Hilltop 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 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 regulation in relation to good governance. Improvement was found at this assessment, and the provider was no longer in breach of this regulation.

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 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 and care and treatment delivered in line with people's needs. Care documentation showed care plans had been reviewed on a regular basis and people, or their relatives were included where possible. Information and advice from professionals were included within peoples care records.

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. Where required, clinical observations were undertaken by staff in line with the person’s plan of care and recorded in online systems. Detailed plans were in place in relation to people’s nutritional needs. Care and kitchen staff worked together to ensure foods that needed to be modified were done so in line with agreed plans. Positive feedback was received from the Speech and Language Team which works with the service. A professional told us, “Managers and staff regularly ask questions and advice, and managers state this information is documented and shared with the team. Recommendations are generally followed and understood.”

The provider worked well across teams and services to support people. They made sure people only needed to tell their story once by sharing their assessment of needs when people moved between different services. Staff had access to people’s care plans which included information about medications, allergies and preferences for care and safety. Processes were in place to ensure that plans could be shared with other services where required. The service worked well with visiting health and social care professionals. A visiting professional told us, “I find managers friendly and approachable, information about people is easy to find and the home acts quickly when people’s needs change.”

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. Clinical recording tools were used where appropriate to monitor people’s health needs and inform risk assessments. The service worked in partnership with a range of health professionals. A visiting health professional told us, “Staff support people well and come to us for advice when needed, staff follow our advice.”

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. Staff told us they report any changes in need to senior staff who will seek advice and update peoples plans as necessary. People had opportunities to take part in activities that were important for them and peoples independence was promoted. A person told us, “I sometimes join in activities, I still feel independent.”

The provider told people about their rights around consent and respected these when delivering person-centred care and treatment. People’s care and support plans considered their ability to consent to care and treatment. Assessments were carried out in line with the Mental Capacity Act, with decisions being made in people’s best interests where necessary. People were able to make choices about what they wanted to do, and this was adhered to by staff.