Stella Matutina Care Home

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.

We received lots of positive feedback about staff, and the care and kindness shown to people living at the Stella Matutina. One person told us, “[Staff] are extremely kind and give all their time to help you.” Another added, “Definitely, everyone is caring; the whole team, from the cleaners to the managers.”

Staff were observed to spend time talking to people and treated people with patience and respect. The atmosphere at the home was relaxed and friendly.

Staff we spoke to were caring and spoke about working at the home and the people they supported with compassion and enthusiasm. A staff member said, “Two days are never the same. I love talking and chatting to people. If I can put a smile on their face for a little while it’s a job done well.”

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’s religious and cultural needs were met, and staff were very considerate of people’s religious beliefs. Whilst the home had strong Catholicism ties, people from other denominations were welcome, and supported to practice their own faith. One person said, “I am [Church of England] and I have a visit from a vicar.” Another added, “We go out to our church.”

The home had its own chapel and daily mass was held, which everyone was invited to attend. Several people commented how much they enjoyed mass and how it helped their sense of community and wellbeing. People were supported to observe their preferred religious rituals and traditions.

Staff supported and celebrated people’s strengths. One person had their artwork showcased in the hallway; another had written a book which was displayed in the entrance. A person living at the home told us, “I am always writing and I used to like art. [Staff] do their best to fully support me when they can.”

People were referred to by their chosen name and able to enjoy their preferred routines. One person had their breakfast prepared separately every day because they liked to get up very early.

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

Activity staff were available daily, and there were organised activities each afternoon. People were seen to be actively engaged with the activities, with staff adapting their communication techniques to help involve people and encourage participation.

The home celebrated dates such as Victory in Europe (VE) Day, Red Nose Day and Chinese New Year; and people were supported to attend community events such as Lytham’s 1940’s Weekend.

People’s care plans promoted independence, choice and control, and we received several examples of how people maintained their independence. For example, doing their own laundry, making their own breakfast or gardening themselves. A small number of people living at the home went out into the local community or took the bus independently.

The home encouraged visitors, with families and friends able to visit freely. When a person living at the home was disappointed they could no longer accommodate a much-loved music session with friends, the registered manager organised for them to meet in 1 of the lounges.

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 knew how to recognise and respond to signs of pain or distress, and a function on the electronic care planning system could be used to assess pain levels for people who struggled to communicate verbally. A staff member explained how a person living at the home could become distressed when they lost something; staff would spend time helping them to look for things and provided reassurance.

People sometimes had to wait for support. We observed several occasions call bells were ringing for prolonged periods during our visits and received mixed feedback about how long people had to wait for call bells to be answered. One person told us, “I am right at the top [of the home] so if [staff] are busy, they can be 7 to 10 minutes,” but another said, “Usually 2 to 3 minutes but [staff] can be here immediately, they take it seriously.”

Staff sought help quickly if people were showing signs of clinical deterioration. A healthcare partner said, “Staff are quick to recognise deterioration, changes, or risks to [people] and escalate in a timely manner.”

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

Staff had fed back during a recent survey that they did not always feel listened to, appreciated or fully supported, which was reflected in comments received during our visits. A staff member said, “We aren’t always listened to, or things don’t change for long.” Another added, “There’s no recognition really.” It was also identified communication and support from senior staff and managers needed to be more consistent, and staff felt exceptionally busy at times. These issues were causing conflict amongst staff and impacting morale.

Managers explained recent improvements to communication and staff support at the home. ‘Daily huddles’ had been introduced to give staff the opportunity to ask for support with their workload in real-time. Managers were also carrying out regular walkarounds, so they were more available to offer advice and guidance. Minutes from a recent staff meeting identified steps taken to improve staffing levels and support during busier times of day. Whilst actions had been taken, these were not yet fully embedded.

Staff had access to support from trained mental health first aiders if they were struggling and the staff noticeboard included information about staff wellbeing.