Ryefield Court

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

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the service met people’s needs. The service was previously registered under a different legal entity. This is the first assessment for service since it was registered with this provider. This key question has been rated good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

This service scored 82 (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 received personalised care which met their needs and reflected their preferences. People and their relatives told us they were happy with their care. Their comments included, “We were all made to feel at home right from the start”, “There is a great choice of things to do”, “We have celebration days and special events” and “They are very good on the entertainment side of things.”

People appeared well cared for and told us they were able to have baths and showers when they wanted and could visit the hairdresser as often as they wished. People were relaxed and told us they enjoyed each other’s company and that of staff. An external professional commented, “Residents are treated with respect and love. They are always well dressed, and residents are given the time to raise their worries regardless of how busy the staff are. Residents are entertained during the day with extra outside entertainers invited in as well as taken on day trips.”

The provider supported people to access the community for appointments and leisure activities. One relative told us, “They always keep in touch with us when [person] has an appointment, they go with [them]. [Person] enjoys the drive out and they make sure [they] are safe.’’ People received joined up care because the staff worked closely with other professionals and shared information. The provider had links with the local community including religious groups, schools and other community groups.

The provider ensured people had the information they needed about the service and their care. There were information boards around the service and a newsletter for all stakeholders. People told us they had information about upcoming activities and visits from different professionals including the dentists and opticians. Information was available in different formats, including large print and different languages for people who wanted and needed this. Some staff had undertaken training in sign language to help enhance their communication with people who communicated this way. Staff had also completed training in deaf awareness which included experiencing hearing impairments to help them understand how this could feel for people.

Staff had a good awareness of people’s sensory needs and there were communication care plans which set out people’s individual needs and how these should be met. The provider had identified how different colours helped those with sight impairments to see and they had incorporated personalised signage in these colours to help them access information.

The registered manager told us they had developed recorded and written information in different languages to support staff to communicate with people who did not speak English as a first language. This had supported people to understand and make choices.

The provider accessed an electronic application where families could upload photographs and information which was then converted into a printed newsletter to share with people using the service.

The provider had systems for listening to people and responding to their feedback. There were regular meetings for people using the service and their families. They were also invited to complete satisfaction surveys. The provider shared the outcome of these and information about action taken because of feedback. Comments from people using the service and their relatives included, “There are residents’ meetings and they follow-up things afterwards” and “I think they listen to us, they care and if there is a problem they deal with it.”

The provider had a suitable complaints procedure. People were aware of this and told us they felt confident raising concerns. Records of complaints showed that these had been investigated, responded to and learnt from.

The provider ensured people could access different services and all parts of the environment. The provider had facilities which could be accessed by people using a wheelchair or who needed to be seated. These included accessible ensuite facilities, wide corridors, and raised flower beds in the garden. The provider had a wheelchair accessible minibus and supported people to take this for trips out, and to attend places of worship and appointments. The provider tried to meet people’s personalised needs and requests for access. For example, 1 person was anxious about fire safety, so the provider organised for them to attend fire safety training alongside staff to help raise their awareness and confidence in this area.

The provider ensured people had equity in experience and outcomes. The provider had procedures for ensuring personalised care, respecting people’s human rights and challenging discrimination. Staff had training in equality and diversity. People’s care plans included information about their individual characteristics, culture, religion, sexuality, lifestyle and beliefs. People told us their individual needs were respected.

The provider supported people with planning for the end of their lives. They discussed people’s choices and needs with them and supported the person and their families during this time. We met a relative who had recently lost a loved one at the care home. They told us, “The staff could not have done more to support [person] and our family. No amount of money could have given [person] better care. The staff were with [person] when they passed. They made a difficult situation so much better for us all.” All staff received training to understand about providing good end of life care. One member of staff commented, “Although the role can be hard when we work with residents who are on palliative care, I feel blessed to be able to hold their hands until the end.” Some staff had attended advanced training from a local hospice. They cascaded their learning to other staff. They had shared information about how to better develop care planning and how to communicate with people and their relatives about this. The provider had created care baskets with resources for people who were receiving end of life care and their relatives. These included special toiletries for comfort and oral care as well as snacks, information and tissues for relatives. The provider had mobile beds which could be placed in people’s bedrooms for relatives to stay with them if they wanted.

The registered manager explained they carried out regular audits of oral care for people who were being supported at the end of their lives to make sure staff were following good practice to keep their lips and mouth moist and infection free.

The registered manager told us they recognised the importance of care after a person’s death to ensure their needs were met and to provide care and support for their loved ones.