Gencare Care 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

The rating has improved from requires improvement to good during this assessment. People received personalised care and support that met their individual needs and abilities. Staff were responsive to people’s needs and wishes. Information was accessible and people's views were listened to and acted on. Records were updated in a timely manner to ensure they reflected people’s changing needs. People were supported to take part in community events. People’s equality and diversity needs were respected and met.

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.

People’s needs were met in a personalised way. People and relatives were involved in care planning and reviews of their care. Care staff understood people’s needs and how to meet them. Relatives said the provider was responsive and understood people’s individual needs. A relative said, “My [family member] is more independent now in this home compared to before. They support [my family member] really well. They know their needs and how to support them.”

Staff knew the people they were caring for and treated them as individuals. Staff were knowledgeable about what people liked and what their preferences were and how best to meet them. Staff told us they regularly checked people’s care plans for information on meeting their needs. The manager explained that care was delivered to people in a person-centred way. The manager emphasised that people had different communication needs and they tailored communication methods to each individual.

We observed people were treated as individuals. Staff asked people what they wanted and spent time interacting with them.

Relatives we spoke with were confident that management and staff regularly engaged with other health and social care providers.

Staff and management told us they engaged with other health providers and the local authority. The manager was able to demonstrate that they understood how to navigate the local health care systems. This helped to provide coordinated care. Management had made referrals to health care teams such as the occupational therapist, district nurse or the dietician teams to support people with their health needs.

Records we reviewed showed the provider had a good working relationship with the local authority and health care professionals. No concerns were raised with us during our assessment in relation to communication between parties.

We saw documented evidence of the manager and staff referring people to various health care teams when people’s needs changed. This meant people could be confident support would be sought from the appropriate health care professional, who had the expertise and skills to support them to meet their care needs, where this was required. The provider's processes included liaising with other professionals and providing continuity of care.

Relatives told us they had the information they needed. They knew who the manager was, who to contact if needed and they were provided with information about people’s care and support.

People’s preferred communication methods were clearly recorded in their care plans. This information was personalised. Care records were also presented in an easy read format for people if needed. Systems were in place to hold confidential information and the provider had systems to ensure compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulations (UK GDPR). Service records were kept locked away or password protected on electronic devices. This helped to ensure people’s private and sensitive information was only shared with authorised persons.

Staff took the time to communicate with people and understood their needs. This was confirmed by relatives we spoke with. A relative told us, “I have a good relationship with management. I can speak to them openly without hesitation.”

Each person had a communication care plan in place. This provided information about people’s individual needs and included information about how the person communicates and details of how to communicate with them. The information was clear and detailed and helped staff understand people.

People’s records showed there was regular and consistent input from health care professionals. Relatives told us staff could access health care support for people when needed.

Staff and the manager were able to describe how they supported people with reasonable adjustments. For example, referrals were made to a physiotherapist, chiropodist and GP.

A system was in place to support people to access health care providers. Information was readily available to people, family and staff as required.

People were complimentary about the home and said their needs were met. This was confirmed by relatives we spoke with. A family member said, “[The home] are able to meet [person’s] needs from what I have witnessed.” Feedback indicated that communication between management, staff and relatives was positive. Management encouraged feedback from all parties and told relatives to openly raise issues if needed. People's equality needs were met. People's cultural and religious needs were met.

Procedures regarding equality and diversity were in place. Staff had completed training to understand how to meet people's diverse needs. Where appropriate, care planning documents included information about people’s religious and cultural needs. Management carried out audits and checks which monitored the quality of the service provided. If shortfalls were identified, management took appropriate action. Management also sought feedback from people and relatives. These were gained through the use of satisfaction surveys.

The manager told us that at the time of the inspection no one was being supported at the end of their life or in receipt of palliative care. The majority of staff had completed end of life training. However, the manager explained that should they provide end of life care to people, staff would receive the appropriate refresher training and receive further training in relation to the person’s specific needs. This would be tailored to the individual person.

An end of life policy was in place.