The Cedars

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 service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection 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 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Staff treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff communicated with people in a caring and compassionate way. They gave people time to respond, listened to them and provided sensitive support to ensure people's needs were promoted. People and relative’s comments included, “Staff are kind and they listen to me, and I listen to them”, “[Name] is happy there and I don't think they could be happier anywhere else”, “It is wonderful. It is [Name]’s home and they are [Name]’s family” and “Staff are very caring and friendly, I trust them 100%.”

Staff treated people as individuals and were exceptional in how they 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.Staff had received training in equality and diversity to emphasise the importance of treating people as unique individuals with different and diverse needs. They established consistent and trusting relationships with people which enabled people to relax with the support provided. A relative commented, “Staff work well with [Name], their distress has reduced as staff have introduced new things a bit at a time” and “I can't fault the staff, what they do well is that they are relaxed with [Name.”

Staff at the service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. There was a culture of empowering people. Independence and autonomy were promoted at all times, whatever the level of need and this was at the centre of all care and support that people received. People’s care plans described the importance of the tasks people could undertake independently or with minimal support. For example, where people were able to carry out some personal care tasks, such as washing, their care plans described what they could do for themselves and how staff should support them.A person told us, “I like going to help do the shopping and helping in the kitchen.”

People were supported to be fully involved in decision making and control in their lives. A person commented, “I can get up and go to bed when I want.”By fully encouraging people to make choices and being patient and respectful of these, staff successfully supported people to have an increased range of experiences.

There had been some reduction in people’s anxieties due to staffing levels and consistent staff support, which enabled them to tolerate and try out different experiences and activities. A staff member commented, “[Name] has made so much progress. Their anxiety has reduced and they go out with staff to the shops. They choose their own purchases and wait for the receipt. They now engage with people they meet. They have just had their bedroom decorated and they chose the colours for their room. They now go on holiday and enjoy visits to their family.”

People were supported to maintain family contact. A relative told us, “[Name] comes home regularly.” Another relative told us, “Staff ring me all the time, I get photos by email when [Name] has been out and about.” People chose how to spend their time. They were supported with varied activities and outings according to people’s interest. People and relatives’ comments included, “[Name] goes out to the cinema, bowling, shopping and uses public transport”, “There is a garden with swings and areas for relaxing”, “I like going to play football” and “I enjoy helping to cook and bake.” People were supported by staff to go on holiday according to people’s preferences. A person commented, “I want to go away again. I would like to stay in a cottage.”

Staff 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. They worked calmly, compassionately and responded to people promptly. Staff worked very closely with people. They invested time in ensuring they were given the right level of support to promote their understanding. People’s care plans included guidance for staff on how they should respond to people if they observed any discomfort, concern or distress. This guidance was updated as people’s needs and preferences changed.

Staff told us about the importance of recognising that people may not always speak up if they were unhappy. They spoke about the importance of being alert to any changes in people’s mood or behaviours which might indicate discomfort or distress. There had been a decrease in some people’s distress and anxiety. This reduction had a positive impact for people and resulted in improvement in their quality of life. A relative commented, “[Name] has a history of distress and anxiety, but staff know [Name] well, some staff have been there for years. Over the years things have improved without a doubt.”

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 valued and supported by the management team. They all commented they were encouraged to voice their opinions, ideas and suggestions. Staff comments included, “I am supported and the staff team work well together” and “I feel safe and supported.”