Kirkstall 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.

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.

People described staff as caring and approachable. One person said, “It is my family. They are all lovely people”.

We observed relaxed, positive interactions between staff and people supported; including shared laughter, reassurance, and caring language used during routine support.

Relatives and healthcare professionals described staff as compassionate and responsive, including when someone became unwell or required reassurance.

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 consistently supported people in a way that reflected and respected their individual needs. People told us staff understood their preferences and routines, including meal alternatives, personal room decorations, and preferred activities such as cooking or games.

Care plans reflected people’s histories and needs, and staff offered people meaningful choice. Some relatives said they were not always fully involved in formal reviews, and the service had begun strengthening how it recorded involvement from people and relatives during care reviews.

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

People told us they could choose what to eat, when to go out, and how to spend their time. One person told us they enjoyed going out several times a week, with staff support when needed. Other people were supported to cook, manage money, or complete household tasks.

Staff encouraged people to maintain mobility, make their own drinks, and stay involved in daily routines.

Visiting healthcare professionals told us staff followed good practice in helping people gain skills and move toward independence, including reablement and planned transitions.

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.

The provider always responded to people’s immediate needs and staff knew people well enough to recognise when support was required.

Relatives told us staff acted quickly in urgent situations, including calling an ambulance when someone became unwell. Advocates confirmed the service responded quickly when concerns were raised and implemented additional support where appropriate.

We observed staff noticed when people experienced discomfort, offering reassurance, and intervening calmly when people became distressed.

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

Staff told us they felt well supported in their jobs and enjoyed working at Kirkstall Court.

The registered manager told us about the resources available to staff to support their wellbeing.