Thornton Hall & Lodge

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 were consulted about their care and support needs. Records showed assessments of people's needs were comprehensively assessed. Staff worked effectively across teams and services to support people. Where other professionals had input this was clear to see and guidance from them matched what was written in care plans. The principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were applied in practice. However, we identified shortfalls with the completion of mental capacity assessments. We were assured the registered manager was taking action to improve the quality of the records.

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.

Records showed assessments of people's needs were comprehensively assessed. Regular reviews took place to ensure any changes to people's needs were identified and care plans updated accordingly.

Staff understood people’s current needs. Staff told us they consistently observed and reported on people's care and support to ensure this support remained relevant. Staff told us the training they received helped them when assessing people's needs.

People were consulted about their care and support needs. It was evident regular reviews of care took place with people and when required, their relatives. We saw appropriate referrals were made to external agencies which helped people achieve more positive outcomes in relation to their health.

Care plans captured people's needs in detail. Where other professionals had input this was clear to see and guidance from them matched what was written in care plans. Staff received appropriate training to equip them with the knowledge to support people with their nutritional needs.

Staff were able to describe how they worked with other agencies and sought advice for people when needed. The registered manager understood the importance of following health professionals advice and following current evidence-based guidance.

People’s care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with what mattered to them. When people required a specific diet, we found this was provided. People provided mixed feedback about the quality of food. Comments included, "No problems with the food", "I like the food" and "Could be better."

People were consulted about their needs and preferences and this information was shared with staff and other health professionals when necessary.

The service worked effectively across teams and services to support people. A summary of people's needs was shared with other agencies when required and this reduced people having to repeat the information when they moved between different services.

Staff told us the information gathered from people and their relatives helped them to build an accurate picture of people’s care and support requirements. Staff told us that on admission, a care plan would be set up within 24 hours, with basic information about people’s risks and needs. Over time, they confirmed this information would be added to help staff and external agencies deliver personalised care and support.

The local authority provided positive feedback about their working relationship with the registered manager. They told us the registered manager frequently engaged with them and was responsive to any concerns. They confirmed the registered manager took swift action taken to develop and share action plans with external agencies when improvement was required.

Staff explained how they promoted a healthy lifestyle through activities such as dancing and chair exercise. Our observations confirmed this as we saw staff supporting people to make food and snack choices and encouraging people to mobilise.

Care records showed when people required support to make appointments. We saw referrals were made to other agencies when people's needs changed. For example, when people's nutritional needs changed, we saw referrals were made to a dietician.

People were supported to live healthier lives and access the relevant health care professionals when required. People told us staff would contact their GP when they were unwell.

Processes were in place to ensure people's care and support remained relevant to their needs.

People’s care and treatment was continuously monitored to help improve it, and to ensure outcomes were positive and consistent.

Staff told us they had daily handovers which they found useful as they were told if people's needs had changed. They told us handovers also provided the opportunity to assess people’s outcomes.

We were assured the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were applied in practice. However, we identified shortfalls with the completion of mental capacity assessments. Assessments did not always relate to specific decisions or contain sufficient detail to show the health conditions that may affect a person's ability to make decisions. The registered manager had already identified the concerns and shared an action plan they were currently working on to improve the quality of records relating to mental capacity. We were assured sufficient action was being undertaken to address the shortfalls and found records recently completed were of a good quality.

Overall, people were involved in decisions about their care. People felt staff knew them well and checked on them regularly to ensure they were happy with the care they received.

The registered manager had identified improvements were required to ensure all staff fully understood the process to assess people's mental capacity. They were honest and told us the quality of records relating to mental capacity needed to be improved. Staff felt people's care records provided information about people's decision making ability. A staff member was able to describe how they gained consent before delivering care and explained if a person refused care, they would allow the person time and reattempt the care again at a later point.