Maple 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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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. When asked if staff were kind and caring, 1 person told us, “They (staff) look after me very well.” We observed staff interactions to be supportive and respectful, with staff practice showing they were familiar with people’s needs. Staff spoke about people positively, and with warmth. A staff member told us, “I take pride in my work and always try to make [people] feel safe, comfortable, and respected.” Another staff member said, “It’s a pure joy seeing [people] happy and to help them with their activities of daily living.”

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. A person told us, “I’ve been to the gym and done an hour on the exercise bike. I enjoy the gym; I go 3 times a week.” People’s achievements were acknowledged and celebrated, for example a record showed, ‘[Person] has been working really hard on [their] cycling at the gym and always makes sure that [they] do not miss a gym session showing a great determination! Well done [name].’ Staff understood and supported people’s interests. A staff member told us, “One of the people I support is very passionate about football. We often watch football together and talk about matches and teams.” People had personalised bedrooms which reflected their interests and hobbies.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Care records set out how to support people as independent as possible, such as guiding staff to, ‘Offer [person] 2 to 3 options of clothing’ and ‘put shampoo into [person’s] hand for [them] to wash hair’. We observed people at Maple House choosing and preparing their own lunch. A staff member said, “When I work with [person], I always assist [them] with preparing [their] breakfast and lunch, ensuring that I prompt [person] to participate as much as [they] can, to continue developing [their] skills.” Staff also supported people to be independent when at external clubs and activities, promoting control over their own lives. A professional who works with the service told us, “I have observed staff facilitating/encouraging [person] to share information with us such as holiday dates, rather than taking this responsibility away from them.”

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. There were plans in place showing potential triggers for people, such as a noisy environment. Guidance was available to staff on how to provide verbal reassurance, such as the phrases ‘Everything is okay’, ‘Let’s calm down together’, and ‘I am so proud of you’. We observed there was a calm and relaxed environment where people appeared to be at ease. Incident reports showed how staff acted kindly to help people feel calm and safe if they were feeling anxious or upset. For example, 1 record showed staff reassuring the person, offering to hold the person’s hand and encouraging them to have some sips of water. Another record showed a person becoming anxious on a trip, so staff called ahead to ask another staff member to have a cup of tea ready for the person, and to wait at the gate with it ready for their arrival. This helped the person to feel better.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. For example, a staff member told us how they had taken on a ‘Staff Champion’ role in a specific area of care and support, which meant they had enhanced knowledge and training. The staff member said, “This role has made me feel really valued at work, even more so that [manager] recommended me for the role because [manager] knew it was a strength that could benefit everyone, and it's something I'm very passionate about.” We saw a member of the public had contacted the manager to share a compliment about how 1 support worker was interacting positively with a person at a restaurant. This was recognised by awarding the support worker with ‘Staff Member of the Month’. Another staff member told us, “The management team is approachable, supportive, and easy to contact. I feel comfortable raising any questions or concerns, and they are always willing to help.”