Darwin House Limited

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.

Staff were kind and caring. They showed compassion, respect and empathy and valued people as individuals. The management team lead by example and were passionate about ensuring people received the best possible care and support. When people showed signs of distress, staff worked with them to understand the cause, offering calm reassurance until they felt settled.

We received consistently positive feedback about the extremely kind and compassionate approach of all the staff. People living at the service and their relatives told us staff were kind and caring. One person told us, “The staff are very kind and dedicated.” Another person said, “The staff are very good.” A visiting relative said, “Darwin House is safe, warm and feels like home. I don’t worry because I know [relative] is safe.”

People’s privacy and dignity were respected through practices such as discussing confidential information in private, knocking on bedroom doors before entering, and supporting people discreetly during personal time or activities.

Staff wellbeing was actively monitored, helping to build resilience and enabling staff to respond compassionately even in challenging situations.

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 showed compassion, respect and empathy and valued people as individuals. Care records were person centred, and evidenced meeting people’s individual needs and preferences. Staff learned about people's needs, history, background, preferences, interests and key relationships in

order to provide person-centred care. One staff member told us how they supported a person’s religious needs at the service and personalised their care. People were able to decorate their rooms according to personal choice.

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 be as independent as possible in all aspects of their daily lives. Individuals were encouraged and enabled to carry out tasks for themselves, such as moving around the home, eating their meals independently, and accessing shared facilities without unnecessary staff intervention. People we spoke with told us staff helped them and didn't rush them, they supported them to be Independent.

People were well presented, reflecting personal care was delivered in a way that promoted dignity and independence.

The environment also supported independence by offering accessible and comfortable spaces for people to spend time with relatives and friends, whether in their own rooms or in communal areas. Staff interactions were respectful and people were supported to be in control of their daily routines and independence where possible.

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 observed to respond to care needs in a supportive manner.

Staff had a good understanding of people’s needs and preferences. People and their relatives spoke about how the support was adapted to meet their changing needs. People spoke about support being offered in a calm and unhurried manner, ensuring their comfort and safety. One relative told us, “It’s clear to [relative] how to ring their call bell, and they know where all the call bells are around the home if they need anything. [Relative] had to press their bell recently and they could not believe how quick they [staff] came to them.”

The leadership of the service promoted the wellbeing of their staff and was exceptionally supportive and enabling of staff to always deliver person-centred care. An equality, diversity, and human rights approach to supporting people and staff was embedded in the service. The service ensured staff were highly motivated to offer compassionate and kind care and support. All care staff confirmed the service supported their wellbeing to make sure they could give their best to people when at work. Staff told us they were happy in their roles and felt well supported. They spoke highly of the team and said there was a consistent approach to ensuring everyone was supported and well led. Staff meetings were held to gather views and share information, and staff confirmed these meetings took place regularly and were effective. They also told us the management team were approachable, listened to their concerns, and made them feel valued.