Wrawby Hall Care Home

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 changed to outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 95 (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 provider had created a welcoming culture where people and their families felt valued and included. Staff built positive, respectful relationships with people, and relatives consistently told us the care exceeded their expectations. We saw staff respond promptly and sensitively when people needed help, which supported people to feel safe and reassured.Family members described difficult decisions about admission but felt staff made the transition as easy as possible, for example a relative said staff “made it as easy as they can for us” andwere happy with their choice of home.The registered manager described working at Wrawby Hall as a privilege. They spoke with warmth and commitment about the service and the people who lived there. Professional visitors also reflected this positive culture and described staff as very friendly and welcoming. Family members told us staff were caring, approachable and kind, and said this helped them and their relatives to feel relaxed, respected and at ease.

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.The provider consistently showed that people were known well as individuals and that this understanding shaped every aspect of their care and support. Staff recognised people’s life experiences, personalities and personal choices and used this information to make sure care was tailored, meaningful and respectful.The service used life story books, which people and their relatives completed together. These provided rich detail about people’s histories, preferences, routines, interests and what was important to them. Staff used this information to develop person-centred care plans that clearly reflected each person as an individual, rather than focusing only on their care needs.The registered manager and staff met with people and their relatives monthly to review and develop care plans. This ensured people and those important to them were actively involved in decisions about their care and that plans remained accurate and responsive. The registered manager told us, “Care plans are a story of people’s lives, their little quirks and how they wish to spend the rest of their life.” This demonstrated a clear commitment to seeing people first, and ensuring care reflected who they were.Staff supported people to maintain their identities and continue with interests and passions that were central to their sense of self. For example, staff supported one person who had a lifelong passion for motorcycles by contacting local motorcycle clubs. As a result, more than 4,000 motorcycles took part in a ride past the service. This created a meaningful and memorable experience for the person and their family and showed staff went to exceptional lengths to support what mattered most to people.People were supported to make everyday choices and continue hobbies such as horse racing, reading and choosing their own music using an Alexa. These seemingly small but important details showed staff understood people’s preferences and respected their right to live in a way that reflected who they were.Feedback from people, relatives and professionals consistently showed that treating people as individuals was embedded in the culture of the service. Relatives described how personalised support had improved their loved one’s wellbeing.Relatives also described clear improvements in people’s health and independence after moving to the home. One family member told us staff had supported their relative to start walking again after a period in bed, improved their nutrition and helped them gain weight. They said “Wrawby has got [Name] back” and attributed these positive changes to the support provided, demonstrating how deeply personalised care led to life‑changing outcomes for people.

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.The service used technology in thoughtful and innovative ways to support independence while keeping people safe. Falls in people’s rooms alerted staff to changes in movement or behaviour, reducing risks without restricting people’s freedom or routine. Mood lighting supported better sleep at night, which helped people remain more alert during the day and reduced the risk of confusion, disorientation and falls. This approach supported people to maintain independence for as long possible.The provider ensured everyone could access meaningful activities, including people cared for in bed. The manager told us the service used interactive technology, including a tabletop projector offering virtual games, quizzes and videos, which people enjoyed together. People also had access to fidget boards and activity boxes placed around the home and on coffee tables, enabling choice, stimulation and independence throughout the day.The service was trialling The Happiness Programme in collaboration with the local authority and actively involved people in shaping both activities and the environment. After people asked for a social space, the provider developed an unused area into a bar, named by people as “The Rebels Inn”. The space was used for regular coffee afternoons held every second Friday of the month, supporting social inclusion, independence and choice.Staff supported people to continue with interests and take part in community and celebratory events that mattered to them. They responded positively to individual wishes and removed barriers to participation. These included annual visits from a dignity charity organist, decorated tractor runs passing the home, seasonal celebrations, and visits from entertainers including singers, accordion players and children’s choirs. One person asked for dance lessons, which staff arranged with a local dance school, enabling them to take part in a ballroom dancing session. The service had also introduced a pen pal scheme, which received 103 responses from people of all ages across the country. People told us they enjoyed receiving letters and felt connected to the wider community, supporting independence, confidence and emotional wellbeing.Staff consistently offered different options and checked what people wanted to do, eat or listen to. Relatives told us people were encouraged to walk around the home, manage personal care independently where possible, and take part in activities and outings in line with their preferences. Staff told us, “Just because [people] have dementia or memory loss does not mean they cannot choose,” reflecting a strong culture of respect, independence and choice.

The provider was exceptional in how they 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.The provider consistently responded promptly and effectively when people’s health or wellbeing changed. Staff showed strong awareness of subtle changes and adapted their approach quickly to ensure people felt safe, comfortable and reassured. The service used technology to reduce risks while supporting people to remain as independent as possible, enabling staff to respond swiftly without unnecessarily restricting people.Staff recognised signs of distress or anxiety and responded with sensitivity and compassion. Staff listened attentively, offered reassurance and encouragement, and adjusted their approach to meet people’s immediate needs. This included returning at more appropriate times when people initially declined support and working creatively to explore alternative ways to administer medicines. This flexible, person-centred approach helped reduce distress and ensured people’s needs were met respectfully.One person who had recently moved into the service had already shown clear improvements in their behaviour, independence and emotional wellbeing. Their relative told us they felt they had “got their parent back”. The registered manager shared how proud the person had been when they managed to walk along the corridor with staff support, describing the “biggest, proudest smile”, which showed how responding promptly and positively to people’s immediate needs supported confidence and recovery.Relatives consistently praised the provider’s proactive and timely communication. They told us staff contacted them immediately following incidents such as falls, arranged ambulance support without delay, and sought timely advice from GPs and district nurses. One relative told us staff were “straight on the phone” and said they were “very good at reacting to incidents”.Professionals also spoke positively about the service’s responsiveness. They told us staff worked flexibly with community nursing teams to coordinate visits and respond quickly to people’s changing needs. This collaborative approach ensured people received the right care at the right time and demonstrated an embedded culture of responsive care.

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.The provider created a positive, supportive and inclusive working environment where staff felt valued, motivated and confident in their roles. This strong focus on staff wellbeing enabled staff to consistently deliver high-quality, person‑centred care. Staff told us they felt appreciated, listened to and well supported by the management team.The registered manager took a proactive and personal approach to recognising and celebrating staff contributions. Each month, staff voted for a colleague of the month, recognising a team member who had gone above and beyond. The colleague received a certificate, badge and personalised gift as a thank you. The registered manager also regularly provided treats for staff, such as sweets, chocolates, drinks, doughnuts and pastries, explaining this was “because it is the least they deserve.” At Christmas, Easter and other key times, staff received personal gifts from the registered manager alongside vouchers from head office, reinforcing how valued they felt.The provider celebrated personal and professional milestones, including staff passing their driving tests, achieving qualifications, and welcoming new babies. Staff told us these moments were openly recognised and celebrated, which strengthened team morale and helped create a family‑orientated culture.Staff were strongly encouraged to take part in activities alongside people using the service. They told us this helped them feel connected to their work and supported a positive atmosphere across the home. One staff member said, “Everyone should come to work and be able to smile and have fun,” reflecting a shared culture of enjoyment, respect and inclusion.The provider also supported staff development and enablement through high levels of training compliance and opportunities to gain further qualifications. Staff told us this investment helped them feel confident, skilled and able to provide consistent care.Feedback from staff surveys reflected a highly positive culture. Staff reported being happy in their roles, feeling trusted and supported, and confident that management listened and acted on their views. Teamwork, communication and trust scored particularly strongly, supported by team fundraising activities, such as walking challenges, which brought staff together and further strengthened relationships.Staff described Wrawby Hall as “a second home” and “family orientated”. They told us they felt respected, supported and confident to speak up, both informally and through formal freedom to speak up routes. This showed workforce wellbeing and enablement were embedded across the service and directly supported safe, compassionate care for people.