Woodcote Hall

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 questionrequires improvement.At thisassessmentthe rating haschanged 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.

Staff knew people well and what was important to them. People told us staff supported them and provided their care the way they wanted it. One person told us, “[Person’s name] originally came here for a respite stay and thank goodness they did. The care is over and above.”

Staff used people’s life experiences to enhance person-centred care. One person used to complete fire tests and drills when they worked. They are now a Fire Marshall and supports the maintenance operative with fire drills at the home and reassures other people that a fire drill is taking place.

People’s care plans included key information about their preferences, the level of support they required, and how they wished their care to be delivered. Relatives were involved in gathering this information where appropriate, to ensure where people lacked capacity, this information could be captured. People’s care plans guided staff on supporting them with day-to-day decisions in line with the person’s wishes. This helped to ensure people’s physical, emotional and social needs were met when their care was planned.

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 benefited from the service having good working relationships with external health professionals. Staff worked closely with people’s health care professionals to manage their changing health needs and share information appropriately. Referrals to specialist health teams were made where appropriate in a timely manner. One health professional told us, “Staff work closely with us to ensure continuity of care. They provide prompt communication via our triage system, which enables us to assess and act quickly upon their query/concern.”

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

People’s communication needs and preferred methods of communicating were recorded in their care plans. This helped staff provide information in a way which was accessible, and each person could understand. One person’s care plan gave staff direction on how to support them to communicate their needs by looking at their body language and gestures. It gave detail on specific gestures the person used to communicate their emotions. The care plan also directed staff on how to support the person to understand what was being said to them.

The registered manager had created a service user guide which was written in a user-friendly way. This guide gave information about the home and what people could expect whilst they lived there.

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.

People and their relatives had opportunities to offer suggestions and give feedback about the service through meetings and quality surveys. At meetings people discussed how they felt about the care they received, gave feedback on dining experiences and the menus, activities and events. People had said they wanted new garden furniture. This was purchased based on people’s preference and they were consulted with for style and colour. People were also consulted and asked to pick their favourite colour from a choice to decorate the lounge.

Relatives told us they felt confident if they made complaints these would be taken seriously and looked into. Complaints were responded to within a timely manner and the provider’s complaints policy adhered to in terms of time frames and escalation. A copy of the provider’s complaints policy was displayed for visitors.

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

Staff ensured people had equal access to a range of healthcare professionals when they needed them, including GPs, community nurses, mental health teams, chiropodists, and opticians. When people had hospital appointments and family members were unable to attend, staff accompanied them to provide support. In emergencies, staff acted promptly and contacted the appropriate services, such as out-of-hours doctors or emergency ambulance teams.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in their experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

Everyone we spoke with, including people and their relatives, told us staff treated them equally and fairly. No one we spoke with had experienced any discrimination or had felt intimidated because of their views. Staff recognised and respected people’s identities, social needs, religious backgrounds and sexuality. Staff respected individuals’ beliefs, identities, and social preferences. Where people wanted to talk about these needs, it was recorded in their care plans.

The provider’s policy on equality and diversity was updated in 2024, and staff had received training in this subject. The registered manager told us equality and diversity was discussed in staff meetings and in staff 1 to 1 meetings.

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 given the opportunity to discuss and record their future care wishes, including what they wanted to happen at the end of their life, at a time that suited them. We saw not everyone wanted to have these discussions and this was kept under review by staff.

People had a ReSPECT (Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment) document in place. Health professionals worked with people to discuss and record their preferences, ensuring they would receive appropriate care and treatment in the event of a future emergency where they might lack capacity to make or express choices. These plans were referred to in people’s care plans to ensure all staff understood people’s wishes.