Dickley Court

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 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.

People had their needs assessed before accessing the service. These assessments were used to develop the person’s care plans and make decisions about staffing hours and skills needed to support the person. The assessment included making sure that support was planned for people’s diversity needs, such as their religion, gender, marital status, culture and their abilities.

Assessments included information about what people could do for themselves. Each person’s care plan and assessments were also reviewed regularly. This ensured that every person’s care plan and risk assessment were updated to ensure the care they received met their needs. The registered manager told us the service completed meet and greet sessions for people living in shared houses before someone new moved in, transition visits take place. They said, “This happens even if it is an emergency placement.”

A relative said, “The people running Symbol (provider) are unbelievably perceptive. They paired him up with [person] and they have become amazing mates. They are really kind to each other. We feel very fortunate to have Symbol.”

The provider 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.

Care plans clearly described people’s food preferences. Staff supported people to put together a meal plan each week, then supported people to write shopping lists and go to the shops to purchase food. People were then supported to prepare and cook their own meals. We observed several people writing their own meal plans and shopping lists. Some supported living shared houses had a shared cooking day when everyone came together to eat. For example, 1 supported living house had a group meal every Sunday. Relatives told us people enjoyed this. At the time of the assessment, people told us about their plans to have a group Christmas lunch which they were looking forward to.

Staff told us they supported people with the preparation and cooking of meals which also enabled people to maintain their skills and develop new skills. People told us, “Staff remind me to drink water, staff help me make my meals”; “I do my meal plan, staff help me to cook. My favourite food is pizza, I put some on my shopping list. We have a group meal on a Sunday and Monday. We are having a Christmas dinner on Sunday” and “I do my own dinners; I like all food.” A relative said, “They help him with his dietary needs. They help him prepare meals, plan meals and do shopping.”

The provider generally 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 had a clear process in place to escalate health concerns within a timely manner. Staff worked with health professionals to ensure people got the care and support they needed. A health professional told us staff did generally keep them informed about changes in people’s health needs. However, a health professional told us the provider had not informed them of some changes, which resulted in the health professional raising a safeguarding concern about this. They also said, “Senior staff are aware of all other professionals that can be accessed/referred to, but I have felt the need to check and chase this at times.”

The registered manager and staff told us, there were good links with other health professionals such as people’s GPs, SaLT (Speech and Language Therapy), physiotherapy, specialist nurses and social workers. Relatives told us staff accessed medical help when required. A relative said, “His health needs are met, he doesn’t have many medicines. As far as I know he sees the GP etc, only if there are issues.” Another relative said, “They are brilliant and meeting his health needs. They phone us if there is anything significant. They’ve been hands on when taking him to minor injuries etc and they know him very well.”

A person had expressed a desire to move as their friends lived in another supported living property. Staff had supported the person to engage with their local authority care manager to seek approval, staff were supporting the person to maintain their friendship with their friends and make new friendships with the people they would like to live with.

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.

Relatives told us their loved ones were supported with their healthcare when needed. A relative said, “He has some medical issues, and they have supported with tests, visits to the GP and scans.” People had access to visiting health care professionals, for example, dietician, occupational therapists and SALT (Speech and language therapists). People were supported to attend medical appointments if they were needed. A person said, “Staff arrange doctors’ appointments when I need to, I have been to the dentist.”

Staff had a good understanding of meeting people’s changing needs. Staff shared how they had supported people to gain medical input in relation to differing illnesses and health complaints. Staff had noticed changes to bowel habits and changes to weights. A staff member told us, “We all take people to appointments and they all have dentists.”

We observed staff supporting people to maximise their independence, providing lots of praise and providing reassurances. We observed people were prompted to drink plenty of fluids to keep them hydrated and in good health.

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.

Staff worked together as a team to support people and to ensure people received their care and support in the way they chose. A relative said, “They have been good at explaining to him about things and are supportive, they try to help him learn about money and help him with budgeting. He has become more independent.” Another relative said, “They are amazing, she has come on leaps and bounds, everyone is exceptional, they are amazing and we can sit back and relax and know she is in good hands.”

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these whendelivering person-centred care and treatment. We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA), whether appropriate legal authorisations were in place when needed to deprive a person of their liberty. The service worked within the principles of the MCA. Consent forms seen within care records had been signed by people who were using the service. The registered manager told us that people were supported by their relatives and advocates to read, understand and sign their tenancy agreements.

We observed people making everyday choices and decisions about their lives, such as what they wanted to eat, drink, where they wanted to go, what activities they wanted to do. Relatives told us staff respected their loved one’s choices. A relative said, “[Person] is an adult and makes her own choices.” Staff had a good understanding of consent. A staff member said, “I always give people choices of what they want to do, where they want to go and what they want to eat. It is their choice and not mine.”