Sherbutt House

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.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has changed to outstanding.

This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 95 (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 received consistently positive feedback about the extremely kind and compassionate approach of all the staff. Relatives told us, “They are just wonderful” and “They are very kind indeed… They have all worked very hard to ensure that [Name] is happy, reassured and comfortable.” Another commented, “They show that this job works best when the people employed in it don’t actually view it as a job but as a vocation, something that their own empathetic natures have led them to do and to do well. The care is outstanding.”

Visiting professionals praised the service and one told us, “The staff are hardworking, dedicated, and thoroughly enjoy their work which is evident in their enjoyment and compassion shown to the service users.” Another told us, “I always find the staff to be approachable, very person centred and who will go the extra mile to make people feel at home.”

People appeared very relaxed and comfortable with staff. It was evident they knew each other well and had developed warm, empathic relationships. Staff were very aware of people’s individual characteristics and used their likes and dislikes to engage in meaningful conversations with them. One person told us, “I like it here, I feel good.”

Leaders role modelled good practice in how they interacted with people and put people’s views at the forefront of decision making. All the staff team consistently spoke about people with great kindness, understanding and respect.

Staff were knowledgeable about how to promote people’s privacy and dignity and provided examples of this. Staff were quick to respond to issues which may compromise people’s dignity. This included offering one person the option of moving rooms within the home, to mitigate a dignity risk that had arisen as a result of their changing needs. We observed they also acted quickly to make someone comfortable after an incident, protecting their dignity and wellbeing.

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

People, and their relatives where appropriate, were involved in the development of individual care plans. These were personalised and reflected people’s likes, dislikes and aspirations. Care plans were evaluated monthly to ensure they remained relevant and up to date. The provider also had a ‘resident of the month’ initiative, where they focussed on a particular person for that period, on a rotational basis. In this period, staff completed a more comprehensive review of all aspects of this person’s care and planned with them any special requests or activities they would like to do. This helped focus attention on people as individuals. People had also been supported to create a video about their care needs and preferences, to help staff understand their likes, dislikes and needs. These were highly person-centred and an example of good practice.

Staff were very knowledgeable about people’s needs and preferences. We observed staff consistently supported people in line with their care plan. Relatives felt staff clearly understood and responded well to people’s preferences and needs. Their comments included, “They respond very well to [Name]’s needs” and, “Staff certainly understand the needs / hobbies of our relative.”

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

Staff were skilled at promoting people’s skills and involving them in daily living activities around the home, such as preparing food and drinks. Staff used prompts to engage people in tasks and promote their independence. They encouraged people to do as much as they could for themselves. This included assisting people to manage their own health conditions and medicines, where possible. This had led to positive outcomes.

Staff used a range of methods to help people make informed and meaningful choices. For some people this involved giving people extra time to process the information and options available. For others, people were supported to use picture cards, social stories, and assistive communication tools where this was relevant. People also had access to advocacy, where they needed independent support with expressing their wishes.

People led full and active lives, taking part in a comprehensive range of activities of their choice. This included activities within the home, such as a regular craft group, as well as activities within the local community. Some people attended day services or work-related activities to develop their skills. People enjoyed a range of leisure pursuits and sports. They also regularly choose to go out to local cafes, shops and facilities. An external professional commended how well the home engaged in local initiatives, such as the Care Homes Olympics. They recognised that staff went above and beyond, not only to take part in the initiative but also work particularly hard to promote each person’s choice and involvement. They told us, “The event was organised by [registered manager] and it was excellent. The amount of time and effort she and her staff put into the day for their clients was incredible. They adapted the activities to the needs of their service users so that everyone was able to join in, and they did. The event was filled with laughter, fun and enjoyment and I could see this in everyone's faces.”

Staff worked with people to plan activities, trips and holidays of their choice. In the previous year, a group of people had been on a cruise in Europe. One person had been on a luxury overnight spa break. Others had been on a steam train and to a flower show. The provider planned various events at the home, such as garden parties and arts events.

Relatives told us, “[Name] has a good quality of life” and “They do things with [Name] I wouldn't have thought possible. For example, they went on a cruise. It was marvellous.”

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.

Staff understood when people were showing signs of distress or frustration and there was some information in care plans about how to respond. Staff were very knowledgeable about people’s needs and how to minimise their distress. We noted one person’s care plan would benefit from more detail about this. The provider was responsive to our feedback and promptly added some additional detail, to support with ensuring consistency of approach.

We observed staff were very attentive and reassuring with people throughout our site visits. For instance, staff responded promptly to maintain one person’s dignity and prevent distress. They also recognised when one person was becoming anxious; they answered the person’s questions clearly and consistently to provide them with the reassurance they needed.

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The provider recognised the importance of staff wellbeing on their ability to provide positive person-centred care. Their focus on the wellbeing of staff had resulted in low staff turnover and a highly motivated team. This, in turn, meant people were supported by consistent staff who know them very well.

Staff had regular opportunities to provide feedback, raise concerns and suggest ways to improve the service. Staff received regular supervision, focussed on their skills, strengths and professional development. Any concerns they raised were thoroughly explored and acted on. In addition to comprehensive supervision and training, the provider had a range of initiatives to support staff. There was an employee wellbeing scheme, and staff had direct access to a HR team, who held a mental health first aid accreditation. This ensured staff could access support from someone who had knowledge about how to identify any wellbeing concerns early and respond appropriately. The provider had introduced a flexible salary payment system, with the option of weekly pay, to support staff whose wellbeing was being affected by financial instability.

The provider encouraged staff to recognise each other’s strengths and achievements, and they shared any compliments received with the team. This helped promote good morale. The provider also had a number of reward and recognition initiatives, such as providing a free takeaway lunch for staff each month, seasonal gifts and themed team building events. There was also a regular prize wheel incentive, which all staff who were up to date with their mandatory training were eligible to enter. Staff spoke positively about the incentives, and one commented, “They don’t have to do these things, but it builds the staff morale."

Staff felt valued and provided very positive feedback about working at the home. One staff member told us, “It’s a lovely place to work” and another said there was “Fantastic support here.” A staff member also told us, “We have back to work and wellbeing checks... After any incidents here there are wellbeing meetings. Everything is addressed.”