Gwendolen Road 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

Assessments and reviews of people’s needs referenced their involvement and that of social care professionals. People’s needs, including communication and dietary needs were documented within their care plan, which were fully understood by skilled and experienced staff. Staff worked effectively with health care professionals to promote and maintain people’s health and wellbeing. Documentation detailing people’s needs, including medicine and communication needs was shared with other professionals when people went to hospital. People’s capacity to make decisions were assessed and appropriate legal processes were in place for those who had some restrictions around their care in place. Staff understood people’s right to make decisions.

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, and where appropriate their relatives were involved in the reviewing of their care. A relative said, “Staff always ask my opinion about [name’s] care.”

Staff spoke positively about people’s care records, which they said were sufficiently detailed and kept up to date so as to accurately reflect the needs of people they supported. Staff were complementary of the management teams approach to the assessment of people’s needs and their ability to respond to concerns or queries. A staff member said, “Care plans are reflective of the people we support and are updated. We can raise a concern with people’s changing care needs and these are acted on.”

A robust assessment process was in place, which meant care plans and risk assessments provided staff with detailed information as to how to meet people’s individual care needs. People’s communication needs and preferences were considered as part of the assessment process. Communication passports were developed to support effective communication.

People’s dietary needs were met ,which included receiving support from staff to eat when required, which was provided in a caring and dignified manner. A person told us, “The food is excellent I have a lot of choice, I can have a drink or a snack whenever I want to.” A second person told us, “The food is good, I get asked what I would like in the morning, I always have a choice, and it is always served on time. I usually get given a choice of Indian or English food.” A third person told us, “I love the food here in particular Halal chicken.” A relative told us, “The food is very good, like a restaurant and all homemade, [name] is vegetarian and so they give them a vegetarian diet.”

Staff knew people's different nutritional and hydration support needs. The manager told us people’s weight was regularly reviewed and monitored and where concerns such as weight loss were identified, these were raised to the GP and onward referrals to dieticians and SALT made and followed up by the manager for progress.

Systems and processes that assessed people’s nutrition and hydration needs were in place. Recognised assessment tools were used to assess and monitor people’s individual needs. Care records detailing people’s needs were personalised and were reflective of the guidance provided by health care professionals, such as Speech and Language Therapists. People at risk of weight loss were monitored, with referrals being made to health care professionals as and when required.

Relatives were positive of how staff worked with external health and social care professionals and how information was shared, to ensure continuity of care for their family member. A relative said, “They sort all the Doctor’s appointments.” Another relative said, “Sometimes if it is to the hospital, they let me know straightaway.”

Staff spoke of how they worked with external health and social care professionals, including specialist services to ensure care was co-ordinated and joined up. Staff had access to people’s care plans, which detailed people’s care needs. Information was shared daily at meetings, which meant staff had up to date information to enable them to support and care for people effectively.

External professionals informed us the management team and staff worked with them to make improvements and support people to achieve positive outcomes.

Systems and processes supported co-ordinated and effective care. An information pack accompanied a person should they require admission to hospital, providing information to support health care staff in understanding the persons health and wellbeing, medicine, care and preferences.

People were supported to promote and maintain their health and wellbeing, which included attending health appointments. One person said, “Staff always come with me to the doctors or dentist.” Relatives also confirmed family members were supported to attend appointments to monitor and improve health.

Staff told us they monitored people’s physical and mental health and recorded and responded to any changes or deterioration in wellbeing, which included referrals to other professionals. Managers told us effective communication between themselves and staff enabled them to effectively maintain and promote people’s wellbeing through the sharing of up to date information.

Systems and processes monitored and recorded people’s health care needs, including appointments with health care professionals. Care records confirmed referrals were made to health care professionals when required. Monthly audits of care plans and risk assessments were undertaken or earlier if there were any changes to a person’s health. Records of people’s weight, food and fluid input and repositioning to support good skin care were completed and monitored. The frequency of review was dependent upon individual’s needs.

People’s care and treatment was monitored to improve outcomes for people. Staff were respectful of people’s choices and preferences. A person told us, “I receive really good care here, all the staff look after my individual needs.” A relative told us, “They check her weight all the time.”

Staff worked with health care professionals to monitor people’s health, including specific health conditions, and nutritional needs. Staff recorded information about people’s health, which was then reviewed and considered by the management team. Any changes or concerns relating the monitoring of people’s health was shared verbally at daily meetings, handovers.

Processes were in place which allowed effective monitoring of people’s health and outcomes to occur. Reviews took place collaboratively with health and social care providers, and internally, which meant actions and interventions were taken to support people to maintain and promote their health.

People and relatives told us staff sought their consent and respected their choices and wishes. One person said, “I have a lot of involvement and choice in my life, I like to watch a lot of religious programmes in my bedroom, and staff always let me do so.” A relative told us, [name] never goes out; they make clear to the staff that is their choice.”

Staff and managers told us they sought consent before delivering care, and information was provided to people to help them make choices. Staff gave examples of how they sought people’s consent for those with communication difficulties by recognising non-verbal cues. One member of staff said, “I always ask permission. I never just do something for someone or assume they agree to me doing it.”

Processes for supporting people who did not have capacity to make an informed decision, including best interest decisions were recorded within care plans. Paid Personal Representatives (PPR) were involved in these decisions. Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) applications were submitted where required, and authorised DoLS were monitored for any conditions made as part of the authorisation.