Richmond House

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.

Care plans were detailed and reflected people’s personal choices relating to the treatment and care they received. Where people’s needs changed records were updated quickly. One staff member told us, “If something else needs changing in the care plan in between reviews the care plan is amended immediately” and “Parents or representatives and social worker are involved in that as well”. People’s communication needs were appropriately assessed. The provider had an Accessible Information and Communication policy in place. Staff knew how to support people who could not communicate verbally. People’s individual communications needs were met. For example, a picture board was displayed in a person’s bedroom to display events of the day, and a daily activity sheet in an accessible format was available for a person to support them to plan their day. The registered manager had a robust and collaborative approach to assessing peoples needs which involved regular reviews. Feedback from staff included, “[Registered manager] has all involved, we have a meeting, everyone takes notes, we are a small team we can get everyone’s input and views in the care plans.”

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.

People’s preferences including what mattered most to them was consistently incorporated in to care delivery. Menu planning was done collaboratively; people were supported to be involved in decisions about their meals. For example, we observed one person supported to swap their evening food choice, and one person enjoyed making a drink with a touch technology kettle, supporting them to safely maintain their independence and develop a new skill.

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.

Records showed the service worked effectively with health professionals. Regular discussions with social workers, GP’s and community nurses to support people were evidenced. Staff worked well together and as a team to support people, meet their needs and keep them safe. Feedback from staff included, “It’s really good, we have got a really good team, we know what needs to be done, we are assigned tasks and a person to support but we work well as a team and everyone is knowledgeable and we talk about it if there’s a problem, it’s like a little family really” and “We have a good team, everyone works together really well, we resolve anything together”.

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 had access to health professionals when needed, for example GP and social workers. Staff told us how they made referrals for people. People’s independence was actively encouraged, and they had a choice in what they wanted to do to support their own wellbeing. Staff told us how they supported people to live healthier lives. Feedback included, “We don’t make decisions for them, we offer them choices, if it’s not such a good choice we encourage them to make wiser options” and “[Name] is chopping veg and fruit we make sure there are healthy options”. One relative commented, “One or two of the carers are good cooks, making pies and mixed stews. Plenty of fruit too, oranges and apples”.

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 were proactive in monitoring people’s health and wellbeing, with care records showing regular reviews of support plans in response to changing needs. Where people experienced changes in behaviour, mood, or physical health, staff recorded these in detail and adapted care strategies accordingly. Where people lacked verbal communication, staff used alternative communication methods and observed behavioural cues to ensure people’s needs were understood and responded to appropriately.Staff worked collaboratively with external professionals, to review and improve outcomes for people. Staff feedback included, “[Name] had a [health concern] and was admitted to hospital generally unwell, [Name] was monitored thoroughly”.

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

We received positive feedback from people and relatives about the support people received. During the assessment we observed staff seeking consent from a person to collect an item from their room, the staff member explained and discussed why this was needed in a kind manner, using the persons communication preferences that were recorded in the care plan. People were routinely offered choice and control over how they wanted to spend their day. Comments included, “I always ask [Name] and explain, let [Name] pick out clothes and ask questions”, “[Name] was going to a health appointment but it was managed at home as [Name] wouldn’t get out off the bus at the hospital” and “ Presume capacity, support them to make their choices regardless, giving plenty of options and doing it in their best interests”.