Norwood

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 85 (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.

People and their relatives told us the service provided a good quality of care and they were treated well. One person told us, “I would recommend it, staff are very kind and calm, they don’t make a song and dance, they do things with a nice manner, it has got a nice atmosphere. It is warm.”

We observed interactions between people and staff, and we saw staff treating people with kindness and empathy. Staff gave people the time that they needed and where people needed emotional reassurance this was undertaken sensitively and respectfully. Staff knocked on doors and offered people choices about how they wished to spend their time and what they would like to eat.

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.

We saw the care people received respected their needs and wishes. One person told us, “I am very comfortable with the staff, they don’t make you feel you are a nuisance. Staff are kind and respectful, call me by my first name, always knock on my door.” This feedback reflected our observations, one person did not like their coffee, and the staff member replaced it four times before gaining the person’s approval. This was all done by staff with a smile.

At mealtimes we observed staff addressed people using their preferred names, some people had napkins, others had dignity aprons reflecting their choice and preference. We saw they served a different table first, each day and staff told us that this was fairer and ensured that the same people were not waiting to be served.

Staff knew people well and could tell us about the level of support they needed and what was important to them. Interactions were warm and friendly, and staff chatted with people as they went around the building and undertook their duties.

Care plans contained information about people’s life and interests, and were written in a positive way, referring to people’s qualities such as, ‘They are kind’ or ‘They care about others’.

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

People told us that they had control over their care and were enabled to make decisions about how it was delivered. We observed staff offering choices and waiting for their response before intervening. At mealtimes people were offered a sherry and enabled to serve themselves from dishes on the table. Where people required additional support, show plates were used to help people make a choice. Specialist cutlery was also available for those people who required it.

Care plans were written in a person-centred way, setting out people’s individual care preferences and how to promote their independence.

People were empowered to share their views and make suggestions about what was happening at Norwood. Minutes of the last food committee were on display, and people using the service and staff were encouraged to attend resident meetings. Committee meetings took place quarterly consisting of people’s relatives and staff where discussions were held on what had worked well and where they could improve.

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.

People were supported by a consistent team of staff who knew them well and who could identify when their needs changed. A member of staff told us they had asked for a second opinion on one of the people as the feedback from an allied health professional did not reflect how they were presenting. Another described how one person hadn’t been eating well, but they had asked them about their favourite food and said they were making sure they were having it to eat that day.

We observed numerous examples of staff responding to people in a timely and caring manner. When a person became upset, a staff member knelt on the floor and gently held their hand. They offered reassurance and comfort and told them that they had contacted the GP on their behalf. Another person was worried about finding the bathroom, but staff were calm and reassuring, taking their hand and directing them to where they needed to go.

Staff were visible throughout the service, and we observed that call bells were answered promptly.

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

Staff feedback was positive about the morale in the service and the team approach. One member of staff told us, “It’s a great place, management are so lovely, you can go to them anytime and you can’t say that everywhere.” Another spoke highly of the management team and said, “Emotional support is there if needed….this is very important as it is hard to leave things at the door sometimes.”

Staff were encouraged to develop their skills and find their potential. A number of staff told us they had started in junior roles but had been encouraged and enabled to take on more responsibility. The registered manager was proud that two senior staff had recently been promoted and had taken on regional roles for the provider.