Cliveden Manor Care Home

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. This is the first full assessment for this service. This key question has been rated Good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

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 was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

We observed staff acting in a caring, supportive way towards people during our visits to the service. We observed staff hugging a person when they were distressed, to reassure them. Staff knew people very well and were observed sharing unrushed, cheerful interactions.

We observed a person being supported to participate in an activity of special significance to them, with staff ensuring the external facilitator understood its importance to the individual. One staff member shared an example of celebrating a person’s favourite sporting team win and had bought him a cake and sang their anthem. The staff member told us, “It was a priceless moment.”

People consistently confirmed they were treated with kindness. Comments included, “The carers are good, they have so much patience”, “We are being looked after”, and “The staff go way beyond to engage with people.” People’s relatives told us, “The staff have been fantastic. They are caring [and] supportive. They are so polite and attentive and deal with [person] with compassion.”

Professionals confirmed they were treated with respect when visiting the service. A professional told us, “Staff appear approachable, respectful, and committed to promoting people’s wellbeing. Any concerns raised would be taken seriously, investigated appropriately, and addressed to ensure people continue to receive safe and compassionate care.” Another professional told us, “When I engage with staff, I am treated with respect, professionalism, and courtesy. Staff are approachable, helpful, and communicate clearly. They take time to listen, respond to questions or concerns, and provide information in a way that is easy to understand.”

Comments from staff included, “I've worked in a lot of homes; this is the best home I've ever worked at,” and “Everyone's really caring.” Staff consistently described their colleagues as kind, proactive and dedicated to supporting people to achieve positive outcomes. One member of staff told us, “We have some amazing care staff,” while another said, “Staff are really proactive and kind-hearted. Residents love them.”

Records detailed individuals' choices about who they preferred to support them with personal care, enabling staff to deliver care in a way that respected their wishes, dignity and comfort. This helped ensure care was person-centred and reflected people's individual preferences and needs. This meant people felt valued, respected and well supported by kind, compassionate staff who knew them well.

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Staff had a strong understanding of people’s individual preferences and routines. For example, we observed staff bringing 1 person a drink as they were sitting down to order their meal. The person told us staff knew what they liked and “don’t even have to ask.”

During both visits to the service, we observed another person declining the meal options available. Staff immediately offered an alternative choice that reflected the person’s known preferences and was promptly provided.

Staff had a good awareness of people’s personal routines and what was important to them. For example, a staff member explained to us the person they were supporting preferred to sit by the window so they could watch the outside surroundings while eating.

Care plans contained information about people's daily routines, preferences and what was important to them. Records clearly described how people preferred to spend their time, their usual routines and the aspects of daily life that mattered most to them. This provided staff with detailed guidance to support people in a consistent and personalised way, helping to ensure care was delivered in line with their individual needs, wishes and preferences.

Staff felt people living at the service had developed positive and meaningful relationships with those supporting them. They described a warm atmosphere within the home, with 1 staff member explaining, “Residents know us on a personal level, they ask how we are and our children.” Staff also reported that complaints about care staff were uncommon, which they felt reflected the quality of relationships that had been developed with people.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

We observed staff actively promoting independence wherever possible. For example, staff gently encouraged 1 person to mobilise using their assistive aids, while another was supported to transfer independently between their mobility aid and armchair without relying on staff assistance. Staff also supported a person to hold their cutlery, enabling them to begin eating independently.

People were consistently offered choices of activities, food and drink throughout the day. People's preferences relating to food, drink, and personal care were clearly documented within their care plans. People’s care plans indicated where their loved one preferred to take responsibility for their care.

Records contained detailed, person-centred information about individual likes and dislikes, including preferred portion sizes and specific approaches staff should use to encourage and support people to eat and drink. For example, a person’s care plan included information about the amount of food a person would typically eat, such as the number of spoonfuls of cereal they were likely to manage. This helped ensure people received support that reflected their individual needs and preferences and promoted a positive mealtime experience.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

We observed staff giving verbal and physical comfort to people who were distressed. Staff were kind and treated people with kindness and compassion. Where people had Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) plans in place, these were detailed, person-centred and compassionate. Plans provided a clear description of the person's character, personality, strengths and preferences, helping staff to understand the individual beyond their support needs.

Records identified factors that may trigger distress or behaviours of concern and outlined proactive strategies staff should use to reduce the likelihood of these situations occurring. Guidance also described the interventions and support approaches that were most effective for the person, promoting a consistent response from staff. This information helped staff to understand what was important to people, recognise early signs of distress and provide support in a way that was respectful, individualised and focused on maintaining the person's wellbeing.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, however staff told us they did not always feel supported and enabled to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff described pressures associated with workload and competing priorities. They told us care staff were often expected to undertake a range of duties in addition to direct care, including responding to call bells, supporting external professionals, updating care records and completing audits. Several staff felt this placed pressure on frontline teams and could affect their ability to spend time supporting people. One staff member said, "As carers we are doing everything, a lot of areas fall on care." Staff told us people’s initial assessments of care needs were not always accurate before moving into the service, resulting in increased workload to support people consistently.

Staff highlighted the volume of documentation required and described some processes as repetitive. Senior staff explained they were responsible for care plan reviews, audits, liaison with healthcare professionals and responding to emails and telephone calls alongside supporting people within the home. Some staff reported completing documentation outside of working hours to ensure records remained up to date. The provider evidenced that they were working on feedback raised by staff regarding their workload.

However, staff confirmed they felt cared for and supported by their management team. Comments included, “My immediate manager is approachable and is always happy to hear my concerns” and “They are always kind to us.” We observed staff taking breaks where needed and had been advised they could wear comfortable clothing and footwear during the heatwave. The provider had an employee assistance programme (EAP) in place. Records evidenced regular team and whole service meetings where staff were able to put forward their views. Other staff positively on recent changes which allocated care plan responsibilities to key workers, stating this had improved ownership and consistency.