Castleview 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 previous inspection, we rated this key question outstanding. At this inspection, the rating has changed to 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 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.

One-page profiles and "what matters to me" information helped staff understand people as individuals and tailor support accordingly. A person told us, “They know what I like and dislike.” A health and social care professional said, “Staff have very proactive methods of supporting residents and their interventions have aided myself with providing person-centred care plans and recommendations.”

Staff encouraged people to maintain important relationships and remain involved in family life, including celebrating significant occasions with family and friends. Family members and friends were able to visit the home and remain actively involved in people's lives. Whilst the service had protected mealtimes in place, relatives could visit during these times where they wished to support their family member or share a meal with them.

The provider had a clear understanding of people’s health and care needs and worked with local services to ensure care was joined up, consistent and responsive.

Continuity of care was supported by a stable staff team who knew people well. Many staff lived within the local Alnwick community and had established links with the area. In some cases, staff had known people for many years, which helped them to understand people's histories, preferences and support needs and enabled them to develop meaningful relationships.

Effective communication systems were in place, including staff handovers, “flash” meetings and regular staff meetings. These enabled staff to share information, respond to changes in people's needs and support continuity of care.

Where agency staff were required, continuity was maintained through the use of the provider’s own agency staff. The registered manager told us that external agency staff had not been used for several months, which further supported consistency in the care people received.

The provider gave people and those important to them clear information in ways they could understand.

Records showed the service met the Accessible Information Standard. Care plans set out people’s communication needs and how staff should share information. Information could be provided in different formats if needed, to ensure people received and understood the content in a way that suited them.

The provider had systems in place to listen to and involve people, relatives and others in the development of the service.

The provider sought feedback through meetings and surveys, which gave people and their relatives opportunities to share their views and contribute to service improvements.

A complaints procedure was available and people and relatives knew how to raise concerns if they were unhappy with any aspect of care. Most relatives spoke positively about the approachability of the management team and felt concerns were listened to and addressed. Comments included, “The management are very approachable and they do listen” and “Everything is resolved, managers are 100% approachable.” A small number of comments received indicated that concerns were not always addressed as promptly as they would have liked, or in the manner they would have expected.

Formal complaints were recorded and responses provided. We identified an opportunity to strengthen oversight of concerns raised informally and to ensure these were recorded. This would help identify any recurring trends or themes and demonstrate how feedback had been used to drive improvements within the service.

The provider ensured people were supported to access the care and support they needed.

People had regular access to health and social care professionals, and staff sought advice when needs changed. A relative raised a query after being asked to accompany their family member to a healthcare appointment. The registered manager explained that, where appropriate, relatives were invited to accompany family members to planned hospital or healthcare appointments. They explained that it was not always possible for staff to accompany people due to the needs of other people using the service. When staff were unable to attend, key information about the person's needs and health conditions was shared with healthcare professionals to help ensure continuity of care.

The environment was accessible and included communal areas and outdoor spaces, enabling people with different needs and abilities to make use of the home's facilities and participate in day to day life.

Staff and leaders listened to information about people who might be at greater risk of poor outcomes and adapted care to reduce this.

People were supported to access opportunities and experiences that reflected their interests, abilities and preferences. Staff adapted activities and support to meet people's individual needs. For example, people who preferred to remain in their rooms, or who were unable to participate in group activities, were offered personalised activities and opportunities for social interaction.

Staff also recognised the importance of maintaining relationships and connections that mattered to people, including supporting visits from family members, friends and pets.

Care and support were adapted when people's needs changed. Staff monitored people's health and wellbeing and worked with relevant health and social care professionals to help ensure appropriate support was in place. A health professional told us, “The team are vigilant and contact us as soon as there are concerns and we in return are there as soon as possible.”

These approaches helped people access meaningful opportunities, maintain important relationships and achieve positive outcomes regardless of their health needs, abilities or personal circumstances.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, ensuring they had sufficient time to make informed decisions about their future, including their wishes at the end of their life.

Staff worked with people and those important to them to ensure their wishes and choices were understood, respected and recorded. One person told us, “I have discussed the future with my daughter and the home.”

Staff worked in partnership with relevant health and social care professionals to ensure people's healthcare needs were met during this important time. Following lessons learned from an incident relating to end of life decision-making, the provider was arranging bespoke training for staff on Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions.

During one of our visits, staff had identified a person whose health needs required review and had contacted the GP to discuss their care, including ensuring anticipatory medicines were in place. This helped ensure medicines would be readily available to manage symptoms promptly and support the person's comfort and dignity should their condition deteriorate.