Hunters Creek Care Home

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 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 assessed and reviewed people’s needs to support effective care. There were inconsistencies in how care plans and risk assessments were updated. Some information did not match across different sections of records. For example, nutritional information did not fully reflect changes in bowel health or a person’s declining condition. In another record, a person was described as independent with eating, but elsewhere it stated they needed full support. This created a risk that staff may not always have accurate or clear guidance.

Despite this, care planning took a holistic approach. Records considered people’s physical health, medical needs and overall comfort. There was a focus on maintaining wellbeing and supporting people in a way that reflected their preferences and quality of life. Staff used this information to guide care and reviewed needs when changes occurred.

Care plans were detailed and person centred. They included clear information about people’s health conditions and how these affected their daily lives. For example, there were detailed plans in place for conditions such as epilepsy, which described what signs to look for and what action staff should take if a seizure occurred.

Risk assessments covered a range of needs including mobility, falls and long-term health conditions. These helped staff understand how to support people safely. Care plans also included information about continence and catheter care, with guidance on what may be concerning and what staff should do.

The provider delivered care and treatment in line with current guidance and worked with others to meet people’s needs. Care was recorded in a way that showed how guidance had been applied in practice. When concerns were identified, the registered manager and deputy manager responded quickly and took action. They reviewed care immediately and sought advice from external professionals such as GPs where needed.

Staff worked with a range of health and social care professionals to support people’s needs. This included occupational therapists, mental health professionals and social workers. Equipment and support were put in place based on assessed need. Nationally recognised tools were used to monitor people’s health, such as for blood pressure and weight.

Care reflected people’s individual needs and what was important to them. Staff used information from assessments and professional input to guide how care was provided.

Risks to people’s skin were managed well. There were low levels of pressure damage and staff took action to reduce risks. Care plans included guidance for staff on how to support people’s comfort and positioning.

There was evidence that managers acted on concerns and worked with professionals to review and adjust care when needed.

The provider worked with other teams and services to support people and share information about their needs. However, a professional told us there were occasions where important updates were not shared in a timely way. They said, “The staff are always friendly and happy to discuss anything or will get the nurse. I have had some difficulties with ongoing communication where I was not told about significant changes in behaviour for somebody who was recently admitted to the care home.”

However, staff were described as approachable and willing to engage with professionals. They worked with a range of services to support people, including health and social care teams. Staff shared information about people’s needs when they moved between services so care could continue.

There were systems in place to work alongside professionals and respond to changes in people’s needs. Staff described contacting relevant services and seeking advice when required.

Relatives told us they were kept informed about changes in health. This showed that communication did take place, although this was not always consistent across all services.

The provider supported people to maintain their health and wellbeing, with some areas identified for improvement. Following review, new cutters and moulds were introduced to improve the presentation of textured diets and make meals more appealing. Changes were made to the menu following feedback, including reducing how often cauliflower was served. The provider reviewed vegetarian options as people said these were limited and steps were taken to include more fish. Overall, people’s views about food were listened to and acted on, which supported choice, satisfaction and nutritional outcomes.

People were supported to eat and drink safely. Those who needed help were positioned correctly and staff sat with them, offering support at their own pace. Staff showed patience and understanding when assisting people with meals. The provider showed consideration for people’s dignity during mealtimes. Alternatives to disposable aprons were being explored, such as neck scarfs.

There were examples of creative approaches to support people’s wellbeing. The service held themed events such as restaurant style dining experiences and seasonal activities, including options suited to warmer weather. These gave people choice and variety.

Catering staff understood people’s dietary needs and were planning improvements for people who required a modified diet. This included moulding blended food to resemble standard meals to improve presentation. Staff used visual aids such as small plates of that days meals to help people choose what they would like to eat. People could also choose something not on the menu if they wanted. There was a range of drinks available throughout the day. The service had started to introduce a new system to give people more choice of drinks, including different flavours. This was being trialled and early observations showed people were engaging with it and drinking more.

The provider worked with an external organisation to support people to stay active. Regular fitness sessions were provided which were adapted to people’s abilities. These sessions focused on gentle movement, strength and balance. Evidence shows this type of activity helped people to build muscle strength, improve mobility and reduce the risk of falls. Residents taking part also experienced improved mood and engagement, with more opportunities for social interaction.

People were supported to access a range of health professionals for assessment and treatment when needed. This included regular check-ups with their GP, option and dentist.

The provider monitored people’s care and treatment and made changes to improve outcomes.

The provider used monitoring systems to review people’s health and wellbeing. This included tracking changes such as weight, nutrition and general health. Where concerns were identified, action was taken to support people. A professional told us, “There have been some concerns raised about [person] losing weight. The care home have worked with the GP and the Community Mental Health team to address these concerns, and it was evident from my last visit to the care home that [person] has visibly put on weight.”

There were examples of improvement in outcomes for people. For example, when a person experienced weight loss, the provider introduced snack stations across the service. This gave people access to food outside of mealtimes, including foods they preferred. This approach was introduced around nine months ago and had led to positive changes for a number of people. Staff told us this had helped people to eat more and maintain or increase their weight.

The provider considered people’s preferences when making changes. They recognised that some people preferred smaller amounts of food more often, rather than large meals. This showed a flexible approach to care. Staff continued to monitor people’s response to these changes and adjusted support where needed.

The provider respected people’s rights to consent and involved them in decisions about their care and treatment. Mental capacity assessments were detailed and decision specific.

Assessments clearly recorded what was discussed with people and how they responded. This included noting people’s body language as well as what they said. This gave staff clear guidance about how people communicated their wishes. Decisions were made for specific areas of care, such as personal care and catheter care.

Where people did not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions, records showed appropriate assessments had been completed and DoLs applied for. Staff understood the need to act in people’s best interests and involved relevant others in decision making where required.

Staff described asking for consent before providing care and respecting when people did not want support.