Queens Court

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 79 (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 and those close to them were involved in initial and on-going assessments. Records were person centred and reflected what was important to the person.

The provider undertook a comprehensive pre-admission assessment of each person within 12 hours of receiving a referral from either the hospital or community services. They contained details of the person, their likes and dislikes, health conditions and all aspects of their lives. Based on this, a plan was devised on how to best support the person. Care plans were developed from the initial assessments and were regularly reviewed and updated as people’s needs changed.

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. The service had received the highest rating of 5 during a recent food hygiene inspection.

People’s nutritional needs were assessed, recorded and met. Most people were happy with the food on offer. Their comments included, “They do good food here, it is usually lovely”, “The food I must say is alright for me. I like everything they give me really” and “The food is okay, I certainly don’t have any complaints. I will say there is plenty of it and it is always hot when you get it.” One person who chose to eat their meals in their room said, “The carers come in with the show plates and I choose. They say that you eat with your eyes.”

The chef was knowledgeable about people’s needs and ensured they were consulted about their choice of food. The staff team kept the chef informed of people’s changing needs or preferences so they could ensure their needs were met at all times.

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 told us they enjoyed working at the home, there was a very good culture and supportive teamwork. One staff member told us, “Staff morale is high in the home. Everyone is happy as they are valued and listened to. We have a very friendly work environment here.” They added, “I feel valued and can make a difference. I have been able to grow myself here.”

People told us staff worked well together and communicated with them well in order to meet their needs.

The service worked closely with other agencies and professionals to help ensure a more holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing. The registered manager told us, “We maintain regular communication with external agencies through multidisciplinary team meetings, ensuring coordinated care planning and timely interventions. Feedback and learning from these partnerships are disseminated within the team through internal meetings and training updates, fostering a culture of shared knowledge and continuous improvement and development.”

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.

People were supported to access a range of health care professionals. Care records contained detailed information about people’s health conditions and how these might affect people. There were regular visits from health care professionals involved in people’s care, and communication between them and the staff and management was effective. One person told us, “The GP came round recently and said I looked remarkably well, I don’t know how, but I must admit I have a little sherry every evening.”

Health care professionals said the staff and management team worked closely with them and communication was good.

People had access to healthcare professionals where this was required, such as the GP, chiropodist and SALT team. For example, one person was at risk of malnutrition. We saw their weight was checked monthly and they were on a fortified diet.

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.

People who were identified to be at risk of serious injury were reviewed and investigated appropriately by the GP with the aim of reducing this risk even if they had a fall. As a result, a more holistic approach was taken for each person. Treatment such as supplements to strengthen bones was prescribed. In addition, the reduction of antipsychotic medicines and implemented activity had significant impacted on the reduction of falls in the last 6 months.

The registered manager told us they had invested in 10 exercise bikes and additional exercise equipment to enhance people’s mobility and overall wellbeing. They told us, “These resources have been instrumental in encouraging movement, supporting blood circulation, and ultimately aiming to reduce the risk of falls among residents.” Furthermore, the provider had partnered with a professional exercise provider who visited the home every Tuesday to conduct structured physical activity sessions for people. In addition to this, they offered weekly Zumba sessions which had proven effective in helping people maintain their mobility levels, reduce falls risk, become more active and enhance their social engagement.

There was evidence of regular reviews and action being taken immediately following any changes to people’s health needs. The service worked closely with healthcare professionals who knew people well and followed their advice to help meet people’s changing needs.

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

The provider was meeting the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People told us staff asked for their consent and involved them in decisions about their care and support. They said their choices were respected. The staff received training in the principles of MCA and understood these.

The registered manager ensured people consented to their care and treatment where they could do so, and signatures indicated people had agreed to give consent. Staff recorded people’s capacity regarding different decisions. The records we reviewed were clear and detailed.