Folkestone Nursing 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

People’s needs were assessed before they started using the service. People were able to consent to the care they received, and where their liberties were deprived, this was done in line with legislation. People were supported to live healthy lives.

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 told us that their needs were assessed before they started using the service. A relative told us, “One of the nurses and the manager came to my [relatives] home and we discussed what their needs were."

The Manager told us how they and the nursing team assessed people on a daily basis. Wherever there was a concern we heard the home’s management and nursing team would set up an additional short term taking regular observations. Care staff were instructed to talk to nursing staff or the Manager if they detect health concerns amongst the people living in the home. The Manager told us how they liaised with the GP services who visited every week. We also heard that there is an additional call with the GP where the team can discuss concerns which may arise between planned visits.

People’s needs were assessed before they moved to the service. From these initial assessments, care plans were developed. These were subject to monthly review. Care plans covered areas such as medicines, behaviour, continence and eating and drinking. However, they were not comprehensive. For example, one person was assessed as needing high levels of support with their personal care, but there was no care plan in place setting out how this as to be done. Not all of the care plans we looked at covered needs related to equality and diversity needs, although some did.

We did not look at Delivering evidence-based care and treatment during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

People told us that the service worked with them to meet their needs. A relative said, “[New manager] is very, very nice. I’m so pleased they are the manager. I am confident that they listen to me.”

Staff spoke positively about the support they received from the senior staff. One member of staff told us, “The management is supportive. The new manager is trying to make changes and the support is good. We can approach them if we need anything.” Another member of staff told us, “”It’s much better, I’m very happy with the new manager."

We saw evidence of how the home was working with the local authority on a quality improvement plan. The home was being supported to improve many of its practices which have been identified by the quality team from the local authority. During our visit we met with a pharmacist from the GP services. They told us how they were working with the home on a weekly basis to review patients in a proactive manner to ensure health needs are met as they arise.

People and relatives told us they were supported to live healthier lives. A person told us, “There’s always a drink by my side.” Another person said, “There’s always fresh food around and we are offered a range of things during the day like bananas, grapes and apples.” A relative told us, The doctor comes once a week. [Person] recently had an eye infection and they got the doctor for that."

The Manager showed us menu’s that were on offer for the day’s we were visiting the home. They told us about the range of options that were available at each mealtime. The menu’s we saw offered variety as well as containing a balance of nutritious elements. We observed that the food looked appetising and adequate portions were offered. We learnt that where some people lacked important vitamins or minerals within their diet, their food and drinks were fortified to ensure they received the right balance of nutrients.

We heard about how the home worked in close collaboration with other professional agencies to deliver all round care to people. We heard about the methods used within the home that ensured health concerns were picked up and reported to other professional agencies who could provide specialist support.

We did not look at Monitoring and improving outcomes during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

People told us they were able to consent to the care and support they received.

The staff we spoke to talked about the importance of getting people’s permission before offering support. A member of staff said, “We always support people in a nice way, it is important that we get their permission before supporting them."

People were able to consent to care where they had the capacity to do so. Where people lacked capacity, the provider had carried out mental capacity assessments and best interests decisions had been made. For example, in relation to the administration of medicine and the provision of personal care to people. We saw that some people were subject to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards authorisations. These gave the provider the legal right to deprive a person of some liberties, such as leaving the care home unescorted, where it was deemed unsafe for them to do so and they lacked the mental capacity to make decisions about this. People or their relatives had signed forms to give consent to care and treatment.