Kathryn's 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 remained 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 always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

People and their relatives spoke positively about the staff team and told us they felt cared for and respected. Comments included, “The care here is very good; there is a good team. They chat to me a lot, they are helpful and caring”, “It's very nice here, the carers are kind and helpful” and “The staff seem absolutely lovely.” Staff were attentive to people's individual preferences and supported them in a manner that upheld their privacy, dignity and wellbeing.

People were treated with kindness, compassion and respect by staff who knew them well. Staff spoke warmly about the people they supported and demonstrated genuine affection and compassion for them. Their comments reflected a caring culture where positive relationships were valued, and people were encouraged to enjoy meaningful experiences. One member of staff told us, “Sometimes they [people] want a hug or to sing and to dance. We never let them dance alone, we dance with them and we have fun.”

Throughout the assessment, we observed warm, caring and positive interactions between staff and people using the service. Staff took time to engage with people, respond to their needs and support them in a way that promoted their dignity and independence. An external professional told us, “It’s a really caring home. Staff are always caring.”

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.

People were treated as individuals, and care was tailored to reflect their personal preferences, values and life experiences. One person told us, “It was nice in the summer, because my room was very over hot, so they went down and got this big fan for me. I liked it because they looked at me as an individual, realised I needed something and did something about it.”

Care plans contained information about people’s cultural and religious needs, which helped staff provide person-centred support. The service supported people to maintain their faith and spiritual wellbeing, including access to church services held within the home for those who wished to participate.

Staff knew people well and were able to describe how they adapted their approach to meet individual needs and preferences. Comments from staff included, “We know about LGBTQ+ here. Everyone has a choice here, people need to live as they choose and it’s okay” and “Everyone has a different perspective, they have different views, so we make sure we listen and they have choices. We have menus for different food choices.” We observed staff offering people choice and responding flexibly to their wishes, helping to promote independence and personalised care.

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

People were supported to take part in a range of meaningful activities both within the home and in the local community. One person told us, “I do like to join in the activities especially the ones that try and keep you fit. People used to come in to give concerts and so on.” A relative told us, “He needs to be kept occupied, and they do quite a lot of activities.” We observed opportunities for social engagement, hobbies and group activities within the service, helping people to maintain relationships and interests that were important to them. One member of staff told us, “With activities, we don’t force them, we ask them what they want to do, we offer them things and give them choices.”

People were encouraged and supported to maintain their independence, make choices and have control over their daily lives. One person told us, “It's a mixture of trying to keep independent and yet being looked after at the same time.” We observed people being offered choices throughout the day and staff supporting people in a way that promoted autonomy and dignity. People's privacy was respected, including having the option to lock their bedroom doors if they wished.

Where appropriate, people were also supported to access the local community independently, enabling them to maintain their freedom, confidence and connections with others. One person told us, “I have a friend who visits me, and she can come anytime.”

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of the importance of balancing people's independence with the need to manage risks safely. One member of staff said, “We try and encourage them to do things for themselves, and we don’t them want to lose anything [in terms of their ability to do things], it gives them a chance to try themselves.”

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 responded promptly and compassionately to people’s immediate needs. During theassessment, we observed staff providing timely support and responding appropriately when people required assistance. For example, staff were patient and encouraging when supporting one person who was finding it difficult to stand using a standing aid, allowing the person time to participate as independently as possible while ensuring they remained safe.

We also observed staff providing attentive support to people during lunchtime, offering assistance where needed and ensuring people were comfortable and able to enjoy their meal. Staff knew people well and were able to recognise and respond to changes in their wellbeing, helping to ensure people received person-centred care when they needed it.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Leaders demonstrated a commitment to supporting workforce wellbeing and ensuring staff felt valued in their roles. They recognised the importance of developing the workforce and encouraged staff to pursue career progression opportunities where appropriate. Staff told us they felt supported in their roles and were given opportunities to learn and develop, which helped to maintain a skilled and motivated workforce. One member of staff told us, “[Manager] is new and I admire her, she understands without even speaking. I really, really feel appreciated so much.”

Debriefs were completed following incidents, including occasions where staff had been affected by people’s distressed behaviours. These debriefs provided staff with an opportunity to reflect on incidents, discuss their wellbeing and identify any additional support required. Staff spoke positively about the support they received from the management team, which helped to promote staff wellbeing, resilience and confidence in delivering care. The manager told us, “For me, it's talking to the staff and asking how they are. I say I know [the incidents] are not acceptable. But when those things happen, I want to know.”