Royal College Manchester

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 was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

There was a strong, visible person‑centred culture throughout the service. Staff showed genuine empathy and sensitivity, particularly at times when people required caring and compassionate support. For example, we observed a staff member supporting a person in significant distress in a calm, understanding and emotionally attuned way. Not only did this keep the person safe, but it ensured they felt reassured and truly understood.

Staff knew people extremely well and went beyond basic care to provide comfort, familiarity and emotional security. For example, staff developed personalised methods to help one deaf‑blind person recognise individual staff members, such as wearing distinct jewellery or clothing textures that the person could identify through touch.

Relatives consistently spoke highly of the kindness and quality of care provided. One relative told us, “The care my loved one receives is exemplary. They restored my faith in getting things right for my loved one.” Another said, “I’m absolutely blown away. I never thought I would find care like this for my loved one.”

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.

People were consistently respected, valued and included in decisions about their care. Staff had an excellent understanding of people’s individual needs and worked hard to tailor support accordingly. One staff member said, “This is all about the person. If one person wants to go to the shop, they go to the shop; if another wants to go for a walk, they go for a walk.”

The provider and staff worked closely to support people’s communication, cultural and religious needs. For example, one person of Jewish faith lived in a self‑contained flat to support their religious requirements and continued to receive regular input from their Rabbi. Another person, who usually counted down the days until their relative’s fortnightly visit, was supported with an adapted visual timetable for when the relative went on holiday. Staff changed the countdown to four weeks to reflect the temporary change, helping the person regulate their emotions and reduce anxiety.

A relative told us, “Staff support my loved one very well, even though they have only known him for a short time.”

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

People were actively encouraged to be as independent as possible. Staff used a range of communication tools tailored to individual needs, such as objects of reference, communication boards, pictures, social stories and British Sign Language. Staff were passionate about ensuring people had real opportunities to make choices and that these choices were respected. For example, we observed a staff member offering a person a choice of drinks, then swapping their order to help ensure the person made a genuine, considered choice. Another staff member supported a person to prepare their snack by demonstrating how to cut a banana, after which the person completed the task independently. People were also supported to access the wider community and continue with their preferred activities. For example, one person was supported by staff to complete their own shopping, and another attended a weekly local disco with staff support.

Staff took innovative steps to adapt environments to support independence. One home had yellow accents on bannisters and steps to assist a person with visual impairment. The same person had a personalised sensory board made by staff. In another property, the kitchen had adjustable worktops to ensure people who used wheelchairs could take part in daily activities.

Social stories were used to support daily tasks such as washing and oral hygiene; one person’s story included information about brushing teeth gently to prevent bleeding gums.

A staff member told us, “If they want to go to bed, they go to bed. If they want to stay in the lounge, they stay in the lounge.”
A relative shared, “My loved one is like a new person. They’re more independent and doing things here I never saw them do at home.”

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.

Staff demonstrated excellent understanding of people’s individual needs and were fully committed to meeting these. When someone required support, staff responded quickly and with compassion. For example, we observed a person who was extremely heightened and distressed. Staff approached gently, offering reassurance. When the person signalled, they needed space, the staff member stepped away and returned later in a calm manner, at which point the person accepted support and became less distressed. Another person was only supported by staff that could sign to meet their needs. No other staff was including in immediate support. There was also one person for whom staff set up a 4 element structure on the bathroom door with the water sign being nearest to the door handle to support them with getting around safely in the bathroom.

People’s communication needs were fully understood, and staff proactively used personalised aids such as pointing books, picture systems and adapted menus tailored to different communication styles.

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

Staff received ongoing support for both professional development and personal wellbeing. They had multiple opportunities to speak up and provide feedback through team meetings, supervision and appraisals. Staff told us they felt well supported and were comfortable raising concerns. One staff member said, “I feel confident to raise any matters, our leaders instil in us how things should be done.” Another added, “In supervision, I’m asked not just about my work but about me as a person.”

The provider invested in staff development, and staff spoke very positively about leadership. A staff member shared, “The managers are very approachable. I’m new to the role, but they know my name even though there are so many staff here.”