The Ark Care Lodge Limited

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the service met people’s needs. At our last inspection we rated this key question requires improvement. At this inspection the rating has changed to good. This meant people’s needs were met through good organisation and delivery.

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 service made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs. People had access to meaningful activities and staff had availability to spend quality time engaging with individual people. A person told us, “I go to the park every day, I go riding and like going to the Pound shop.” A relative told us, “[Person] goes out food shopping, out for dinner, regular trips out and regular activities. They have also been on holiday abroad. They are generally very active and this helps them to be settled.”

The service understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity. The registered manager was mindful of people’s personalities and needs when reviewing and agreeing any new placements. People told us they got on with staff and their housemates; a person told us “I like the staff and other people I know here.” Staff had good oversight and worked to address any differences or disagreements between people to avoid conflicts. A person told us, “[Person] winds me up, I tell staff and they sort it out for me.”

The service supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. People had communication passports which mean they were given information in their preferred format and supported to process information where this was needed. For example, a person communicated using 3 simple Makaton signs and this was clearly detailed in their care plan. A relative told us, “Staff communicate well with [Person]. There are no language barriers.”

The service made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. They involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result. We saw people were comfortable to approach staff if they were not happy and staff worked well to identify a resolution to their concern. Relatives felt confident to raise concerns if they needed to. A relative told us, “If I have any concerns I contact [registered manager]. They are very responsive and always come back to me.”

The service made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. Staff understood the needs of autistic people and people with a learning disability and worked hard to ensure that typical barriers faced by people were removed or mitigated against. A relative described how staff supported their family member to access routine and specialist healthcare services to maintain their health and well being.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. Staff advocated for people to enable them to be involved in their community through communicating in their first language and using their preferred communication methods.

People, with involvement from their relatives, were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life. People’s care plans included detailed information about their end of life wishes, including cultural and religious preferences, where they wished to discuss this.