Eachstep Blackburn

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. 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 71 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People and their families were confident staff knew people’s health, care, wellbeing and communication needs. One relative told us, “[Family member] has dementia, he doesn’t have much conversation, but he knows their [staff] faces and I know they look after him, and he’s happy.”

The provider told us people’s care needs were routinely reviewed. However, the local authority after reviewing several care plans had suggested additional information could be included within some care plans. We also noted that a couple of care plans needed updating to reflect people’s support needs. The provider updated the plans during our assessment.

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, their families, hospital and local authority documentation. The registered manager told us people’s clinical needs were discussed with the nurse employed by Eachstep Blackburn before people moved into the home. Care plans contained information regarding their care and support requirements. They were personalised and included people’s physical and / or mental health conditions. The registered manager told us care plans were regularly reviewed and updated as required.

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. One person had made significant improvement since moving into the home praising the support from nurses, saying they, “Had worked wonders.”

People had access to health professionals when needed. The provider accessed physical and mental health support when this was required. The registered manager told us there was weekly support from district nurses and GP’s. Staff were up to date on people’s support needs. The provider had introduced new approaches to support people and gather evidence to mitigate risk and improve the support people received.

Reviews of people’s health took place regularly and documentation we viewed showed expert advice was sought when required. 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 Eachstep Blackburn and working with staff to meet people’s clinical care needs. We received feedback that staff worked well together. One person told us, “I support a good football team and it’s a good team that works here I can tell you.”

Staff told us they worked well together and felt supported by management. They told us they had access to information they needed to appropriately assess, plan and deliver people’s care.

Health professionals told us the registered manager and staff shared information appropriately and worked well with them.

The pre-admission assessments allowed staff access to the information they needed to appropriately deliver people’s care, treatment and support. There was a regular visit from community based health professionals where any concerns or queries about people’s health needs could be discussed.

People felt they were supported to live healthier lives. One person commented, “Staff help me make my medical appointments whenever I need one; they will sort out a taxi and if needed come with me.”

We saw the registered manager and staff team supported people to manage their wellbeing by maximising their independence, positive risk taking, choice and control.

Staff supported people to eat a diet which was served to meet their needs and matched their dietary requirements. People’s weights were monitored, and adjustments made to the menu in response to weight gain or loss where necessary. The home worked closely with external agencies to encourage people to take positive action to promote a healthy well-being. The provider had digital handheld devices that looked like mobile phones to prompt staff when people required support with their care needs. This included offering fortified snacks throughout the day or helping people with their mobility, so their skin remained healthy. Documentation showed people were supported to access physical and mental health professionals in line with their assessed needs.

People experienced positive clinical outcomes. One person told us, “ [Nurse] is a miracle worker, they changed the dressings on my leg, and I haven’t been in pain since.” Relative meetings took place and people’s feedback, and comments were regularly sought. This enabled any areas for improvement to be identified or where changes were required.

Staff handovers were carried out to share any changes or developments in people’s care. The provider was in the process of introducing new governance systems that would provide analysis of information and evidence of sustained improvement.

Information regarding people’s physical and mental health appointments were stored within care records and included in care planning processes.

People told us they received personalised support. Observations showed staff asking not telling people regarding supporting them. One person said, “I sit where I want, I go to bed and get up when I want. There’re no rules, I do what I want to do and have my daughter and granddaughter visit me whenever.”

Staff were aware of what consent was and had had training about the mental capacity act and we observed them offering choices and supporting people to make informed decisions. 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.