One to One Plus South

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

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the registered manager involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last inspection we rated this key question Good. At this inspection 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 80 (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 told us that staff were kind, caring and respected them as individuals. One person said “The carers are lovely. They look after us well.” People were relaxed, confident and comfortable in the company of staff. Interactions between staff and people were person-centred and of high quality which made them feel included.

Staff knew people and their relatives very well. This enabled them to develop positive relationships, resulting in reduced periods of distress. Staff spoke passionately about their jobs and the people they supported. A relative told us, “Staff are compassionate and empathetic. They were really affected when [name] was in hospital. It’s not just knowing them it's also liking them which they do. [Name] is quite funny and staff often share a joke with them which they enjoy.”

Some relatives had previous had negative experiences of care placements for their loved ones. They praised staff for creating a happy place where people wanted to live and told us about the relief and comfort this bought to them.

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 their values and wishes respected. For example, one person had a particular interest in fixing things. The registered managers supported them to identify a suitable space at the location they lived to use as a workshop; this gave them the opportunity to undertake meaningful activity at their leisure. People’s differences were celebrated and were seen as being unique. The outside space provided opportunities for people to grow their own vegetables, enjoy social activities with their peers, such as barbecues, and enjoyment of a quiet covered area. People could use different areas as they wished.

Where people lived together, the registered managers considered their individual needs, lifestyles and personalities when planning shared living arrangements. This helped to ensure that people were compatible and supported a positive and harmonious home environment.

People were free to do things when they chose to, and staff were always available to safely provide support to fulfil their needs. For example, one person enjoyed looking around the local charity shops, although she was able to do this independently, she enjoyed the company of staff. The registered managers made sure there was dedicated time for staff to support this.

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.

People were supported to achieve ambitions that went beyond their normal routines. For example, one person had recently been supported to go on holiday to Rome, this had previously been unachievable for them due to their hearing and communication difficulties. But with the support of trained and skilled staff they were able to overcome these barriers to achieve an outcome that they had identified as being important to them. This enabled them to experience something new that was enjoyable, whilst creating positive memories and enhancing their wellbeing. During the inspection they took pride in showing us photos of their trip and used BSL to tell us about their time away.

People’s social needs were understood; they were supported to maintain and develop relationships with those close to them and the local community. Following feedback from people the registered managers had recently developed a ‘Thunderstorm club’ which alternated between different locations and provided opportunities for people to meet others, build friendships and take part in activities with those who had similar interests. People told us that this had a positive impact on them by reducing social isolation and increased their sense of belonging.

The registered managers had built good relationships with the wider community. A staff member told us, “The local shops know our people well. We have agreed designated places of safety for people to go to if they feel unsafe when out on their own. The shops always contact us if they have any concerns about their well-being when they visit.” People told us that having strong community connections made them feel safer when out, it helped them to develop their confidence to be more independent giving them more freedom and choice.

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 were alert and responsive to people’s needs, they took time to observe and identify expressions of feelings or emotional reactions, ensuring that they acted on people’s cues when they required support but could not ask for help. For example, staff knew for one person that rapid use of BSL meant that they were becoming distressed. When noticing changes in communication staff offered reassurance by signing words of comfort, which help to alleviate their anxieties and worries. They used topics of interest such as a recent holiday to distract the person from the cause of their concern and to improve their emotional wellbeing.

Staff were observed as always present but in no way intrusive. Relatives we spoke with felt assured that staff anticipated and responded well to their family members’ needs.
 

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. They knew their staff well and promoted a positive atmosphere.

The registered managers promoted staff’s wellbeing by creating a supportive and inclusive culture. Staff told us that they felt valued, listened to and supported by managers. One staff member told us, “I felt very supported. [The registered manager] stayed in regular contact with me, I felt reassured. When I returned to work, they made sure it was done at my own pace.”

The registered managers introduced initiatives to promote staff wellbeing and recognise valuable contributions of team members. For example, the employee of the month scheme acknowledged staff who demonstrated commitment and compassion that went above and beyond supporting people. This helped promote a positive workplace culture where staff felt valued and appreciated.

Staff forums were running every few months, these were peer led and included a member of a trade union. This provided staff with the opportunity to seek peer support and to talk openly with their colleagues about work related issues.