Russell Green Care Home

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 home care 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.

People's needs were assessed before care started to ensure the service could provide safe and appropriate support. Assessment processes considered people's health, wellbeing, communication needs, preferences and the outcomes they wanted to achieve. A person told us, “Well [my relative] was the one who initially got in touch with them and arranged everything with Russell Green They obviously spoke to both of us to decide how often to come and what they were required to do when they are here.”

Care plans reflected people's specific needs and provided staff with information about how support should be delivered. People's care was reviewed regularly to ensure it remained suitable and responsive to any changes in their circumstances.

The management team took a proactive approach to identifying potential risks and difficulties. Care plan reviews demonstrated how changing needs were anticipated and planned for to help reduce the impact on people's wellbeing and independence. For example, advice was sought from relevant professionals regarding equipment and treatment options for a person living with a degenerative health condition. This helped them remain as independent as possible for longer. Another person told us, “[Staff] meet all my needs, and they definitely know my likes and dislikes. They go above and beyond for me, for example, they took care of [my relative] when I [became too ill]. They looked after the family and were very supportive.”

Staff told us care plans contained the information they needed to understand people's needs and provide consistent support. People received care that reflected their wishes and was regularly reviewed to ensure it continued to meet their needs.

People received care and support that was planned and delivered in line with current guidance and good practice.

Care plans contained clear and relevant information about people's needs, preferences and the support they required. One person told us, “[Staff] notice things that are not right, like when my legs are very swollen. They will put cream on when my skin is dry. They observe when things are not looking right and will ask the right questions and make me feel comfortable talking about it.” The management team reviewed care plans regularly with people to ensure information remained accurate and reflected people's current needs. Where people's circumstances changed, care records were updated to help staff respond appropriately and provide effective support.

Staff described how care was tailored to each person and delivered in line with agreed plans of care.

People received joined up care because staff worked with relatives and other professionals when this was needed to support their wellbeing and changing needs. A relative told us, “We think [staff] are great, they just co-ordinate everything and work very good as a team.”

People and their relatives were often responsible for maintaining direct contact with professionals involved in their care. Where concerns were identified about a person's health or wellbeing, staff contacted the appropriate professionals and sought advice. This helped ensure people could access additional support when required.

Staff communicated effectively with each other and shared important information about people's care and then updated everyone. One relative said, “If [my relative] did not understand something, [staff] would sit with them and tell them to take their time while they explain something”. “Care records reflected changes in people's needs and provided staff with up to date guidance about the support required.

The management team maintained oversight of people's care and worked with staff, relatives and professionals to help ensure people received coordinated support that reflected their preferences.

People were supported to maintain their health and wellbeing and staff took action when changes in people's needs were identified. Staff knew people well and understood the factors that could affect their health and independence. They monitored people's wellbeing during visits and recognised when additional support or advice might be needed.

Staff understood the importance of supporting people with nutrition and hydration where this formed part of their care needs. People told us staff encouraged them to look after their health and supported them with everyday tasks that promoted their wellbeing. One person told us, “The [staff] always make sure I eat as my [health condition] meant I lost my sense of taste. Food is now awful and I lost almost half my body weight and was very ill. I am now back up to almost my old weight. The staff always remind me about the importance of eating.” Another person said, “[Staff] always leave food and drinks out for me.”

Care plans included information about people's health needs and the support required to help them remain as independent as possible. Staff supported people in a way that promoted choice and control while helping them to maintain their health and wellbeing. One person said, “[Staff] are really good, they would tell me, ‘You need to see a doctor’, if they think something is not quite right. They know me and they know I don’t like to make a fuss. They know what I need, they know when I need help and will have a conversation and tell me why I may need to see a professional.”

The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality of care and identify where improvements were needed. People's experiences and outcomes were regularly reviewed to help ensure care remained responsive to their needs.

The management team used audits, feedback and other oversight processes to monitor the service. Where improvements were identified, action was taken to address them and strengthen the quality of care provided.

Reviews considered whether people were receiving support in line with their needs and preferences. People were involved in discussions about their care and were encouraged to share their views. One person told us, “My care plan is reviewed regularly and redone and brought for me to sign and then placed in my folder. It’s checked and signed by me.” Another person said, “[Staff] talk about my preferences, and they ask what I feel up to and then make notes.”

Care records demonstrated that people's needs and outcomes were reviewed regularly and updated.

Staff understood the importance of recording and sharing information about people's progress and wellbeing. The management team used this information to maintain oversight of the service and support ongoing improvements.

People's rights were respected and care was provided with their consent in line with relevant legislation and guidance. People were involved in decisions about their care and support. One person told us, “[Staff] show me respect and they respect my choices or discuss the choices with me to make the right decisions.” Staff understood the importance of gaining consent before providing care and were able to describe how they checked people were happy for support to be delivered.

Where people had appointed a relative to act as Lasting Power of Attorney, information was available to guide staff and ensure decisions were made in the person's best interests if they were no longer able to make decisions themselves.

Staff had a good understanding of the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and how these applied to their role. Staff understood the importance of monitoring people's wellbeing, identifying concerns early and seeking appropriate support where needed. They recognised that some health conditions, including infections, could temporarily affect a person's ability to make safe decisions. A person said, “[Staff] know that I have a ReSPECT form; we did one at the hospital. It means if I had a heart attack they would try to resuscitate me, but it would be unlikely that I would have any quality of life. So, everything was explained that they would respect my wishes if I have a severe heart attack.”