Alderwood

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 service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. At the last inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection the rating has remained good. This meant people’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this. 

This service scored 85 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Staff always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. People consistently described staff as caring, helpful and professional. One relative said, “The staff always appear professional and compassionate when discussing [person]. I feel that they really want to do the best for her.” Staff were observed supporting people in an unhurried and respectful way, creating a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Case studies highlighted how staff used creative and compassionate approaches with people and ensured they felt listened to and respected.

Staff were exceptional at treating people as individuals and tailoring care to their unique needs, preferences and aspirations. Staff demonstrated a strong person-centred approach, actively involving people in care planning and decision-making. Feedback from relatives and professionals confirmed that staff understood and respected individuality, culture and personal goals. One case study showed how staff supported a person to regain independence and reconnect with family, helping them move into their own flat and even assisting with decorating it in their own time. The support aided the person regain their confidence and have not needed to return to hospital. They continue to maintain a relationship with people at the home and visit regularly, often discussing their well-being with the staff. Observations showed staff were non-judgmental and accepting of people’s diversity. They enabled people to express their full range of wishes and work with people to achieve these. Staff sensitively and compassionately worked with people from LGBTQ+ communities and supported them to reconnect with friends. People told us they felt valued and that staff listened to them, with one person saying, “You can’t fault the staff at all. They always do their best to make sure we meet our goals and do the things we want to.”

Staff consistently promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff encouraged positive risk-taking and supported people to develop skills for independent living as well as maintain their autonomy and wellbeing. Case studies demonstrated how staff worked with individuals to achieve personal goals, such as supporting individuals to live independently after a period of rehabilitation. People reported staff provided care in a timely and responsive manner. They discussed how the service had been able to support them effectively and help them manage the difficulties in their mental health they had recently experienced. They found staff provided a safe haven to recover and allowed them the space to do this. Relatives confirmed staff supported people to keep their independence as much as possible.

Staff always responded to people’s immediate needs in a timely and compassionate manner. People told us they felt confident that staff would act quickly if they needed support. Staff were knowledgeable about individuals’ needs and adapted care when circumstances changed. For example, when a person underwent elective laser eye surgery, staff coordinated with healthcare professionals and ensured all the aftercare protocols were followed. Professionals praised staff for their responsiveness and ability to manage complex situations effectively. 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. We observed staff were responsive to individual’s needs and people confirmed this was the case. Staff were knowledgeable about each person and could describe their needs.

The provider was exceptional at promoting workforce wellbeing and enabling staff to deliver high-quality, person-centred care. The senior management team monitored operational delivery to ensure staff well-being was maintained and they had adequate support to deliver the service. The senior management team were extremely responsive to staff concerns and listened closely to their feedback. Following changes in the Home Office guidance around requirements for international workers to remain in the UK, the provider acted quickly to resolve these and within 2 days had increased the base pay scale for all of the staff. They supported staff in a wide range of other areas such as salary sacrifice schemes, health benefits and early draw down of wages, which greatly benefited staff and improved their well-being. The people’s director also acted as an advocate in many national and governmental forums ensuring there was a fairness and equity of access across all benefit schemes.

Staff described feeling well supported by approachable managers who provided regular supervision and valued their contributions. Initiatives such as “Thursday Thoughts” gave staff dedicated time to review care plans, and training opportunities were widely available to support professional development. Staff spoke positively about the culture, highlighting teamwork, recognition and opportunities for growth. One staff member said, “Alderwood has provided residents and staff with something positive to look forward to each day.” Staff were encouraged and supported to complete 2 days a year as volunteers as the team found this gave people a sense of well-being. Recently the provider had been winners of a North East of England Excellence in Health and Wellbeing Award.