

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. People’s protected characteristics were considered at all stages of their care within Skirbeck Lodge. Staff gave examples of adjustments they had made to how they supported people allowing them to live safely within the community alongside their legal conditions. This included collaborative working with external health and social care professionals. This ensured they had access to specialist support to reduce their anxiety, meet their communication needs and to meet the legal requirements as outlined by external professionals.This helped people to maintain their quality of life and promote independent living skills such as attending health appointments and accessing local attractions in the community.

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 told us they were, “Very happy.” with the care they received. One person said, “I feel like the staff all like me and they treat me with respect.

Providing people with person-centred care was embedded in the values of the service by a team of highly passionate staff and managers. Staff told us that they were very proud of the service and what they have achieved for the people living there. This involved building their confidence and knowledge in living skills, social interaction and confidence within the community as some people were living within a hospital environment. Staff spoke with people in a way that supported their understanding. This included using short clear sentences and maintaining eye contact. Staff supported people to use public transport to visit nearby locations and attractions such as Skegness beach.Staff received training and support to ensure that they were aware of the importance of ensuring people were not subject to inequality or discrimination.

Staff spoke with people in a way that supported their understanding. This included using short clear sentences and maintaining eye contact.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future. Staff were supporting people to learn to live more independently and have the skills and confidence to move into a home of their own in the future if that is what they wished.

Professionals spoke highly of people and their individual progress in a short space of time. They were invested and proud to support plans and gave positive feedback to the Skirbeck team which said, ‘I feel confident that in the coming months; [person] will continue to make good progress that should give confidence to be able write to the Ministry of Justice to report on the positive work [person] has achieved with the support of you and your dedicated team.’ The hope was that restrictions from the MoJ would be reduced or lifted completely.

Another clinician spoke of how one person had progressed quite significantly considering the long period of time this person had been in an institutionalised environment. The person was experiencing a life they didn’t think would happen due to the length of time they had been in a hospital environment.

People and family members told us how the staff had changed their lives for the better with their health and well-being having greatly improved, others told us they how they were learning new skills to enable them to live more independently.

There were systems in place to ensure staff across all agencies were updated and alerted to people’s health and well being. This included staff having daily contact and weekly virtual ward rounds with external professionals, where people could talk to their consultant.

Staff encouraged healthy food options with balanced diets to promote healthy lifestyles and aid longevity. Staff helped people to create food shopping lists and lunch and dinner menus to help educate people on their health and well being.