The Dene Lodge - Minehead

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

People received effective care which met their needs and wishes.

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 had their needs assessed and received care and support in accordance with their needs and preferences. One relative told us, “[Person’s name] gets what he needs. I have no concerns on that front.”

Staff had a good understanding and knowledge of the people who lived at the home. They were able to tell us about the care they provided for individual people.

The provider used an electronic care plan system. Each person had a care plan which was personalised to them. The management said they were aware that further work was needed to make sure people, or their representatives, were fully involved in planning their care.

People were happy with the care and support they received. One person told us, “I would recommend the place.” People were very happy with the food at the home, and we saw people ate well. One person said, “The food is terrific.”

Staff received training to make sure their practice reflected up to date best practice guidance and legislation. Staff told us they felt the training provided was good and gave them the skills needed to provide effective care to people. One member of staff said, “They make sure you know how to do things. Help you to get it right.” The chef at the home had an excellent knowledge of people’s nutritional needs and preferences.

The provider had implemented audits and quality checks which included staff knowledge about people and their needs and preferences.

Staff worked with other professionals to make sure people had access to variety of services to meet their needs. A visiting relative said they and their loved one had been able to visit the home before deciding about moving in. They told us the transition had gone smoothly because of good communication.

The management engaged with other professionals and providers to share good practice and new ideas. The registered manager was part of a network of providers which enabled them to discuss local issues and practice.

Professionals felt that the staff engaged with projects and research to constantly improve the service offered to people. This included research on falls and preventative measures.

The provider carried out full assessments when people moved into the home. This included working with previous providers to make sure transitions were smooth for the person and their relatives.

People accessed appropriate healthcare professionals to meet their individual needs. This included, GP’s, community nurses, speech and language therapists and mental health teams. A visiting relative told us the registered manager always acted quickly to address any healthcare issues.

The registered manager told us that people who moved to the home were seen by a specialist GP. This ensured that any specific needs were referred to an appropriate professional.

People had care plans which helped to monitor people’s health for example, their weight. However, we saw that care plans were not always followed. In one instance the person’s care plans stated that if the person lost a specified amount of weight a GP should be contacted. The person had lost weight and a GP had not been contacted. We raised this with the management team who gave assurances this would be addressed.

People experienced good outcomes because of the support provided to them. One visitor said they thought their relative’s health and general wellbeing had improved since being at The Dene Lodge.

Staff told us that since the last inspection care had become more person centred which led to people being able to make more choices. Staff said that they thought standards of care were good which led to positive outcomes for people.

Care plans were reviewed as part of the quality assurance systems within the home. This enabled the effectiveness of care plans to be monitored.

People received care and support with their consent. During our visits to the home, we saw staff always asked people about their preferences and if they were happy to be helped. People’s wishes were respected.

At the last inspection we found staff lacked knowledge about the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and how it should be put into practice. At this visit staff were able to tell us about how they used the act to promote people’s choices.

Care plans contained details of how people’s capacity to make decisions had been assessed. Where people lacked capacity to make a decision, best interests decisions were made. However, we noted that it was not always clear who, outside the home, had been involved in making these decisions. We raised this with the management team who gave assurances this would be addressed.