The Alan Shearer Centre

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 Outstanding. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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.

Relatives consistently described staff as "kind" and "caring". The service was described as "a warm and friendly atmosphere where people are treated as individuals." Feedback highlighted occasions when staff went above and beyond to support people and their families during periods of illness. One staff member said, "Residents' safety and wellbeing are at the core of all we do."
 

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 knew people well and tailored support to their individual preferences, interests and communication needs. During our visit, we observed staff supporting people in ways that reflected their choices and preferences. One staff member said, "We know [person]’s likes and dislikes, so we can support them in ways that work best for them." Staff promoted people's independence, respected their choices and supported them to take part in activities and relationships that were important to them.
 

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 encouraged to make choices about daily life and participate in activities they enjoyed. People were encouraged to maintain important relationships with family and friends, with no restrictions placed on visit times. The provider obtained a grant that allowed them to purchase iPads to help people keep in contact with relatives.
 

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 recognised and responded quickly to changes in mood, wellbeing, and support needs. During our assessment, we observed staff identifying early signs of anxiety and distress in one person.

Staff used personalised support strategies and their knowledge of the person's individual needs to provide reassurance and de-escalate the situation, preventing the person's anxiety from escalating and helping them remain safe and supported.
 

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

Staff had access to counselling, mental health first aiders, birthday leave, flexible shifts and an employee reward scheme. Staff said, "I have felt listened to and supported by all management throughout my time here."