Alistre Lodge Nursing & Care 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

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. We identified 1 area which breached the legal regulations. People told us they were involved in the assessment process and felt their needs were generally met. However, the provider no longer ensured care plans were easy for staff to follow or included the necessary information to guide staff around people’s specific needs and preferences. Feedback about the food was positive, and staff understood people’s nutritional needs well; but the current recording systems did not allow for efficient monitoring of new or ongoing concerns.

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 told us they were involved in the assessment of their needs. A person living at the home said, “I am very involved in how I am looked after because I don’t have close family. Staff always look for the best results and outcomes for me. We talk about how we can improve my care.” People were confident their individual needs had been appropriately assessed and fully understood by staff. One person said, “Staff are very good to me. I am in bed all of the time, so I really need their help. I think they understand my needs and carry out my care well.”

Whilst staff confirmed people’s care needs were routinely reviewed and changes shared in daily meetings, they told us they did not always have time to read care plans in full. Staff gave examples of how they promoted person centred care and said they spoke to people to better understand their needs and preferences. The manager acknowledged the shortfalls with recording systems, and advised a new electronic recording system was to be introduced which would improve information available to staff and oversight of care delivery.

Assessments did not fully consider people’s health, care, well-being and communication needs. Though information in some care plans was detailed, this was not consistent for everyone. For example: details around people’s preferred routines or required outcomes. Records were not always robust, so we could not be assured people assessed needs were being met. Some people required additional monitoring for things like food and fluids, repositioning or continence care. In records we checked people were not always getting the right amount of fluid in line with their recommended levels, and details around people’s personal care was not always captured.

People and relatives spoke positively about support offered with nutrition. A relative told us, “[Person] really enjoys the food and has put weight on since being at the home.” People had access to adapted crockery and cutlery which helped promote independence for those living with dementia or conditions which affected dexterity.

Staff confirmed they were informed of people’s dietary needs and received appropriate training around nutrition and hydration. Staff told us they had time to spend with people during mealtimes, when required. Kitchen staff spoke confidently about people’s diet and fluid levels and how they prepared food and drinks accordingly to suit specific needs and preferences.

We were not assured people’s nutrition and hydration needs were met in line with current guidance due to the recording systems in place. However, people’s dietary needs were included in pre-assessment paperwork, and we saw evidence that people’s weights were monitored, and support sought for concerns.

We did not look at How staff, teams and services work together during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

We did not look at Supporting people to live healthier lives during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

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.

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