MacIntyre Leicester

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• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

This means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. At our last rated inspection, we rated this key question Good. At this inspection 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 90 (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.

Staff consistently treated people with kindness, compassion and genuine respect, helping to build trusting and positive relationships. Observations showed staff taking time to listen, communicate in ways people understood and respond with patience and warmth. Staff adapted their communication style to meet the needs of people who experienced complexities, including periods of distress or health‑related challenges, ensuring they felt reassured, understood and supported. As a result, people were calmer, more engaged and more confident in expressing their needs, which contributed to reduced anxiety and more positive day‑to‑day experience.

People were cared for in a manner that upheld their dignity, with staff being discreet and sensitive when offering personal care or discussing private matters.

Staff knew people well and used this insight to provide emotional support, comfort and encouragement when needed. Families told us they felt confident their relatives were cared for by staff who valued them as individuals. One relative told us, “The staff are so caring and supportive. They know [person] so well.” This caring and respectful approach created an environment where people felt safe, respected and able to express themselves freely.

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.

Staff demonstrated a consistent commitment to treating people as unique individuals, Support was delivered in a way that respected people’s protected characteristics, including age, disability, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation, in line with the Equality Act 2010. Staff recognised their preferred communication styles, sensory needs, and personal routines.

People were supported to make choices in ways that were meaningful to them, using personalised tools such as visual prompts, objects of reference, and structured planning systems. For example, one person was supported to develop weekly communication boards to choose their preferred meals, activities, outings, and daily living tasks, such as maintaining their home and garden. They visually planned their week using PECs, enabling them to decide how they wanted to spend their time and to communicate these choices confidently. This system also acted as a shared reference point for both the person and staff, ensuring plans were followed consistently and routines remained predictable, stable, and genuinely shaped by the person’s own preferences.

Additionally, another person’s home environment was thoughtfully decorated with sensory stimuli they found engaging and calming. Staff used Now and Next boards designed in the same visual style and stimuli, supporting the person to understand upcoming activities and transition smoothly throughout the day. This consistent visual approach reduced anxiety, increased predictability, and empowered the person to feel more in control of their daily routine.

We observed staff adapting their interactions to reduce distress, promote autonomy, and uphold dignity. These practices reflected the principles of the Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture framework and demonstrated a strong, embedded commitment to person‑centred, individualised, and empowering care.

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.

People experienced exceptional levels of independence, choice and control because staff consistently promoted autonomy as a fundamental right, not an aspiration. Staff knew each person extremely well and used this insight to remove barriers, enabling people to make meaningful decisions about every aspect of their daily lives.

People were supported to take positive risks, develop new skills and direct their own routines in ways that reflected their preferences, cultural identity and long‑term goals. Staff used highly personalised communication methods, including visual tools, sensory cues and adaptive technology, to ensure people could express their wishes confidently and without limitation.

We observed a person being encouraged to clean their home in line with their chosen preferences; staff offered gentle prompts when needed but stepped back deliberately to ensure the person remained fully in control of their responsibilities. This enabled the person to complete daily living tasks in their own time and in their own way, reinforcing their confidence, ownership and pride in their achievements. Another person was supported to manage their own finances and aspects of their medicine administration. They proudly showed us their personalised financial record‑keeping system, which they used to budget effectively, alongside the medicine records they maintained to ensure they took their medicines on time and when needed. Staff celebrated these achievements, recognising them as significant steps towards greater independence.

The value of family, friends and meaningful connections was prioritised. Staff worked proactively with people to ensure these relationships were nurtured. Shared support between staff and families was clearly care planned, outlining how each person wished to stay in touch, who they wanted involved in their lives and the level of support they needed to do so. This collaborative approach enabled people to sustain existing relationships, build new ones and participate in social opportunities that enhanced their wellbeing and sense of belonging.

This deeply embedded culture upheld the principles of Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture and demonstrated an unwavering commitment to empowering people to live lives that were truly their own.

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 responded well to people’s immediate needs and ensured support was delivered in a timely and compassionate way. We observed staff remaining attentive to changes in people’s presentation, responding promptly when individuals required reassurance, practical help or adjustments to their environment.

Observations showed people received support when they needed it, with staff noticing non‑verbal cues and responding in ways that reduced distress and promoted comfort. Staff used their knowledge of each person’s communication style to recognise when someone required assistance, even when this was expressed subtly. We saw staff offering help calmly and respectfully, checking with the person before intervening and ensuring they maintained as much independence as possible.

Records showed that staff escalated concerns appropriately and worked with external professionals when people’s needs changed. This approach ensured people received consistent, safe and person‑centred support that met their immediate needs effectively.

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.

Staff wellbeing was exceptionally well supported, and the organisation demonstrated a strong, embedded culture of valuing and investing in its workforce. Staff consistently told us they felt respected, listened to, and empowered in their roles. Leaders had implemented innovative approaches to wellbeing, including proactive mental‑health support, flexible working arrangements, and regular reflective practice sessions that staff described as “invaluable.” The provider had recently recruited a dedicated staff wellbeing lead, further strengthening their commitment to supporting the workforce and ensuring staff had timely access to specialist wellbeing support.

Staff spoke very positively about the culture within the service. Comments included, “I have worked in care for many years; this is without a doubt the best, most supportive place I have worked,” and “The team are very supportive here. When I started, I asked if I could work the same shifts as my wife who works at another care home. They asked me to share my wife’s rotas and ensured my working hours were the same. It’s made a huge difference to my work–life balance.” One staff member who had recently come to the end of their sponsorship (which requires the provider to manage and support foreign nationals needing a visa to work in the UK, involving a licensed sponsor system to comply with immigration rules), was supported by the management team and the family of the person they supported to reinstate their sponsorship, ensuring they could continue working at MacIntyre. The staff member told us, “I can’t tell you how much they have helped me and my family. I feel completely valued and supported; it’s overwhelming.”

We saw that staff were encouraged to develop their skills and take on new responsibilities, and many spoke positively about the opportunities for progression and personal growth. Morale across the service was notably high, and staff demonstrated a shared commitment to delivering excellent care. This positive culture directly contributed to improved outcomes for people using the service, as staff felt confident, motivated, and fully enabled to perform at their best.