The Callywhite Care Home

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• 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 as good.

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.

During our inspection, we observed positive and person-centred interactions between staff and people using the service. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of the people they supported, including their personal preferences, care needs and the level of assistance required. Interactions were warm, respectful and reflected staff's knowledge of people as individuals.

People and their relatives told us they were involved in the development and review of care plans. This helped to ensure care and support reflected people's wishes, preferences and evolving needs. Records showed care plans contained personalised information to guide staff in delivering care that was centred around each person.

Relatives spoke positively about the way staff adapted care when people's needs changed. One relative told us, "As [family member's] needs have increased so has the range of their care." This demonstrated the service regularly reviewed people's needs and adjusted the support provided to ensure people continued to receive appropriate and personalised care.
 

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.

The registered manager described how staffing allocations were planned each day to promote continuity of care. Staff were allocated to support people they were familiar with, taking into account their knowledge of individual residents, as well as staff skills, strengths and experience. Consideration was also given to ensuring staff worked effectively together, helping to provide a consistent and coordinated approach to care.

The provider used an electronic care planning system to support the delivery of safe and timely care. The system included prompts and monitoring tools to ensure key aspects of care were completed when required. For example, where people required pressure relief at specific intervals, the system alerted staff and enabled managers to monitor completion. This helped to ensure people's care needs were met consistently and reduced the risk of important tasks being missed.

People and their relatives told us they experienced continuity in the staff who supported them. Feedback indicated staffing was generally stable, allowing staff to build positive relationships and develop a good understanding of people's needs and preferences. One relative commented, "You see the same faces regularly." This consistency helped people feel comfortable and reassured by familiar staff.

Staff received training relevant to the needs of the people using the service, including specialist training in supporting people living with dementia. This helped ensure staff had the knowledge and skills required to provide effective care and respond appropriately to people's changing needs.
 

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

The provider assessed people's communication requirements before they moved into the service to help ensure staff understood how best to support them. Pre-admission assessments identified any communication needs, including whether people required specific support, adaptations or approaches to help them express their views and understand information. This information was then reflected within people's care plans to guide staff in providing personalised support.
The staff communicated effectively with people and adaptied their approach to meet individual needs. For example, staff spoke more slowly and clearly where required and adjusted the volume and pace of conversations to help people understand the information being shared. Staff took time to ensure people were engaged in conversations and understood the choices and information being presented to them.

Staff had received training in communication and data protection, including General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which helped them understand the importance of sharing information appropriately while maintaining people's confidentiality and privacy.
 

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.

The provider had systems in place to gather feedback from people using the service and their relatives, including regular resident and relatives' meetings and surveys. These provided opportunities for people to discuss their experiences, raise suggestions and contribute to the ongoing development of the service.

People and their relatives told us they knew how to raise a concern or make a complaint if they needed to. They expressed confidence that any concerns would be listened to and addressed appropriately by the management team. Relatives who had raised concerns previously told us these had been dealt with promptly and to their satisfaction, demonstrating the provider's commitment to listening and responding to feedback.

The provider had a complaints and concerns policy in place which outlined how concerns would be managed and investigated. This helped to ensure people and their representatives had a clear process to follow and could be confident that concerns would be taken seriously and responded to fairly.
 

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

People had equitable access to the care, support and facilities they required to maintain their independence and wellbeing. We found people had access to appropriate mobility aids and equipment to support them safely. Equipment was well maintained and readily available, helping to ensure people's individual mobility needs could be met and reducing barriers to accessing different areas of the service.

The environment was generally accessible, with spacious communal areas, wide walkways and access to outdoor spaces. This enabled people, including those using mobility aids, to move around the home safely and participate in activities and social opportunities. The layout promoted inclusion and allowed people to access shared facilities and spend time with others if they wished.

Whilst the service was accessible and some adaptations had been made to the environment to support people living with dementia, for example, there was a continuous loop around the ground floor with no corners to ensure people could walk around freely. We found there were further opportunities to enhance the environment for people living with dementia. For example, the use of contrasting colours, clear signage and smaller, more defined seating areas could support people's orientation and independence.
 

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 and their relatives consistently told us they felt people were treated fairly and with respect, regardless of their background, characteristics or individual circumstances. Feedback indicated staff provided care in a non-discriminatory way and sought to ensure people received support that met their individual needs.

The provider supported staff to understand and promote equality through mandatory training in equality and diversity. This helped staff to recognise and respect people's differences, values and beliefs, and to provide care that was inclusive and person-centred. Staff were therefore equipped with the knowledge to support people in a way that respected their individual identities and protected them from discrimination.
People were treated with kindness and respect and staff demonstrated an understanding of the importance of providing equitable care and support. There was no evidence that people experienced barriers to accessing care or achieving positive outcomes because of their age, disability, background, beliefs or other protected characteristics.
 

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.

The provider recognised the importance of having sensitive and person-centred conversations with people and those important to them to ensure future care reflected their values, choices and beliefs.

Care records demonstrated that people's future wishes were considered as part of the care planning process. People and, where appropriate, their relatives were involved in discussions about future care needs, including end-of-life care preferences. This helped to ensure important decisions were documented and understood by those responsible for providing care.

Where a do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) decision was in place, records showed this had been made following appropriate clinical assessment and discussion with the person and/or those legally involved in decisions about their care. DNACPR decisions were individualised, regularly reviewed, clearly documented, and made in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and national guidance.

Staff had received training in end-of-life care and were able to describe what good end-of-life care looked like. The registered manager spoke positively about the support provided to people at the end of their lives. They explained this was achieved through close partnership working with families and healthcare professionals, ensuring people remained comfortable and their wishes were respected throughout their care journey.