Thinkempathy Limited

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. 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.

The provider always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity.

Relatives told us people had built positive, trusting relationships with permanent staff. We observed people were at ease with staff, who used appropriate humour and shared interests to engage and encourage people in their daily activities. Staff celebrated people’s achievements, which helped people feel important and valued. For example, staff supported people to tell us about their accomplishments and aspirations.

Staff supported people during periods of anxiety or distress and worked to ensure people remained safe during complex and potentially risky situations. Staff described emotional support as an essential part of their role. One staff member told us, “It’s important to know the person well so I can recognise when something is not right.”

The provider worked to minimise the “care imprint” in people’s homes by keeping care documents discreetly and reducing formality during professional visits, as requested by people. People had choice in the decoration and layout of their home, creating a comfortable, personalised environment.

Personal care was delivered sensitively and at the person’s pace. The registered manager observed staff when they worked with people, encouraging them to reflect on their practice and improve ways in which they could promote people’s dignity.

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.

People and relatives told us staff treated people as individuals and provided valued support and companionship. They reported staff worked in partnership with people to help them live full and meaningful lives.

People’s communication needs were documented in their care plans. This included where they needed adjustments to promote effective communication with staff. For example, if people used pictures, gestures and symbols to express their wishes. Staff were confident in using these strategies to help ensure people’s voice was heard.

Staff supported people to develop and maintain relationships that were important to them, including family, friends and wider social networks. Staff ensured people had regular opportunities to spend quality time with friends and family, doing activities they enjoyed. One relative told us there was a positive, “family dynamic with the other residents (people who used the service).”

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

Care plans clearly set out the support people needed with personal care and identified areas where they wished to remain independent. This ensured staff delivered care that promoted people’s skills and autonomy.

The registered manager matched staff to care packages based on their experience, skills and compatibility. People were involved in the selection of staff to help ensure they were well suited to their roles.

Staff worked with people to build independence and reduce reliance on paid support. For example, they supported 2 people to purchase mobility scooters, which reduced their need to use staff vehicles or public transport.

People received support to develop and maintain independent living skills. This included everyday living tasks, sustaining their tenancy, maintaining and developing social networks, accessing education or training, and sustaining paid employment. Care plans documented the support required to promote these outcomes. Staff were motivated to help people achieve their goals and told us this was one of the most rewarding parts of their role.

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 told us they adapted their strategies based on what individuals needed at the time. For example, a staff member explained the actions they would take to help keep a person safe if they experienced increased anxiety or distress while in the community. This reflected the guidance recorded in the person’s care plan. The person’s relative told us there had been a significant reduction of incidents since the input of staff support.

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 supported, fairly treated and valued in their roles. They said leaders were approachable and fair, which helped them feel confident in raising issues or concerns. One staff member told us, “Management is approachable and responsive, with a clear commitment to continuous improvement.”

The provider had systems in place to promote staff safety and wellbeing. For example, out of hours and overnight support processes ensured staff always had access to a senior staff member for advice or assistance. Staff told us this helped them feel safe and supported when working alone or during more complex situations.