Queen Elizabeth Care Centre

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.

At our last assessment we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

The provider was previously in breach of the legal regulations in relation to person centred care and failure to comply with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Improvements were found at this assessment and the provider was no longer in breach of these regulations.

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 made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them. People’s needs were assessed prior to them moving into the home. Care plans and risk assessments were completed using the information gathered and updated as staff got to know people better. Relatives told us staff were keen to ensure the information was personalised. One relative told us, “When we arrived they asked things like what my relative’s preferences were. I thought it was quite thorough. There is a settling in phase, and I think that has gone well.” People’s care plans included details regarding health care needs, personal care requirement and communication plans. These were reviewed monthly or more regularly if people’s needs changed.

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. The provider used recognised tools for monitoring risks to people’s wellbeing. These included assessing risks in areas such as malnutrition, skin integrity and pain management. In addition, the provider used a system for monitoring people’s overall health by ensuring they recorded regular observations. This helped both staff and healthcare professionals to identify when people may be becoming unwell. Staff received training in providing personalised care to people and understood the importance of supporting people in line with their preferences. One staff member told us, “We want to care for residents like they are being cared for by their family. We need to know what they like and what might upset them.”

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. Systems were in place to share information across the service to ensure people’s needs were met. For example, information regarding people’s dietary needs were shared with the chef and kitchen staff to ensure they were aware of individual needs and preferences. Where people’s needs changed these details were updated. Regular handover meetings and senior staff meetings were held to ensure any changes in people’s care was communicated across the home. In addition, electronic systems ensured this information was shared in a timely way. Information relevant to the running of the home was also shared with staff and people via handover meetings, notice board displays and during staff and resident meetings.

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. Through on-going assessment staff were able to identify and act upon potential health concerns at an early stage. For example, people’s weight was monitored and where changes were noted action taken to support them in adjusting their diet. This included providing people with fortified foods where a reduction in their weight was noted. There was a full-time activities team in place who planned a range of different exercise and movement groups to support people in maintaining their physical wellbeing.

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. Information was provided to staff in relation to people’s specific healthcare conditions. This enabled staff to understand any changes in people’s health and report concerns to the nursing team. However, we found this information was generic rather than highlighting how this impacted the person concerned. The registered manager confirmed they would address this with the nursing team. Monthly monitoring was completed of risks to people’s health which included, weight, risk of falls and skin integrity. This enabled staff to monitor for changes and put steps in place to mitigate any increasing risk. These steps supported people in remaining well and improving their long term health.

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment. We found improvements had been made in how the service ensured the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were met. A review of processes had been completed which had led to mental capacity assessments being decision specific and more personalised. However, best interest decisions were not always recorded in detail to demonstrate how decisions had been reached. The registered manager acknowledged the need to ensure additional detail was recorded and gave assurances they would continue to review the processes with staff. People told us they felt able to make their own choices. One person said, "I’ve never felt restricted here. I can do what I want.” Staff were aware of the need to ensure people gave their consent prior to delivering care. One staff member told us, “I always explain why I am there and ask them if that is okay. I go back later if they refuse or ask a colleague to see if they would prefer different staff.” We observed staff speaking with people about their support and checking for their consent.