Westwood Lodge Care Home

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 service met people’s needs.

At our last inspection we rated this key question requires improvement. At this inspection the rating has remained requires improvement. This meant people’s needs were not always met.

This service scored 61 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Staff involved people and made sure they 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. A person commented, “I make my appointments, I make all my own choices.” Improvements were being made to care records. However, further improvements were needed to ensure they were more person-centred to provide staff with information of how people wished to be supported. Care records did not all include information about people's likes and dislikes, things of importance, relationships people wished to maintain to assist with person-centred care. Improvements were needed with staff interaction to ensure a more person-centred approach. We noted staff needed to take more time engaging and interacting with people. The provider told us this would be addressed.

Staff at the service understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity. Information was available and shared between services as needed to ensure people's care and treatment needs could be assessed and met. There was communication and liaison with other agencies involved in providing support to a person, to ensure there was joined up and seamless care.

The service advertised that it could supply appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. However, we found information was not always available to keep people informed and help people make a choice. Where people could no longer recognise the written word, we could not be assured information had been provided to people in a way they would understand. The provider told us this would be addressed.

Improvements were needed to systems to enable people to share feedback and ideas, and to get involved in the running of the service. Meetings were not established or well-attended by people to keep them informed of changes, to gather their feedback and to involve them in the running of the service. People were involved in individual meetings to discuss their care needs and had the opportunity to raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. We discussed with the provider ways of gathering people’s feedback and enabling and encouraging people to become involved in the changes and refurbishment taking place in the service.

Staff were good at ensuring people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. People's care records showed they had access to care and support, and referrals were made for treatment promptly. Care records included information around people's sensory and communication needs. Staff advocated for people or secured advocates for them to ensure they received the treatment and support they needed. An on-call system was in place to provide advice and support to people and staff if needed. A staff member commented, “There is always someone available, including at the weekend.”

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who were most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. The registered manager ensured peoples’ social and healthcare needs were fully considered and met.

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. We discussed that where people or their relatives did not want to discuss this with the service, that this was recorded. Where people were being supported to move to more independent living, care plans should include how people are to be prepared to move on, with guidance for staff of goals and how to achieve these so consistent care can be provided, that promoted people’s independence. We were told this would be addressed.