Alexandra Court Residential 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 provider met people’s needs.

At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good.

This service scored 86 (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 was exceptional at making 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 and their relatives consistently reported that care was tailored to the individual. People were actively involved in planning their care, and care records reflected a personalised approach to support. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people's life histories, interests, preferences and what was important to them. During the inspection, these preferences were observed to be reflected in the care delivered. Feedback from professionals was also positive, with one commenting, “The care that is offered to people is very person centred, respectful of their individual wishes and preferences. Choices always appear to be taken into account.”

Records also demonstrated that consent for photography and information sharing had been obtained and documented. Individual communication needs and identified risks, including a fear of falling, were recognised and incorporated into care planning, ensuring staff had the information required to provide personalised, safe and responsive support.

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.

People and their relatives told us they felt well informed and involved in the planning and delivery of their care. They said staff kept them up to date with any scheduled appointments and changes relating to their support.

The service maintained effective links with a wide range of healthcare professionals and had positive working relationships with local GP surgeries and district nursing teams. Referrals to external professionals were made promptly when required to help ensure people's health and wellbeing needs were met in a timely manner.

One healthcare professional commented, “The communication is good, they respond quickly. They let me know if anything changes or if they need my input.” This reflected the service's proactive approach to communication and collaborative partnership working.

The provider was exceptional at developing appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

During the assessment, we observed staff communicating with people in a respectful and person-centred way. Staff spoke clearly, took time to listen, and adapted their approach where needed, including bending down to speak with people at eye level. We saw several staff members taking time to engage in meaningful conversations, answer questions, and provide reassurance.

The service had an Accessible Information policy in place to help ensure people received information in formats they could understand, supporting them to make informed decisions about their care and maintain their independence.

The home had also developed a dementia library containing a range of resources to support people and their families in understanding the dementia journey. The library included information and literature for both adults and children, covering topics such as dementia, age-related conditions, residential care, and bereavement. These resources helped families access information, build understanding, and support younger relatives to navigate illness and changes in family circumstances’

Visual prompts were used throughout the service, including clear signage for toilet and bathing facilities, the garden area, and notice boards displaying information about daily activities and menus. Where individuals chose to do so, a photograph of themselves was displayed on their bedroom door. This supported people to recognise their rooms and helped staff provide more person-centred care.

The provider was exceptional at enabling people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. Staff always involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

People told us they knew how to make a complaint and felt confident any concerns raised would be listened to and acted upon. We reviewed the complaints records and found no recent complaints had been received. The service also received numerous compliments, including many thank you cards containing highly positive feedback about the care and support provided by staff.

People and their relatives were encouraged to share their views about the service. One relative told us, “We have regular relative/resident meetings where we can suggest new ideas and raise concerns if we have one.” Staff also felt able to contribute to service development. A care worker said, “The registered manager really listens to us. We can approach her in her office with suggestions to improve the service or raise them through supervision and staff meetings.”

People told us the service kept them informed of any changes or developments relating to their care and support. Regular meetings for people living at the home and their relatives provided opportunities to discuss matters important to them and influence decisions about the running of the service.

We reviewed records of these meetings and found evidence of meaningful engagement with people. A range of topics were discussed to support and enhance people's quality of life. For example, people were informed about planned outings, including visits to garden centres, pubs, local parks and seaside destinations. Wellbeing initiatives were also discussed, with opportunities available to participate in walks, exercise sessions and other activities designed to promote physical and emotional wellbeing.

These arrangements demonstrated the provider's commitment to seeking feedback, acting on people's views and ensuring people remained informed and involved in decisions about life at the home.

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

Staff responded promptly to people's needs and took appropriate action when changes in their health or wellbeing were identified. Records demonstrated concerns were recognised and acted upon in a timely manner, with referrals made to relevant healthcare professionals when required.

People were supported to access a range of healthcare services to help maintain their health and wellbeing and achieve positive outcomes.

We spoke with a visiting Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) who had worked closely with the home over a sustained period. The ANP spoke positively about the service and described an effective and collaborative working relationship with the staff team. They told us, “We have a positive and effective working relationship with the service. The staff are strong advocates for residents and palliative care is managed particularly well. Staff recognise when individuals are approaching end-of-life care needs.”

The ANP also explained that when the service was no longer able to meet a person's needs, staff worked proactively with the person, their family and relevant healthcare professionals to identify a more suitable care setting. This helped ensure people's needs continued to be met and that transitions were planned and managed sensitively.

This demonstrated that leaders and staff recognised changes in people's needs and responded promptly to ensure they received the right care, treatment and support at the right time. Their proactive and collaborative approach helped reduce delays in accessing healthcare services and contributed to positive outcomes for people using the service.

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's care and support were delivered in a way that recognised and respected their individual needs, preferences, beliefs, and values. Care plans were person-centred and reflected people's diverse backgrounds and protected characteristics, helping to ensure care remained inclusive and responsive to what mattered most to them.

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of equality, diversity, and inclusion and spoke confidently about how they supported people's cultural, religious, and social needs in day-to-day practice. Opportunities were available for people to maintain their faith and spiritual wellbeing, helping them remain connected to beliefs and practices that were important to them.

People's sensory and communication needs were clearly identified and reflected in care planning, enabling staff to provide appropriate support and promote effective communication, independence, and involvement in decisions about their care. Staff also recognised the importance of maintaining meaningful aspects of people's lives and supported people to retain personal preferences and lifestyles wherever possible.

Staff received equality and diversity training and were supported by clear policies and guidance, helping to ensure people were treated with dignity, respect, and understanding, and that inclusive care practices were embedded throughout the service.

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.

Care plans showed discussions about end-of-life care and future wishes took place. Where people had chosen to discuss and share their preferences, these were recorded in a person-centred manner and were accessible to staff, helping to ensure care was delivered in line with their wishes and values.

Staff demonstrated an understanding of people's end-of-life care needs and spoke confidently about the support they provided. Staff told us they had received end-of-life care training and understood the importance of delivering compassionate and dignified care during this stage of a person's life.

Feedback from an external professional was positive. A health and social care professional told us they were impressed with the way staff supported people during their final days, highlighting the compassionate approach taken by the team.

These findings demonstrated that staff had the knowledge and skills to support people receiving end-of-life care and sought to respect people's wishes where these had been discussed and recorded. The positive feedback received from a healthcare professional provided further assurance that people were supported with dignity, compassion and respect at the end of their lives.