Lambeth Office

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.
This is the first inspection for this service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

This service scored 71 (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 did not always make sure people's needs were assessed and documented thoroughly in relation to care needs. We saw a care plan which advised staff to closely monitor a person due to swallowing difficulties although they were able to swallow independently. The plan also advised staff to leave snacks for the person to consume between care visits. However, the type of snack was not documented. This put people at the risk of avoidable harm due to staff not being informed on which safe snacks should be left. This issue was not picked up in the audits of care plans. We raised this with the registered manager who made amendments to the care plan to ensure staff were fully informed how to provide safe snacks.

People told us they understood the care and support options available to them. They felt staff supported them to improve the quality of their live with the care they received

People had care plans and risk assessments in place, which covered all aspects of their care needs. The registered manager told us support needs were assessed robustly before the delivery of care began to determine if the service could support people safely. Conversations took place with people and their relatives to ensure the care required to be delivered would be both suitable and achievable.

People told us they had access to their care plans, and they were involved in the creation and review of these. One person said, “I am involved in decisions about my care. I have a [care plan] I can make contact with the registered manager to [discuss].”

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.

With one exception, care plans and risk assessments included information about people's nutritional needs in relation to their dietary requirements. Behaviour support and mobility needs were documented with steps staff should take to manage this support need effectively. Care plans and risk assessments were reviewed and audited on a regular basis to ensure people’s documented care and support remained relevant and up to date and people received evidence-based care and support.

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services.

The provider worked well with external services to ensure people were supported with their external healthcare needs and had access to the community. We received the following comments from people and their relatives, “The manager helps make appointments and contacts the GP for [family member]” and “[Staff] will call the doctor, it is done in a timely way.”

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 and their relatives told us the registered manger and staff supported them to arrange and attend healthcare appointments as required. We received the following comments, “The manager makes appointments for the GP for [relative]” and, “If [relative] is unwell, staff will call the doctors. It is done in a timely way.”

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.

The registered manger contacted people and their relatives by phone to gain feedback on their satisfaction with the care and support they received from staff. The registered manger told us, any concerns raised were addressed immediately.

The service had a compliance tracker which ensured all audits were completed, and who was responsible for any outstanding actions. Care records were contained information about people’s health care goals and how staff should support them to achieve this.

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

People told us staff always sought consent before delivering care and support. They understood their rights to refuse care and treatment. One person told us, “Staff always treat me with kindness, respect and dignity.”

A member of staff told us, “I make sure people understand their rights by explaining care tasks in a clear, respectful way and at a pace that suits [people].”

Staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and they were able to briefly explain how to support people in relation to this. One staff member said, “It is to ensure people’s decisions are respected, and act in their best interests.”

Care plans did detail people’s capacity to consent or make decisions about their care and treatment. People’s decisions in relation to DNACPR was documented.