The Burroughs

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.

This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated good.

This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 68 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Whilst most people explained their needs were met, and this was confirmed by relatives and visiting professionals. Some people felt improvements were needed. For example, some relatives told us people were not given showers and baths often enough. A relative commented, “Staff listen to [person] but sometimes things like bathing and skin care do not get done regularly enough.” Records showed that people were offered opportunities for regular baths. However, sometimes people refused these and there was not enough evidence to show staff had reoffered these at a different time or tried different techniques to support people to engage with this. People wore clean clothes. Their hair and nails looked clean. Most people told us they were happy with the level of support they were offered with personal care.

Some people spoke positively about social activities and there was a programme of regular events. However, some relatives told us people were not always engaged in these. Their comments included, “[People] are sat in chairs all day. It’s not a great quality of life” and “It’s a big home and there are events. But not everyone is included and often people sit around doing nothing.” The provider had a team of staff who organised social activities and events. Some people explained they enjoyed these and had experienced personalised opportunities. Comments from people included, “They take us on trips” and “I am encouraged to join in with the activities and I like painting.”

People and relatives also told us staff were responsive when people’s needs changed. An external professional confirmed this, explaining, “Staff are responsive to my suggestions and noting clinical changes in people’s needs.”

People experienced continuity of care. People were cared for by the same familiar staff. There was a low turnover of staff. Staff worked closely with external professionals to make sure people received continuity of care and had access to the services they needed. The community nursing team regularly visited the home and had daily telephone contact with staff to discuss people’s needs and plan care pathways together.

People had enough information about the service. There were regular meetings for people to discuss their experiences. The provider produced a range of information to share with people in their rooms and on notice boards. Staff explained what was happening to people to enable them to make choices.

The provider was aware of their responsibilities to ensure information was accessible. They were able to translate documents and produce these in large print versions for people who needed this. The staff team included staff who spoke a range of different languages. This helped to ensure people could have key staff to speak with if their first language was not English.

Not everyone felt they had opportunities to speak up or be involved. A relative explained they had not been consulted or informed about a medical intervention someone experienced. A person using the service told us they had raised concerns about a specific member of staff but had not received any feedback from the registered manager about what happened next. They told us, “When I have said something with the manager, [they] always say that I am 100% right. But then they don’t do anything about it.” We discussed this feedback with the registered manager so they could look into these concerns.

Other relatives told us staff were good at staying in touch with them and let them know when people were unwell or when they saw doctors. People knew how to make a complaint and most people said they felt these would be responded to. A person explained, “I would feel comfortable about making a complaint.”

The registered manager told us they had asked a person living at the service to help them interview potential staff.

People experienced equity in access. Staff supported people to access other services when they needed. For example, escorting them on appointments and organising transport when they needed this. Staff supported people to access places of interest on days out. Staff explained they celebrated different festivals and special events. The chef provided for a range of diets. There was a multifaith prayer room, and the provider had organised for some religious leaders to visit the service, as well as supporting people to attend places of worship.

People’s individual characteristics and diverse needs were respected and valued. There were procedures regarding equality and diversity. Staff undertook training to understand about these. Managers reinforced this learning through supervisions and meetings. The provider ensured people did not experience discrimination. The provider’s procedures were designed to overcome barriers to accessing services and to involve people in making decisions about their care and treatment where possible.

The provider supported people to plan for the future. They discussed people’s needs and wishes for care at the end of their lives. They worked closely with external professionals to help make sure people received safe, pain-free and comfortable care when they needed this. Staff completed training to help them understand about best practice when providing this time of care. An external professional told us palliative care was well managed at the service. They explained, “The palliative care lead (senior member of staff) meets with me each week to discuss people’s needs. [They] have completed advanced end of life care training. They are able to have difficult conversations with people and their families when people’s needs deteriorate.”