Speirs 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 remained good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 80 (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. People and their relatives told us that the care provided by the staff team at this service was very good. They said, “[Staff] are very kind, respectful and efficient”, “The carers are excellent” and “[The service’s] consideration of individual needs here drew us to the home. [Staff] do listen, and I think their care is exceptional.” Healthcare professionals commented that staff were “caring” and “respectful” towards the people they supported and that there was a “positive and lively atmosphere created by the staff team” at the home. Staff talked to people politely and they gave people time and space when they needed it.

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. People were encouraged to take part in activities being organised by the home so that they felt occupied and socially stimulated. People’s comments included, “We all enjoy the balloon tennis, it’s a lot of fun and a good way of meeting people” and “I have a lot of freedom so there is always something I can be doing.” A relative told us, “[My relative] gets involved with everything, I’ve seen her in balloon tennis, bowls – all sorts…The manager has a dog, and everyone is pleased to see him. There is a volunteer too who brings in a therapy dog. Recently, they’ve had visits from a local nursery, that has worked out really well. The children bring a lot of laughter, [people] are delighted to see them.”

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they promoted their independence, rights and choice so people had control over their own care and wellbeing. The staff team took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. The service appointed people as ‘residents’ ambassadors’ who gathered people’s feedback and helped them to express their choices. A person told us, “I’m one of the ambassador’s here and it is my job to try and persuade new people to join in with things. It makes such a difference if you get to meet a few people and you have something to do. We can’t force people, but we do try to encourage them.” People were involved in the recruitment process helping to decide the suitability of new staff members during the interviews. To facilitate choice and inclusion, the service had asked 2 relatives to advise the activities team on the provision of their heritage-based activities for the home.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded quickly to people’s needs and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. A family member told us,” I once had to pull the emergency switch in the dining-room because a resident had pulled the tablecloth of a table and was very upset because of the mess. Staff appeared from all different directions to help, straightaway.” Care plans included guidance for staff to follow on calming techniques, including providing the right environment to help people reduce anxiety, depression and agitation.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. The management team told us they appreciated their staff so that they felt motivated in providing the best care for people. This included staff of the month being rewarded with a shopping voucher to purchase goods, occasional take-away orders for staff to make them feel connected and encouragement of staff to post anonymously their appreciation for each other.