Springfield 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

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. The service had made improvements and is no longer in breach of regulations. Staff worked to achieve good outcomes for people. People’s needs were assessed, and care plans were developed to meet their individual needs. Reviews of care were regularly carried out and if required, external health professionals were involved to ensure care and support met best practice guidelines. Staff worked with external health professionals and delivered care according to health professional’s instructions. If people had individual dietary needs, these were accommodated, and regular monitoring of people’s health took place to promote their wellbeing. People (or their representative) were involved in care planning and consent was sought before care was delivered. If restrictions were required, the service followed a legal framework to ensure these were lawful.

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 were confident their needs were fully understood. One person told us, “They know how to look after me. They know my likes and dislikes.”

The provider told us people’s care needs were routinely reviewed. They also attended meetings with health and social care experts to ensure people received care or treatment that had the best possible outcomes. Staff were very complimentary on the support they received from the management team to ensure their health and wellbeing was promoted which helped them provide safe and effective care to people.

The management team carried out assessments of people’s care and support needs prior to their admission. People’s care plans were developed with input from people, and local authority documentation. Care plans contained information regarding their care and support requirements. They were personalised and included people’s physical and / or mental health conditions. Care plans were regularly reviewed and updated.

People received care and support that met their individual needs. If people had specific dietary or hydration needs, care plans reflected this, and the actions required by staff to promote their health and wellbeing.

People had access to health professionals when needed. The provider accessed physical and mental health support when this was required.

Reviews of people’s health took place regularly and documentation we viewed showed expert advice was sought. This was then included within people’s care plans to enable staff to deliver the support required to promote people’s safety and wellbeing.

The provider had sought specialist equipment to meet people’s needs. We observed community based health professionals visiting Springfield Lodge and working with staff to meet people’s clinical care needs.

Staff told us they had access to information they needed to appropriately assess, plan and deliver people’s care. The provider told us they attended forums to gain additional knowledge and remain up to date with best practice.

The service worked with other health professionals and agencies. When appropriate, the advice, and guidance of professionals was documented, and care plans developed to meet individual needs.

In the event of an emergency admission to hospital, the provider told us documentation which described individual needs, wishes and preferences was provided to support consistent care.

People told us they had access to health professionals when needed. One person told us, “They can tell if you are not right, they [staff] know you. Whenever I have needed a doctor, they have called one.”

Staff explained that there was a GP linked to the home who maintains regular contact and would arrange additional observations and treatment if it was required.

The provider regularly reviewed people’s health needs and when required health assessments and checks were arranged to monitor ongoing medical conditions. This included requesting additional aids and medications to promote people’s safety, good health and support people to remain pain free.

People spoke positively about the support they received. One person told us, “They certainly seem to know what they are doing. They are very attentive.”

The provider had worked well with other professionals to ensure people's health needs were met effectively and in a timely manner. Local health professionals spoke positively regarding working in partnership to drive improvement within the service.

The provider had introduced effective approaches to monitor people’s care and treatment.

People said they were asked to consent before care was agreed and staff supporting them offered choices when supporting them. We observed people’s views and wishes were considered when their care and support was discussed with them. People chose who supported them with tasks and activities. One person told us, “They always ask me before they do anything.”

During this assessment we observed staff were asking for people’s consent. The provider told us they had systems to ensure any restrictions in place were lawful and monitored.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) provides a legal framework for making decisions on behalf of people who may lack the mental capacity to do so for themselves. The MCA requires that, as far as possible, people make their own decisions and are helped to do so when needed. When they lack mental capacity to take decisions, any made on their behalf must be in their best interests and as least restrictive as possible. People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment when this is in their best interests and legally authorised under the MCA. In care homes, and some hospitals, this is usually through MCA application procedures called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). DoLS application had been made and legal authorisations were in place where required. Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisations and assessments were in place to support decision making and any restrictions to people’s liberty. However, we noted a couple of restrictions had been suitably discussed but not included in DoLS applications. These issues were addressed by the provider during this assessment.