Dorrington House (Wells)

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 inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection 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.

The atmosphere throughout the whole service was cheerful, relaxed and supportive. Staff interacted with people in a kind, respectful and caring manner. Care plans were detailed and clearly written. The language used to describe people’s care was respectful.Staff told us they respected people’s dignity when they supported them with personal care. Staff, people living in the home and their representatives confirmed that staff knocked on doors before entering and made sure curtains and doors were closed before carrying out any personal care.

People and their representatives told us staff always treated them with kindness and respect. Comments included, “Yes, always respectful.” And, “The team all seem very kind to [relative] and I’m happy with the care [relative] receives.”

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 treated people as individuals and were able to tell us about their preferences and interests. Care plans also provided clear and personalised information about people.People’s representatives told us that staff spent time getting to know people, they knew them well and respected them as individuals.

We saw and heard examples of people being treated as individuals, with comments from people’s representatives such as, “I cannot speak highly enough of Dorrington House Wells and the level of dedicated care provided. My [relative] is a different person and so happy!” And, “I was there the day the Guinea pigs and Rabbits arrived… [Relative]’s face just lit up as [relative] held them…”

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

People living in the home and their representatives told us they were supported to maintain their independence, had their choices respected and felt they still had control over their lives.For example, people could choose how to have their bedrooms furnished and what activities to take part in. A person’s representative told us, “My [relative] is happy there and now calls [their] room 'Home' which is a comfort to me and the family.” And, “My [relative]’s room is clean and [relative] has [their] own curtains, bedding, photos and some furniture and ornaments, so it does look quite homely.”People’s representative also confirmed that there were no restrictions with regard to visiting their loved ones.

A member of staff told us, “The home gives good person-centred care – what [people living in the home] like or want. We make sure we get to know them. If people are independent we promote their independence. The team are all here to care and we do.”

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.

We saw that staff were quick to respond to call bells, as well as being observant and responsive to people’s body language and vocal requests.People and their representatives said staff usually responded quickly when they were needed.

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

Staff said they felt well supported and were able to discuss their work with the management. Staff took part in regular individual and team meetings.Virtually all staff spoke positively about their jobs and told us they were happy in their work. Staff said they had the training needed to do their jobs well and training records confirmed this.People and their representatives also told us that the staff seemed happy in their roles.Lots of staff gave very positive feedback about working in the home. Such as, “If we need anything we can ask [management].” “We have employee of month and we all compete for that each month.” “I have enjoyed my time working for this family orientated company.” And, I would recommend to friends that this is a good company to work for.”