Birling House

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 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. The provider used the probationary period for new staff to ensure that the value of kind, compassionate care was embedded into their practice. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect

People and relatives told us they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect. One person told us, “The staff are very kind and make me laugh. They know how to wash me properly, shutting the door and curtains and involving me.”

The operations manager told us, “I want to know that kindness runs through our organisation. Kindness, compassion and time for people. I think it is important to lead by example. What’s important is knowing the care provided is respectful and dignified and we have done all we can to respect people with wishes.”

A relative told us, “The staff have a lovely bond with everyone there, not just our daughter. They always have time for people and make sure everyone is comfortable and happy.” Another relative told us, “The staff are absolutely great. They treat people kindly and have a good rapport with them us. We are always offered a safe space to be with her and no one, including family, is ever overlooked”.

A health care professional told us, “The compassion, creativity, and dedication shown by every member of the team is something very special because the care is provided with such warmth, respect and dignity”.

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 told us that staff were lovely and kind with them, took time to be with them, talk, listen and play games, and were always available to support them to be as independent as possible. One person said, “The staff do everything, always with love. They treat me well”. People told us they liked their rooms and were proud to show us their photos, music, favourite toiletries, film collections and posters.

People had been involved in the decoration of the home and their bedrooms, choosing their favourite colours, fabrics and artwork to display. People told us they had choice and control over many aspects of their daily lives, and that staff used creative and innovative ways to support them to achieve goals that had not been accessible to them for years due to the progression of their illness. For example, one person told us how the provider went out of their way to arrange for them to ride a bicycle again, and how happy this made her feel after such a long time. Staff told us, “We act in the here and now. If someone wants to do something, for example, swim, ride a horse or bicycle, we facilitate that because later may be too late. We don’t want to fail them because they may not have another chance”.

A relative told us, “Staff take their time to get to know people well, and they listen to what they want. For example, [Name] wanted to discuss their funeral arrangements; it was a difficult conversation because they are a young adult, but they wanted to get this sorted. They had a carer who gave exceptional support to all of us”. Another relative told us, “My mother and brother both had Huntington’s but presented very differently. The home is fully equipped to deal with every stage of Huntington’s, and staff take time to know people well as individuals.”

A health care professional told us, “Staff know the people they care for very well indeed. They facilitate communication and support clients to express their needs as well as enable a solid understanding of what is going on.”

The provider always promoted people’s independence and ensured that people knew their rights. People told us they were given choice and control over their own care, treatment and well-being. For example, one person told us, “I like Red Bull, and I have a fridge to keep the cans cold”. Another person told us, “[The carer] is on the ball, they know what I like and make sure I’m happy”.

There was equipment in place to support people to eat independently such as adapted cutlery. One staff member told us, “With one person we might get out multiple outfits and they choose. With others we base decisions on what choices they made before, especially if they can no longer express themselves.”

A health care professional told us, “People always have a key worker with them at appointments. The complexity of Huntington’s is well understood by staff to ensure this doesn’t become a barrier to care.”

A relative told us, “The staff know people very well and what people’s choices are; if they have any query, they call me to check.” People and relatives told us they could see each other when they wanted and were made to feel welcome when they visited.

We observed kind, meaningful interactions between staff and people, which showed that staff respected and valued people using the service. Staff knew how to communicate well with people by their preferred names, using respectful language when communicating with people, and when talking about the people they supported.

The provider listened to and understood people’s views, needs and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment, and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

People told us their needs were met. One person told us, “I am safe here, this is my home. I am happy”. A relative told us, “We feel very grateful and blessed that she’s in a place that understands Huntington’s well and provides such excellent care. [He] told us the other day, “I couldn’t be in a better place.”

The management team told us, “Every member of staff works hard to build relationships with each person, relationships of trust and empathy; it’s a soft hearts and minds approach. Our staff share people’s pain, their anger and grief, and help them to move forward.”

A health care professional told us, “The home is brilliant. As soon as you walk through the door, the rapport is warm and genuine, staff take people seriously and always act promptly.”

We observed staff responding to people’s needs in a timely manner. Call bells were answered quickly, and staff discreetly supported people who required support with their personal care.

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

There were processes in place to support staff well-being. Staff surveys had taken place to gain staff views about how the service could improve, and there were programmes in place to enable staff to develop in their role. One staff member told us, “I feel valued; we get told we are doing a great job, they say thank you and appreciate us.” Another staff member told us, “There is always someone to speak to here if you need to. This is a great place to work. There is good teamwork, and everyone is willing to help each other.”