Henson Court

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.

People were treated with kindness and compassion by staff who understood their needs.

Throughout the inspection, staff were attentive and focussed and engaged naturally with people they were directly supporting. People looked comfortable and relaxed in their presence. Staff took time to listen to what people were telling them, offering them positive reassurances and speaking with them in a respectful way. In responding to the approach of staff, one relative said, “That was one of the first things I watched, and they are just so lovely with him.”

Staff were skilled and displayed a compassionate approach to people. For example, we observed one staff member being direct and clear, providing assurances and managing the persons expectations to prevent any anxieties. This was in accordance with their communication and Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) plans. The person responded positively to this approach.

Relatives and professionals gave positive feedback about staffs approach. One professional said, “I was able to spend time with staff and residents and see how support was being provided. It felt very inclusive, and residents’ families were part of the group engaging not just with their relation but also with other residents in the home they had become friendly with.”

People were treated as individuals by staff who understood their individual needs, personal history and preferences.

Care planning was person centred and reflected people’s backgrounds and diverse needs. Staff respected any cultural or religious needs, whether through dietary needs or daily living practices. Staff engaged with people’s loved ones to understand them personally.

Staff we spoke with described what people liked, how they responded to support, and what motivated them, and made them happy, in their daily lives. Staff spoke warmly about the individuals they supported.

People had individual communication needs and staff adapted their approach to use these effectively. One professional said, “We find staff at Henson Court to be polite, friendly and helpful.”

People were supported to make their own choices about their care and support.

Staff helped them decide what activities they wished to engage in and what goals they wanted to achieve. Care was provided according to these choices. Communication aids were used to help people make these choices. One professional said, “Residents plan where they want to go each week and what activities they would like to do.”

People’s independence was actively promoted by staff. We observed staff encouraging people to do things for themselves, while care planning considered positive risk taking so that people could experience new things. One professional said, “Staff have lunch in the home and cooking in the kitchen is very much a joint activity as long as staff can ensure residents are safe.” Another professional said, “Residents are supported to engage in community activities, maintain family contact, and work towards independence.”

People were supported to maintain relationships and networks that were important to them. People had access to activities and the local community to promote and support their independence, health and wellbeing. Some people at the home had recently been supported on their first joint holiday together. Staff had carefully planned this, mitigating any potential risks. One relative said about engagement, “They (staff) are very good at a keeping him occupied and busy with activities. Im quite happy with that.”

People’s needs, views, wishes and comfort were a priority and staff quickly anticipated these to avoid any preventable discomfort, concern or distress.

For example, staff were supported by detailed Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) care plans and a PBS team that provided guidance and direction to anticipate and respond to people’s anxieties and behaviours. To anticipate need and respond quickly, these plans identified potential slow and fast triggers, while guiding staff with proactive strategies to reduce the start of any potential anxieties. One professional said about staff approach for one person, “Staff knew behaviour trigger points well and picked up on them before they had a chance to develop negatively. Staff were very good at interpreting body language during indoor activities and changed games if someone was not engaged with it, for something else they wanted to do.” One relative said, “They manage that really well. Anything that is stressful for him, they are quite well prepared.”

Systems and processes were effective to support people when health treatment was needed. For example, staff worked successfully with professionals on a structured plan to support one person with urgent dental treatment. This involved managing the person with any anxieties they had in completing the procedure.

People received safe effective and person-centred care as the provider recognises and meets the wellbeing needs of staff. We observed a positive workplace culture where staff appeared happy and engaged Our conversations with staff confirmed this.

Staff were provided with regular supervisions and annual appraisals, as well as debriefs for reflective practice. This helped them feel listened to and supported. Staff spoke positively about the training they were given and has been more involved in discussions and planning for positive behaviour support.

To support them in their role, staff had access to wellbeing programs, including health support and flexible working arrangements. The home provided an employee assistance programme and colleague support line which helped staff with mental health and personal wellbeing issues.

Many staff at Henson Court joined through visa sponsorship and, in addition to induction and ongoing mentoring, offered cultural orientation to make them feel confident in their new environments.