Walton Manor Residential and Nursing 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 Walton Manor Residential and Nursing Home met people’s needs. At our last assessment we rated this key question as good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.   

This service scored 64 (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 demonstrated a strong understanding of person-centred principles and were observed putting these into practice. One staff member told us, “I provide care based on each person’s individual needs and ensure residents and their families are actively involved in care planning, so the care plan reflects their specific preferences, circumstances, and requirements." Another member of staff said, “Person-centred care means supporting residents to make their own choices and ensuring all plans are tailored specifically to the individual being cared for.” We observed members of staff were caring and interacted positively with people. Staff clearly knew people well and celebrated their achievements. One relative said, “They do little things that are big things to us.”  

There were some shortfalls in how the provider understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was not always joined-up, flexible or supportive of choice and continuity. People were generally supported by a consistent staff team. This helped to ensure there were always staff available who knew people well.  One relative told us, “They [staff] are very consistent. Occasionally there is someone new or agency.” Another relative said, “I know the staff very well. The odd one is new.” However other relatives did raise concerns about staff continuity. One relative said, “I know about half the staff.” A record for each person was maintained detailing visits and communication with other professionals. However, some relatives told us there have been occasions where communication could be improved, particularly around decisions involving hospital transfers. Concerns were raised about delays in accessing external healthcare services, including medical and dental support.   

The provider took steps to supply appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. Staff use a range of communication tools to meet individuals' needs, including a talking newspaper for those with visual impairments, pictorial boards, whiteboards, and pen and paper. Where appropriate, family members assisted in communication, such as teaching staff key words in a person’s first language. Leaders told us relatives’ meetings are actively promoted within the home, including signage in reception areas, and six-monthly care reviews include routine invitations to families. This reflected a structured and proactive approach to involving relatives in residents’ care. However, feedback from relatives we spoke with was mixed. Some relatives felt well-informed and spoke highly of proactive and consistent updates. Comments included, “I am kept up to date" and “I am always kept informed about the big and little things.” However, other relatives reported inconsistent communication or a lack of regular updates and catch-ups. One relative told us, “Communication is inconsistent. I am sometimes not informed when I should be.” Another relative said, “No, I am not really kept informed about [Name]’s care and support needs.”

The provider took steps to make 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. The provider had a complaints process in place and no formal concerns had been recorded at the time of assessment. However, informal feedback from relatives suggested mixed experiences in how well they felt listened to. One person told us about a concern they had reported to the manager which was resolved quickly. Most relatives we spoke with knew who to contact if they needed to make a complaint about the service. Some relatives told us staff listened and responded to any concerns raised. Comments included, “If we ask for things to be done, they do it straight away,” “I have not had to raise complaints but if I did it would be taken seriously” and “Although I don’t have any serious concerns, I do bring things up and they have acted on them and dealt with it well.” However, other comments included, “No I don’t feel listened to” and “I feel partially listened to.” Due to this mixed feedback, we were not fully assured people felt involved and listened to. 

Equality considerations and specific support requirements were documented during initial assessments and regularly reviewed. Some staff we spoke with told us they had the time they needed to read people’s care plans and support people in a responsive way. However, a few other staff members mentioned they didn’t always have as much time as they would like to review care plans in detail.  

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who were most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. Care was personalised and in line with people’s preferences and wishes. People did not experience discrimination or inequality in how their care was delivered and the support they received. Cultural awareness was incorporated into care, helping reduce disparities and promote equitable experiences. One relative told us about how the staff had supported a person to celebrate a religious festival that was important to them.   

The provider supported people to plan for important life changes, so they had enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life. They focused on providing comprehensive support to individuals nearing the end of their lives. This included medical, emotional and spiritual support to ensure people’s comfort and dignity.