The Porthouse

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 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.

Care was centred on individuals’ needs. People’s care plans were individualised and included personalised goals that reflected what they wanted to achieve. These goals were time bound and designed to support people’s progress. The registered manager explained that person- centred care was a key focus of the service, with an emphasis on ensuring people consistently received the right care and the right support.

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.

People’s individual preferences were respected, with support adapted to meet their needs. Staff implemented a proactive and personalised strategy by providing a large container within the home, enabling one person to place items safely rather than throwing them outside the property when distressed. This reflected proactively planned, person-centred care, effectively reducing risk while ensuring the person’s belongings remained accessible.

The provider supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

Staff communicated with people in ways they could understand, adapting their approach to individual needs by using clear language, and visual prompts. Staff comments included, “[People] understand everything we tell them, but we need to speak clearly and sometimes repeat ourselves” and “I explained [to a person] that the toilet had a picture of a toilet, so now when we go out [the person] looks for it if he wants to use the toilet. We use language that [people] understand.” Staff demonstrated patience and respect, allowing sufficient time for people to respond and incorporating answers to repeated questions naturally into conversations, which enhanced people’s engagement. Care plans supported this practice by providing clear guidance for staff on individuals’ communication methods, enabling them to understand, engage effectively, and express their choices.

The provider made it easy 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.

People and those important to them were supported to raise concerns where needed, promoting openness, accessibility, and confidence in the process. The absence of formal complaints in recent years reflected positive feedback from relatives, who felt listened to and that their views were responded to appropriately. Accessible information, including an easy-read complaints procedure, was available to ensure people understood how to raise concerns.

The provider made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

Staff were provided with ongoing support, including guidance when needed and assistance in responding to emergencies.

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.

People were supported to maintain relationships that were important to them. Where needed, individuals were assisted to maintain regular and meaningful contact with family members, including arranging visits and video calls. One individual was supported to develop their communication skills, enabling them to build relationships and engage more effectively with others. This helped them to access the community with increased independence and confidence, improving their overall quality of life and inclusion.

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 were supported through bereavement with a consistent, compassionate, and empathetic approach from the staff team. Careful planning enabled one individual to maintain contact with their family member and gradually prepare for the loss, using accessible social stories developed with specialist input. This approach supported the person to process their emotions and adjust positively.