Woodcote Hall

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,treatmentand support achieved good outcomes and promoteda good qualityof life, based on best available evidence.

At our last assessment we rated this key questionrequires improvement.At thisassessmentthe rating haschanged to good.

This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

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’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them.

People were encouraged to be involved in their assessments to ensure they had the opportunity to talk about their needs and preferences about their care. Relatives also contributed to assessments to ensure their family members’ needs and wishes were accurately recorded. One relative told us when their family member was admitted to the home, they all completed their admission assessments together with a staff member. They stated they all felt involved in their admission and had no concerns.

Staff used a range of assessment tools to identify, for example, people’s risk of falls, their mobility, the risk of skin problems and their nutritional needs. People’s care was regularly reviewed, and records were updated as needed. This helped to ensure people’s needs were reflected in their care plan and understood..

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.

Staff training was up to date and relevant to their roles. Because of this, staff delivered care and support which was up to date with current required standards and national legislation. The registered manager told us staff practice was also based on National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance and resources provided by the local authority and external health professionals.

Where people had health conditions, there was specific guidance in place for staff to follow. People’s eating and drinking needs were met and staff followed plans set by GP’s and Speech Language Therapists (SaLT) where people were at risk of choking, malnutrition or dehydration. This helped to support people with safe swallowing. One health professional said, “They[staff]are able to follow our basic care plans for residents.”

Staff and leaders wanted to learn how they could improve the way they delivered care to benefit the people they cared for. One health professional told us, “They [staff] are always keen to be involved in discussions regarding ongoing care, which supports shared decision making and promotes positive outcomes for residents. Staff also communicate effectively and share relevant information promptly, particularly when there are changes in a resident's condition, such as a deteriorating wound or deterioration in an end-of-life patient. This joined-up approach supports positive outcomes and promotes resident well-being.”

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people.

Staff worked closely with external professionals to make sure people received joined up care. Healthcare professionals told us staff always provided the information they needed about people’s care needs. One healthcare professional said, “I generally need information quickly and accurately for me to help the people I am supporting. This relies on the care team recording accurately, but also senior staff knowing what is going on with people they care for. I have always found that care staff have that information when I need it.”

The registered manager had systems in place to ensure information was shared with team members such as during shift handovers and team meetings. Information was also made available to healthcare partners when needed, for example paramedics when people required an ambulance, or on admission to hospital.

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 told us staff supported them to access healthcare services when they needed them. This included having access to vaccinations, medicine reviews and monitoring of any specific health needs such as Diabetes. One person told us they had received their flu injection that morning and staff had made sure they still consented to have this done.

Staff were aware of preventative measures they could use to keep people healthy, such as encouraging people to drink and eat well to help stay well hydrated and nourished to minimise the risks of infections or pressure ulcers. People’s fluid levels were closely monitored by assigned designated staff, and any concerns were discussed at staff handover. Managers were also informed and then decisions were made as to whether to escalate concerns to healthcare professionals.

Staff knew the importance of good oral health for people. One staff member told us by managing and encouraging people’s oral health they could help prevent future problems. Care plans were in place to enable staff to give people the support they needed.

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.

Staff were active to ensure ongoing improvements in the care and treatment of people and worked to ensure positive outcomes were in place for people. Healthcare professionals told us staff made referrals to their respective services appropriately. One healthcare professional said, “They [staff] are extremely vigilant for deterioration and very quick to notify us of any changes or minor incidents which may escalate. They [staff] pay particular attention to any changes in the overall wellbeing of residents so that it may be reviewed for possible causes.”

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

People told us staff sought their consent before providing their care. One person said, “They’re [staff] always chatting to us and telling us what’s going on.”

Staff understood the impact people’s capacity could have on how they supported them. One staff member said, “We check the care records, so we know how to assist them to make (day to day) decisions. We show the residents different things such as clothes they may want to wear or food they may want to eat. They can then make those decisions with our help.” People’s care plans contained good direction for staff to be able to support them making day-to-day decisions and if they needed to act in their best interests.

Records of people’s capacity assessments were thorough and demonstrated how they had been supported to understand the decision to be made. Where people did not have capacity to make their own specific decision, records documented how the decision had been made on their behalf. These meetings involved the person’s relatives where appropriate. By following this framework people's rights were protected and their best interests considered when decisions were made on their behalf.