The Fields

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.At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

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 were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs. People had access to specialised equipment, to meet their needs, such as sensory lighting, sensory walls and specialised seating. Where people required support with eating, this was observed to be done so respectfully and with patience and compassion. A relative said, “[Name] is happy and well looked after, and we are happy. It is a lovely place, and they keep us up to date. [Name] is thriving here.”

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 tailored care around people's needs and wishes. People were supported to be involved in things which were meaningful to them, such as maintaining family contact, attending community centres and accessing community events, such as football matches and theatres. People were involved in competitions, which celebrated people's work and offered prizes, such as artwork. A staff member said, “We use the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and do risk assessments to make sure we’re always working in people's best interests. A lot of the people we support don’t have full capacity, so we make sure their needs are met, and they are kept safe and happy. We’ve got a lot of longstanding staff. It’s a lovely place to work and we genuinely want the best for people. I feel privileged to support them every day.”

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. Information was provided to people in a way which met their needs. Easy to read information was available to people, such as safeguarding, how to raise a complaint, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), diversity and dignity. People had detailed communication plans in place, which guided staff about people's individualised needs. For example,1 person’s care plan detailed key words they used to communicate on a day-to-day basis.

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 told them what had changed as a result. Advocacy services visited the service on a weekly basis, to enable people's voice to be heard and offer an impartial service. Advocacy was discussed during meetings, and people were involved in regular 'people's council' meetings. These meetings gave people the opportunity to raise suggestions about activities, what was important to them and raise any concerns or suggestions. A person said, “The best thing about here is the great support, it is good as it is. If I did need to make a complaint I would go to the senior staff.”

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. People had access to a range of healthcare professionals, to meet their needs. This included physiotherapists, dentists, chiropodists and psychiatrists. The service had nursing staff on site and accessed district nursing team where required. A professional told us, “I have found the staff to be very kind and caring. [Name] is an exceptional nurse and works very close with our dietitians, usually offering a joint visit to review the patients and raise any concerns. Our advice is well followed”. People had a masseuse who visited the service weekly to offer them a massage and people had been involved in animal therapy.

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 were offered a range of activities and community inclusion. People attended holidays, day trips, shopping and cafes. Activity co-ordinators arranged activities with people and the service had their own transport. The service had a main hub which included a range of activities for people to do, this included pool tables, gaming consoles, hair and nail bar, arts and crafts and board games. Mats were in place in the hub area for people to lay on if they preferred to do this. A professional told us, “I visit every week, lots of people have learnt to catch and bounce balls, I feel people’s mobility has improved. I do massages, especially for people with oedema. [Name] has a relaxing massage, now they know me well. It relaxes people so much. I do a 1:1 for a person who struggles, we do boxing and we do hand eye co-ordination exercises. I cover lots of homes and this is the best care home I have been to.” People told us they had enjoyed going out for walks and playing bingo. A relative said, “They have taken my relative fishing, and they are going to Disneyland in Paris.”

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life. People’s future goals and wishes were recorded in their care plans, this included people's wishes at the end of their life. Some people had pre-arranged funeral plans in place. People were involved in planning activities which were meaningful to them, and planning holidays and trips out.