Montague House

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 supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care. 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 treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and generally respected their privacy and dignity. A relative said, “I admire the composure and calmness of staff."

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people's individual needs and took time to provide reassurance and emotional support when people became anxious or distressed. A relative told us, "The staff are always smiling, they are good with [My Relative]." Another said, "Carers are absolutely wonderful, they are kind and patient."

Staff knew people well and there was evidence of positive relationships between people and staff. For example, a person told us, "[Reception staff], nothing is too much trouble for them. [Staff Member] is the crème de la crème!" Another person said, “I absolutely love it here.”
We signposted the provider to opportunities to further promote privacy and confidentiality. Information displayed within some people's rooms could potentially have been located more discreetly. The provider acknowledged this feedback and told us they would review the arrangements.

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in ensuring people's care, support and treatment consistently met their needs, preferences and personal aspirations. Staff demonstrated a detailed understanding of people's histories, preferences, strengths and individual needs. Care was highly personalised and adapted to reflect what mattered most to people, with support tailored around their unique circumstances. A relative told us, "I am so much more confident now [my relative] has someone around them."
There was clear evidence people were supported in ways which recognised and celebrated their identity, life experiences and personal achievements. After identifying that people with military backgrounds valued opportunities to celebrate and reflect on their experiences, the service achieved veteran-friendly accreditation and actively promoted activities and discussions that acknowledged military service, personal histories and shared experiences. This helped people remain connected to important aspects of their identity and provided meaningful opportunities for social connection and reminiscence.

The service demonstrated a strong commitment to meaningful engagement and innovative person-centred approaches. Dedicated enabling stations were available throughout the home, providing people living with dementia with opportunities to engage in familiar and purposeful activities. Staff also supported people with doll therapy and robopets, where appropriate, as part of individually assessed care plans to provide comfort, reduce anxiety and promote emotional wellbeing.
The provider consistently adapted support to achieve outcomes that were meaningful to people. For one person whose declining mobility had prevented them from attending a family wedding, the service transformed its cinema room into a private celebration space and displayed wedding photographs on the big screen so they could share in the occasion. Another person told staff they missed being able to play the piano. In response, the provider arranged for a piano to be installed in a quiet lounge, enabling the person to reconnect with an activity that was both therapeutic and personally meaningful.

Staff demonstrated a genuine understanding of the people they supported and consistently adapted their interactions to reflect individual communication styles, preferences and emotional wellbeing needs. This included tailoring support for people living with dementia, recognising individual routines and responding flexibly to changing needs. People were encouraged to maintain independence and make choices about their daily lives. A person told us, "This is such a lovely place, I'm very, very happy here."
The provider's person-centred culture was embedded throughout the service. People received care from staff who knew them exceptionally well and consistently went the extra mile to understand and respond to their emotional, social and practical needs.

The provider promoted people's independence, so people had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff consistently adapted support around people's individual preferences and routines rather than expecting people to adapt to service-led routines. People were encouraged to make decisions about how they spent their time and were supported to maintain interests, hobbies and activities that were important to them. A relative told us, "[My Relative] couldn't have a more caring and supportive community from staff and residents."
There was a strong focus on supporting people to live meaningful lives through a wide range of activities, community involvement and social opportunities. Support was tailored around people's interests and preferences, with examples including a photography project based on "things that spark joy", initiatives recognising people's military service and personal histories, and opportunities to remain connected with the wider community. A person told us, "We stayed up until 4am watching the World Cup in the lounge and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!"

For one person who enjoyed singing, but whose sight impairment made it difficult to read choir books, the service supported them to have lyrics reformatted for use with a magnifier. This enabled them to continue participating in an activity they enjoyed and valued.

For another person whose wellbeing benefited from completing jigsaw puzzles with a relative, the service provided an adjustable jigsaw table which met their mobility needs. This enabled them to continue enjoying a meaningful shared activity and maintain an important family connection.

People were encouraged to contribute to the running and development of the service. Resident meetings, committees and feedback forums gave people opportunities to influence activities, menus and environmental improvements. People had also been involved in interviewing prospective staff and regular visiting professionals, such as chiropodists, helping to influence who provided services within the home. This helped people maintain choice, control and involvement in decisions that affected their daily lives. A relative told us, "They do not rush [My Relative]. They have a good understanding of them."

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 discomfort, concern and distress.
This was particularly evident within the dementia community where staff demonstrated strong dementia-informed practice. We observed staff using reassurance and validation to support people who were experiencing confusion or distress. Staff adapted their communication styles to reduce anxiety and promote wellbeing.

The provider had also delivered a dedicated workshop for relatives called 'Let's Talk Dementia'. This helped relatives gain a better understanding of dementia and supported partnership working between families and the service, including recognising distress and promoting people's independence.

Care and support were adapted in response to people's individual needs. During the inspection, we saw how balcony areas within the dementia community had been transformed into accessible garden spaces containing greenery and edible plants. This enabled people to continue enjoying aspects of gardening and nature that may otherwise have become less accessible to them. These approaches promoted meaningful engagement and helped reduce the risk of people experiencing isolation or exclusion.
 

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of staff and supported and enabled them to deliver person-centred care. A staff member said, "Team spirit is extremely important here. Everyone works together to meet residents' needs." Another staff member said, "Work-life balance is encouraged, and management are very flexible and supportive."
Staff received regular supervision, training and opportunities for development. Staff were supported to develop additional knowledge and skills where required to meet people's needs. A staff member told us, “We've received excellent specialist training.”

There was evidence of a positive team culture where staff supported one another and worked together to meet people's needs. A staff member said, "Team morale is good, and I believe leaders have an important role in maintaining that positivity." The positive culture amongst staff contributed to the caring and compassionate support people experienced. A staff member said, "We receive thanks and recognition for our work. There are regular staff appreciation initiatives, including Nurses Day, Carers Day and Employee of the Month."
The service had systems in place to provide staff with confidential opportunities for staff to share feedback and raise concerns via ‘HR staff surgeries’ that were held at the service. This allowed staff to be supported proactively with their development as well as any concerns they had.