Sterling Care Services

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

This means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated 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.

People told us the staff who supported them were kind and respectful. One person said, “I think that they (staff) are all great, they are kind and help and they support me as well.” Relatives were also positive about the care their family members received, with some commenting that certain staff went above and beyond in their support. People consistently told us staff were friendly and chatty during visits, which helped brighten their day.

Staff we spoke with were passionate about their roles and described how much they enjoyed supporting people. They explained that having regular clients allowed them to build strong, trusting relationships. Staff told us they understood people’s preferences and knew how individuals liked their care to be delivered. This contributed to care that felt personal, consistent, and centred around the person’s wishes.

People and their relatives told us that staff knew them well, and as mentioned above, a small and consistent group of staff supported each person. This helped staff build strong relationships and understand people’s routines and preferences. One person told us they regularly went for walks with staff as part of their efforts to improve their health.

There was a clear emphasis within people’s care plans on how staff should support individuals to maintain their independence. People told us staff followed the guidance in their plans and that their care was led by what they wanted and felt able to do. This helped ensure support was delivered in a way that promoted independence and respected people’s choices.

People told us they were involved with planning the level of care they needed from the service. They said they had input into their care plans and were regularly invited to review their care. We saw evidence that people and their relatives had been involved in discussions about care needs, demonstrating a collaborative approach to planning and reviewing support.

The registered manager visited people regularly, both to provide care and to check that staff were delivering support in the way people wanted. This helped ensure consistency and reassured people that their preferences were being respected.

People also told us staff always checked they were happy to receive care, even though staff knew their routines well. This showed staff understood the importance of seeking ongoing consent and ensuring people remained in control of their care.

The feedback from people and their relatives about how staff responded to people’s immediate needs was very positive. Relatives told us staff used their initiative when providing care and would carry out tasks that needed doing without being asked, such as emptying bins or cleaning up if there had been a spillage. This helped ensure people’s home environments were kept clean and comfortable.

One relative shared an example of staff ensuring their family member was safe. Their family member lived in a gated community, and staff usually used the gate ringer to alert the person to their arrival. On one occasion, the person did not respond, so staff contacted the site manager and the relative to ensure they could gain access and check the person was safe. The relative told us this gave them peace of mind, knowing staff would always ensure the person was well during their visits.

Staff told us they felt well supported by the management team and said the registered manager cared about their wellbeing. When asked about staff morale, one member of staff said, “Really good. Nice rapport amongst us. We help each other out.” Staff told us they received regular meetings and supervisions and felt able to discuss any issues with the registered manager openly. This helped create a positive and supportive working environment.