The Cedars and Larches 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

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.

This is the first assessment for this service registered under a new provider. This key question has been rated Good: This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.

People were involved in assessments, care plans and risk assessments. Assessments and care plans were completed for people accessing the service, the information in care plans and risk assessments guided staff effectively. People’s care records demonstrated that professionals had been involved in their care and support. Staff worked well together and communication between people and their staff was good.

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.

The service made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them. People were involved in the assessment of their individual needs, where possible and relatives were involved where appropriate. People, who needed support to communicate, had support plans to guide staff. For example, a person whose first language was not English, had a care plan which detailed how electronic translation devices should be used, to help communication. Partner agencies who had recent involvement, confirmed care and treatment plans were person centred, up to date, had been reviewed and were relevant.

The service 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. Care staff supported people to eat and drink safely. People who had been assessed as requiring modified diets received nutrition and hydration in formats which met their needs; for example, thickened liquids to drink, or food presented in bite sized pieces. The provider’s catering team understood the specific diet and hydration needs of the people living in the care home and were highly praised by a number of people we spoke with.

The service worked well across teams and services to support people. Care staff had access to people’s care plans and risk assessments. The provider had implemented an electronic care records system and care staff could view people’s care records, and record care and treatment provided, using handheld electronic devices. People confirmed staff always engaged their relative with decisions about their care and support. The registered manager ensured the relationships between the care home and external health care agencies were effective and had regular contact with external community health agencies.

The service supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. People’s individual health needs were monitored and updated when required. This enabled staff to spot any deterioration in health at an early stage to help reduce any further deterioration. Staff encouraged people to make healthy choices to promote their general health and wellbeing. However, they were also aware that the person was free to ignore that advice if they chose to.

The service 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. All those we spoke with told us their care and support was reviewed frequently. Care staff supported people to engage in social activities which they enjoyed, both within the care home and occasionally in the local community.

The service told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment. Staff sought a person’s consent before providing care or treatment to them. This helped ensure people’s right to choose was upheld on a day-to-day basis. Staff had received training about the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The provider had appropriate procedures in place; to determine if people had the ability to make their own informed decisions about aspects of their care and to ensure any decisions were taken in line with people’s best interests when needed.