Albert Suites at Battersea Place

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 assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained 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 service 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.

People told us staff treated them as individuals, and they received consistently good, person-centred care and support from the same group of staff who were familiar with their needs, preferences and daily routines. Typical feedback included, “Staff do seem well trained and treat her as an individual. They treat her with respect and protect her dignity. She is comfortable with staff. I feel mum is well cared for. She’s returned to the service a couple of times, so it is good care there,” “What’s good about the service is that the staff are friendly and approachable, they have taken the time to understand my father and his particular needs” and “Staff treat my [family member] as an individual”.

Care records contained personalised information about people’s unique strengths, likes and dislikes, and how they preferred staff to meet their care needs and wishes. Staff demonstrated good awareness of people’s individual needs and preferences were familiar with the term ‘person-centred’ and what this meant in terms of supporting people living in the care home.

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.

People told us they received continuity of care from staff who were familiar with their individual care needs, preferences and daily routines. Comments included, “I do feel safe, there’s always staff available to help. Most staff have been here for years, so that’s a good sign. It’s a happy place” and “The Physiotherapy is fantastic. I’ve been to a few Physiotherapy appointments, and the room is amazing. What they get her doing in the sessions is incredible for building up her strength” and “[Relative] was discharged from hospital to Albert Suites instead. Albert Suites was really great and helped with her recovery. She was there for 3 weeks. There was always a Nurse on call, and she could ring her buzzer for additional help. The Physiotherapy was great too. She got better and strong enough to return to her flat in Battersea Place, with support from carers.”

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

The provider ensured people were given information in a way they could understand. Information about people’s communication needs, and preferences had been identified and was included in their care plan. Managers were aware of their responsibility to meet people’s communication needs and make information accessible. For example, people’s care plans were available in an easy read format if required.

The service 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 used a range of methods to gather people’s views about the care home, including regular residents’ meetings, care plan reviews and stakeholder satisfaction surveys. Feedback gathered through these methods was generally positive. People also told us they felt listened to by managers and staff and involved in decisions made about the care and support they or their relative received. A relative told us, “The service tends to ask me how they can help us and not the other way around. They’re really good in that regard. I’ve been included with several meetings with the service and the GP about my [family members] care when we discussed a plan to keep her physically and mentally well and safe.”

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

People received care and support based on their individual preferences. Staff understood people’s routines and their choices and preferences for how and when they wished to receive their personal care and support. They accommodated any changes when people wanted this. Managers undertook regular monitoring and reviews of people’s care needs to make sure care and support was provided to people in line with their choices and preferences.

The care home delivered a program of meaningful social activities and events for people who had limited mobility and access to the wider community and were at risk of becoming socially isolated in their room. One person told us, “The staff keep me happy with regular outings, concerts and other activities they arrange for us. There’s lot of opportunities for people to join if they want to.”

In addition, they had weekly visits from a local GP and employed qualified physiotherapists who managed the care homes onsite physio-room and aquatic assisted pool used for water-based physiotherapy. One person said, “The physiotherapist we have onsite are just excellent as is the water therapy pool with have here.”

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 were engaged and supported by staff to be included and have the same opportunity as others to receive the care and support of their choice. Staff had received equality and diversity training and understood people had a right to be treated equally and fairly, and to receive care and support that met their specific needs. For example, managers and staff confirmed people had the right to choose the gender of staff who provided their intimate personal care.

Care plans contained detailed information about people’s spiritual, cultural needs, as well as sexuality. Staff were aware of people’s different faiths, culture and sexuality and knew how to protect them from discriminatory behaviours and practices. People who were in a couple could also choose to stay together in the same suite.

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 in relation to ‘death and dying’ were in place. These included people’s wishes for their end-of-life care, including their spiritual and cultural wishes, were discussed, and recorded in their end-of-life care plan. This ensured staff were aware of people’s wishes and that people would have dignity, comfort, and respect at the end of their life. Staff had received end of life care training. An external health care professional told us, “I have observed patients being treated with dignity and good end-of-life care.”