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

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.

Staff at the service made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, well-being and communication needs with them. People’s comments included, “There was a meeting with the manager, when I moved in” and “They asked the family, it was very difficult, I did not know how dependent I had become.” Staff told us there were effective systems in place to assess and monitor people’s needs. This included handover meetings between incoming and outgoing staff on shift, staff meetings and flash meetings. A professional told us, “We have multi-disciplinary meetings, any concerns about for example falls are escalated and discussed in the safety huddles.”

Staff at 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. There was effective recording and monitoring of people’s nutritional and fluid intake, with specialist advice obtained in a timely way, including for modified diets. A person commented, “The food is good, but I have not got much appetite.”

Staff at the service worked well across teams and services to support people. Staff made timely referrals and worked well with other agencies to ensure people's treatment needs were met. A health professional commented, “Communication between myself, the registered manager and the clinical lead is timely and responsive, we have a weekly assurance meeting to discuss any concerns or issues raised, what has gone well. etc. but link in earlier if there are any concerns.”

Staff at the service supported people to manage their health and well-being to maximise their independence, choice and control. The service supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support. Records included specialist advice and guidance, that had been obtained where people had additional support needs, such as, from the speech and language therapist or community nursing team. People told us they were supported to access health care. A person told us, “I see the doctor for a routine catch-up. I am kept up to date” and “Staff encourage me to be healthy, my legs have got better, while I have been in here.”

Staff 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. A person told us, “Staff go through everything with me, they cross all the T’s so that I can get home” and “I am getting better, stronger, the walker helps.” There was a system of evaluation of risk assessments and people's care plans. Reviews were carried out regularly to ensure people's support and outcomes were monitored.

Staff at the service told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment. Mental capacity assessments were carried out, around people’s mental capacity and care records contained relevant information. However, care plans did not show evidence of consent, involvement of the person, or representative, including for best interest decision making, where people no longer had the mental capacity to give consent. The registered manager told us this would be addressed.