Acer Lodge

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 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 83 (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.

People’s needs were assessed using a range of formal assessment tools, these were reviewed regularly to identify if people’s needs had changed. People’s communication needs were documented within care plans and staff followed these to enable effective communication. People and their relatives were involved in the reviews and actions were agreed and documented to ensure information remained accurate and supported individual goals.

The provider always planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

Leaders actively sought opportunities to improve outcomes for people by embracing research, best practice guidance and technology to enhance assessment, monitoring and treatment. For example, the service used a digital pain assessment tool to identify signs of pain in people who were unable to communicate this. Information gathered through the tool informed clinical reviews and supported changes to pain management, resulting in improved symptom control and wellbeing for people. This proactive and innovative approach helped ensure people received timely, effective and personalised treatment.

The provider consistently reviewed emerging research and embedded learning into practice where this could improve outcomes. For example, following evidence relating to falls prevention, people were routinely offered decaffeinated alternatives unless they expressed a preference for caffeinated drinks. This demonstrated a culture of continuous learning, improvement and prevention, while ensuring people's choices remained central to decision-making.

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.

The provider worked collaboratively with a range of health and social care professionals to ensure people received coordinated and consistent care. Information was shared appropriately with external professionals to support effective assessment, care planning and delivery. Records demonstrated agreed actions, recommendations and treatment plans were clearly documented and communicated, helping to ensure continuity and consistency of support.

Professionals spoke positively about the service's approach to partnership working. One health professional told us staff worked closely with them to identify people's needs and plan interventions, which helped improve people's wellbeing and experiences. This demonstrated a shared commitment to achieving positive outcomes for people through collaborative working.

Staff consistently described strong teamwork across the service. They told us colleagues supported one another and worked together to enhance people's quality of life. One staff member said, “All of us are a team. I've never worked anywhere where we're all listened to and work so closely for a common goal.” Staff spoke positively about communication within the team and told us they felt valued and involved in discussions about people's care.

These arrangements helped ensure people benefited from joined-up care and support, with staff and professionals working together effectively to meet people's needs and achieve the best possible outcomes.

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.

People were supported and encouraged to make choices about their food and drink in line with their preferences and nutritional needs. A varied menu was available, with alternative options offered on request. Drinks and snacks were readily accessible throughout the day.

Feedback about meal provision was generally positive. However, some people told us there was room for improvement. The CEO and registered manager told us this had already been identified and action was being taken, including the appointment of a head of catering to lead improvements. This demonstrated the provider's commitment to listening to feedback and continuously improving the service.

People were enabled to maintain good oral health. Care records contained personalised information about people's oral care needs and the support required to maintain their oral health. People were also helped to access dental services and professional advice when needed, helping to maintain their oral health.

The provider monitored all people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they fully met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves.

The provider monitored people's health and wellbeing to help ensure they achieved positive outcomes and received timely support when their needs changed. Recognised assessment tools were used to assess and monitor people's health, enabling staff to identify concerns and respond appropriately.

People's weight was monitored at a frequency based on their individual needs and risks. Where changes were identified, appropriate action was taken and relevant healthcare professionals were consulted. This helped ensure people received support to maintain their health and wellbeing.

Staff also monitored people's skin integrity and completed regular checks where required. Any changes or concerns were recorded and escalated promptly to relevant healthcare professionals for further assessment and guidance. Care records reflected actions taken to support people and reduce the risk of deterioration.

The provider had reflected on people’s experiences and outcomes. People had been supported to achieve their goals and improve their heath which led to positive outcomes through a person-centred approach. For example, staff consulted with family and learned what a person’s favourite drink was. Working creatively, they made homemade jelly hydration sweets. This enabled the person to increase their hydration and reduced the risk of hospital admissions due to inadequate hydration, while supporting their comfort and preferences.

People were supported to learn about and maintain their health by staff. The home had introduced a ‘Weekly Rhythm’ at the service. This was a structured approach where staff focused on an aspect of peoples care each day of the week. For example, Monday was termed ‘Monday Mouthcare’ and concentrated on monitoring and supporting people to maintain good oral hygiene. Leaders told us this initiative supported a preventative approach to care and helped ensure key aspects of people's health were regularly reviewed.

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

The management team had ensured they were working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). The MCA provides a legal framework for making particular decisions on behalf of people who may lack the mental capacity to do so for themselves. The MCA requires that, as far as possible, people make their own decisions and are helped to do so when needed. When they lack mental capacity to take particular decisions, any made on their behalf must be in their best interests and as least restrictive as possible.

People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment when this is in their best interests and legally authorised under the MCA.

We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA, whether appropriate legal authorisations were in place when needed to deprive a person of their liberty, and whether any conditions relating to those authorisations were being met. We found the service was working within the principles of the MCA and if needed, appropriate legal authorisations were in place to deprive a person of their liberty.

People were asked to consent to care before this was given. Mental capacity assessments were completed if these were required, and we saw evidence best interest decisions were made with the involvement of other relevant persons if this was needed. If restrictions were required to maintain people’s safety, this was done lawfully.