Silver Oaks Residential Care 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 meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 71 (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 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. Staff training supported the delivery of person-centred care. Care plans supported staff to assist people with routines considering any individual preferences or needs. Staff told us they felt enabled to provide personalised care. A staff member told us, “Many of the people living here are local and so are staff so we can relate to places and people we both know which helps to provide personalised care.” Relatives told us, “Staff understand [Name] and that means they support them well when they need them” and “The staff know [Name] so well and that helps them care for them appropriately.” Daily care records showed person centred entries which documented staff responding to people’s needs, offering reassurances and requesting further support when required.

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. Most staff lived in the local community and were able to forge links and networks so people were empowered to remain part of their community. People were supported to have flexible routines tailored to an individual’s choice. Staff identified areas in people’s care which may require attention and communicated this confidently to colleagues. Handovers were comprehensive, with updates on any changes to people’s needs. Staff were heard asking questions and interacting with each other in a positive and professional way to enable a good exchange of information. They collaborated with other partners and services to ensure information was up to date.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. People and relatives did not raise concerns about accessing information. People’s care plans provided guidance around how they communicated. This included how staff should adjust communication when providing people with information and any specific communication needs, such as large print or pictorial. There were notice boards and signage around the service providing information and guidance for people which met their current needs.

The provider has systems in place 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. Relatives felt able to raise concerns and felt these were listened to, but did not always feel consulted about changes to their family member’s care. A relative told us, “Normally [Name] is clean but a few days ago I found food on their top. I spoke with the staff and one of them changed it and took it to be washed.” The provider produced newsletters and posted information on their social network site which helped to keep relatives informed of events and changes in the service. However, many relatives we spoke with felt there was a lack of formal arrangements to enable them to share views about their family member’s care. Comments included, “They have never asked me if I am happy with [Name’s] care, or if there any issues; it would be nice if they did”, “Staff only informally might ask how things are going for [Name]” and “They don’t ask me if I’m happy with [Name’s] care. Either a direct conversation or even a questionnaire would be a great idea. If I were unhappy, I’d go direct to the seniors, particularly because [registered manager] is often unavailable.”

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. Staff had good working relationships with local health professionals and knew how to contact the appropriate teams to support people when the need arose. People and relatives confirmed staff responded to changes in people’s needs and supported them to utilise routine and specialist services when required. People were supported to access the different levels of the service through stair lifts and there was easy access to the garden. As the service was situated in the heart of the community people were able to access local shops and resources independently or with staff support.

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. The registered manager and staff were committed to enabling people to achieve the best possible outcomes from their care. There was a variety of activities and entertainment offered to people at the home to provide mental and physical stimulation. An activity co-ordinator supported people to take part and engage in activities as a group or individually if they preferred. A person told us, “Staff take me out and do things that keep me occupied. For example, this morning I was making things out of felt. I did this years ago when I was younger and it really brought back memories!” Relatives felt there was a good range of activities and events which helped to stimulate everyone. A relative told us, “We are particularly impressed that the range of activities has improved greatly. Staff are very imaginative and creative in organising activities appropriate to the time of year and recognising any special days e.g. birthdays, Valentine's Day, Australia Day, and providing homemade cakes and treats. There is often a visiting music performance or chair-based exercises which residents can join in if they choose., and it's lovely to see that a local school has been involved with intergenerational activities. There are occasional outings to the local pub or coffee shop which are small scale but appropriate to giving a feeling of being part of the village community.” For people who preferred to be in their rooms, staff ensured individual activities were offered including pamper time and dominoes. We observed a movement to music session and people were engaged and enjoyed participating in this. The session was offered to people in their rooms as well. People were supported to follow their religious beliefs if they wish as informal services were arranged in the home. Staff worked hard with people to identify individual goals and aspirations and supported them to achieve these wherever possible. For example, a person expressed a wish to find and visit a family member’s grave they had never been able to locate. Staff supported them to locate and visit this, thereby fulfilling a lifelong wish.

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. People had information in their care plans that detailed their future wishes. A ReSPECT plan, Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment, was in place for most people which outlined care preferences for when they might be unable to express their wishes. This included information about end-of-life care (EOL) and resuscitation. Families had been involved in this process and staff were aware of the details should an emergency suddenly occur. Staff had been provided with EOL training and took EOL care very seriously and ensured as far as possible no person was alone at the end of their life. We observed staff supported a person who was EOL with sensitivity and care, consulting with the person’s family and reacting quickly when they identified the person’s needs had changed and required medical intervention from district nurses to make them more comfortable.