Canterbury House

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.

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

The provider made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

People’s needs were assessed comprehensively by either the manager or deputy manager prior to them moving into Canterbury House. This initial assessment considered a range of factors, including the person’s physical health, emotional wellbeing, risks, preferences, and support requirements. Care plans were then developed based on this assessment, alongside relevant information gathered from the person, other professionals and those involved in the person’s care, such as family members. This collaborative approach helped ensure people’s needs were accurately assessed. An electronic care system was used to record and manage care planning, allowing staff to document all aspects of care. At the time of the inspection, care plans were in the process of being reviewed to further strengthen consistency and accuracy.

The provider planned and delivered people’s care and treatment with them, including what was important and mattered to them. They did this in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards.

Staff closely monitored people’s health and made sure they had access to healthcare wherever needed. Care was delivered in line with guidance and advice from external professionals such as district nurses, diabetic nurses and speech and language therapists (SALT), ensuring people’s needs were consistently met.

The catering staff understood people’s needs and how to promote a healthy diet. One person said, “The food is good, and we get the right amount of drinks. We get plenty of fruit and vegetables.” Another person’s relative told us, “They put out little bowls of fruit which is good for hydration.”

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

Staff collaborated effectively as a team, ensuring communication during each shift handover. This enabled the smooth sharing of important, up-to-date information about people’s needs and wellbeing. Relevant details were also communicated appropriately with external professionals, such as GPs and nurses, to support coordinated care.

The provider supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. Staff supported people to live healthier lives and, where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support. This included encouraging balanced meal choices, supporting people to maintain good hydration, and following guidance from healthcare professionals to ensure diets and care were appropriate to individual needs. People were also supported to make healthier lifestyle choices where appropriate, for example through activity, diet, and monitoring of specific health conditions. People were supported to access medical professionals as and when required to ensure their individual healthcare needs were met.

The provider routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves.

The manager and senior staff reviewed care plans every month and since the new manager had been in post, the need for improvements had been identified and work commenced. Team meetings were held that gave staff opportunities to share information, including support that was working well and positive outcomes for people.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment.

Staff demonstrated an understanding of the need to obtain consent before providing any care or support. They involved people in decisions about their day-to-day lives, such as offering choices at mealtimes. We observed staff knocking on bedroom doors before entering and asking permission before offering assistance. This approach supported people to consent to their care.

When receiving care and treatment, people can only be deprived of their liberty with the appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. We checked how the provider managed DoLS within the home. Where people had restrictions in their care plans that they had been assessed as not having the capacity to consent to, the provider ensured DoLS applications had been submitted to the relevant supervising body. Staff had received training in safeguarding, the Equality Act 2010 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.