Fitzwilliam Lodge

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 changed to outstanding

This service scored 89 (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 were treated as partners in decisions about their care and support. Care records, support plans and people's experiences consistently showed staff took time to understand what people wanted from life and how best to support them to achieve it. Staff understood recovery looked different for everyone and adapted support to reflect people's individual goals, strengths and dreams.

Staff understood that meaningful support started with understanding what mattered most to people. For example, one person had a treasured possession which held deep personal meaning. Staff recognised its significance and ensured it was reflected in the person's environment and everyday experiences. This helped maintain an important part of the person's identity and gave them comfort, reassurance and a sense of belonging.

Support went beyond meeting needs. Staff focused on what people wanted from life and ensured person-centred care was embedded throughout care planning. People remained in control of decisions about their lives and were supported to pursue relationships, build family lives, gain independence and embrace opportunities that mattered to them. As a result, people achieved outcomes they had once believed were impossible.

People were supported by staff who advocated for them and helped ensure their views, wishes and goals were the focus when making decisions about their lives. A professional told us, "One thing I really value is how [Fitzwilliam Lodge staff] can interact with a service user and make them feel respected. I feel the team can champion the needs of their service users." By focusing on what people wanted from life, staff helped them look beyond their diagnosis to make meaningful choices, pursue their dreams and build purposeful lives.

The provider had an exceptional understanding of the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

Staff and leaders recognised changes in people’s health and made referrals to external professionals to meet people’s needs. People were supported in line with their routines and preferences.

People's experiences, care records and feedback from professionals showed how effectively services worked together to support recovery and maintain continuity of support. One person returned to Fitzwilliam Lodge whilst receiving life-changing treatment and was later supported to return to independent living in their own home. Another person returned following bereavement and a decline in their mental health before progressing from communal living to an independent flat. These examples demonstrated how people could access support during some of the most difficult periods in their lives without losing progress towards their longer-term goals.

Feedback from professionals was overwhelmingly positive about the service and its leadership. One told us, "Concerns by the team are always fed back in a timely manner," whilst another said, "I have no problem calling them before I make a referral." A further professional described staff as "very approachable, understanding, caring and professional" and said reviews were arranged to ensure "there is a full perspective on what is happening in the person's life."

The provider supplied information in ways people could understand and use. Information abouthealthcare, support and available services was adapted to meet individual communication needs. Accessible information was displayed throughout the service, helping people understand the support available to them.

People received information through easy-read documents, 1-to-1 discussions and personalised communication tools. For example, communication cards were developed for 1 person to help them express when they were happy, upset or in pain. This increased their involvement in everyday decisions about their care and support. Relatives told us they received regular updates and were contacted promptly when concerns arose. They valued receiving photographs and updates about activities, which helped them stay connected to their family member's life and experiences.

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.

Leaders and staff fully embraced and acted on feedback from people, relatives, staff and professionals. People told us they could confidently raise concerns and felt listened to, with solutions being found quickly. One relative told us, “It’s not a one-way thing. We all just discuss it when we need to”.

The provider used a range of approaches to collect feedback, including resident meetings, surveys, care planning discussions, suggestion boxes and ‘Our Voice’ meetings, where people from different homes shared experiences and influenced wider organisational development.

When staff recognised some people were uncomfortable speaking in formal meetings, they introduced everyday conversations and informal discussions to collect views. This ensured more people could be involved.

Involvement extended beyond care and support and contributed to wider decisions about how the service operated, including the recruitment of new staff. Candidates met people living at the service as part of the interview process and their feedback informed recruitment decisions. This helped ensure people played an active role in shaping the culture and future of the service.

People's ideas continued to influence life at the service. Following feedback, staff introduced a 'Wish Tree' where people could share hopes and dreams, with wishes regularly selected and turned into activities.

People could see their feedback led to meaningful change. For example, preferred meals were added to menus, opportunities for meaningful activities increased and easy-read advocacy information was introduced following requests for more information. When people said they wanted a better understanding of care planning, staff sent invitations to planning meetings and took time to explain support plans. This helped people become more involved in decisions about their care, support and future goals.

The provider made sure people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. Barriers were identified and removed, enabling people to continue their recovery, pursue personal goals and access opportunities that were important to them.

People were supported to access healthcare appointments, specialist services, family contact, information about their medicines, independent living skills and meaningful activities. Support was adapted to help people overcome barriers that may have prevented them accessing things that mattered to them.

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. Staff and leaders recognised that people could experience barriers to achieving positive outcomes and adapted support to meet their individual needs.

People were supported to access the same opportunities and experiences as others, regardless of their communication needs, mental health or personal circumstances. Information was provided in accessible formats, personalised communication tools were used, and feedback was collected in ways that worked for each person, including through everyday conversations when formal meetings were not suitable.

Support was adapted to help people maintain important relationships, practise their faith and take part in activities that mattered to them. Staff also recognised when a different approach was needed to support recovery and improve outcomes. For example, when 1 person found their environment overwhelming, staff worked with them and partner agencies to identify a setting that better reflected their needs, preferences and goals.

People were given exceptional support to plan for important life changes, so they could make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their lives. People received highly personalised support to plan important life changes and make decisions about their future. This included moving into their own homes, having relationships, planning weddings, becoming parents, planning funerals and deciding how they wished to be remembered.

Staff supported people through significant life events and transitions, giving them the time, information and support needed to make informed decisions. The relationships they built were often so strong that people chose to stay in touch after moving on. One person told us, “The [registered manager] stayed in touch even when I moved out. I know she’ll stay in touch this time as well.”

Support extended beyond day-to-day care. Staff encouraged people to dream bigger than they previously believed possible and worked alongside them to turn those dreams into achievable goals. This approach supported people to build confidence, try new experiences and shape the lives they wanted for themselves.

This included planning for the end of life. Sensitive conversations gave people the opportunity to consider and express what mattered most to them. We heard how one person, who visited their local betting shop every day before becoming terminally ill, was supported to plan a dignified death. They planned their funeral, including the music they wanted played, the possessions they wanted around them and how they wished to spend their final days. Staff also supported them to place their final bet, ensuring a lifelong passion remained part of their life until the end. After their death, staff planted an olive tree in the garden in their memory. These deeply personal actions showed how staff ensured the person's wishes, identity and what mattered most to them remained at the heart of decisions about their future, including how they wished to be remembered.

This support helped people achieve significant life changes, with 3 people moving on to more independent accommodation and others progressing from hospital and restrictive environments into community living.