Teamcare Limited t/a Highcliffe Residential 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.

Staff treated people with kindness, compassion and dignity. We observed kind and caring interactions between staff and people and there was a welcoming feel at the home. Staff were seen to spend time engaging with people and talking to them about their relatives, activities and upcoming plans.

People confirmed staff respected their privacy and dignity and gave positive feedback about staff. One person said, “[Staff] are all so pleasant and nice.” Another added, “[Staff] are smashing, really good. They sit and talk to me.”

The provider treated people as individuals and took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Staff knew people well and treated them as individuals. One person said, “[Staff] know me pretty well already, they know when I have had my breakfast, I like the radio on, so they put it on for me.” Staff explained they would visit people new to the home and talk to them, to help them understand their needs and preferences.

People’s strengths and abilities were supported. One person enjoyed gardening and making flower arrangements, staff supported and encouraged these interests. Another told us, “The staff have got to know me and what I like, I like doing artwork and models and they get me the materials”

However, care plans did not always include information about people’s personal histories, or preferred routines, and their religious needs had not always been fully documented.

Following feedback, the registered manager created a ‘This is me,’ template to gather important information about people’s lives.

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 to plan and organise weekly activities and special events. We observed several activities taking place during our inspection, and people spoke about the different activities they were able to participate in. For example, bingo, quizzes, animal therapy, music and exercise. Staff supported people to attend local tea dances regularly.

People were encouraged to maintain relationships with relatives and friends. Visitors were able to visit when they wanted to, and those we spoke to said they felt welcome at the home. People were also able to enjoy time with pets.

Staff explained how they encouraged people to be independent and have control over their lives. People and relatives confirmed people were able to make their own choices. One person said, “I can get up or go to bed when I want. I can go outside when I want.” Another added, “We can choose what we like for breakfast.”

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 could recognise signs of discomfort or concerns and were responsive when people needed support. We observed a staff member offer support when someone looked uncomfortable; asking the person what help they needed and checking they were ok before leaving them. One person told us, “If you are down, they recognise it and help the best they can.”

Staff gave examples of how people may communicate pain and distress, including non-verbal cues. A staff member said, “We get to know [people]. It becomes clear through body language and facial expressions.” Another added, “One person can struggle to communicate but you can tell, they will grimace a lot or their breathing is not quite right.”

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and provided them with support if they were struggling.

Staff felt valued and spoke positively about working for the provider. One staff member said, “This is the most valued I have ever felt in a job.” Others explained collections were held for birthdays, they received a Christmas bonus or gifts at Easter. We saw evidence positive feedback was shared during team meetings.

Staff were supported if they were struggling at work, and several staff had qualified as mental health first aiders to help them support their colleagues. Staff gave examples of support or adjustments in place such as empathy following bereavements, flexible shift patterns or adapted duties. A staff member said, “If you have had a bad day, [registered manager] will always ring or text you.”