Penns Mount Residential Care Home

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 75 (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.

People and relatives repeatedly described staff as, “Very kind”, “Lovely”, “Friendly” and “Good people”. Our observations on the first day of our visit showed staff interactions were often task based; however, we noted staff were respectful and knew how to communicate with people, using their preferred names.

People were treated with dignity and kindness during interactions with staff. This was reflected in the feedback from people and their relatives, which was overwhelmingly positive and showed a high-level of satisfaction with staff attitude, induvial choice and personal autonomy. One relative told us, “They [staff] very much treat [person] with dignity and respect. They comfort them when upset; they are just lovely.”

Professional feedback was positive, with one saying, “Their [staff] approach and dedication towards the care is significant. I have witnessed staff and management show compassion and empathy towards patients and families during my visits”.

The provider treated people as individuals and 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.

Feedback showed people felt known and seen as individuals and were comfortable to raise issues because of the trusted relationships developed with staff. Care plans contained personal information staff needed to provide care and support to meet people’s needs and preferences. A relative commented, “They [staff] are all amazing. I see them with people. They take their time, they talk to them and they make sure everything is OK for them”.

People were able to follow their own routines and staff respected people’s different lifestyle choices. One person said, “I’m free to do what I want. I get up early and go to bed after 10pm - nobody tells me what to do. It's just lovely here. It's a real home from home for me”. A relative said, “Staff respect [person’s] preferences, such as early bedtime, visiting access, and his personal wishes”.

Bedrooms were personalised and people used their own things to make their rooms feel familiar and homely.

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 supported to maintain their independence. Staff ensured people’s safety by ensuring support aids were accessible and by reminding people to use their walking aids when moving around. At mealtimes people had adapted cutlery and plates to help support their independence with eating.

People were offered daily choices around food, drink and activities. They were involved in making decisions within the service, including changes to the menu, activities offered and changes to the environment. One relative explained their family member did not want male carers providing personal care and their wishes have been respected. Another said, “[Person] needs assistance in some areas; staff let him do what he can”.

A programme of daily activities was in place, largely delivered in the afternoons. While some people chose not to attend group activities, some relatives said people would welcome more opportunities for activities and occupation. Staff said they were given time to engage with people socially, which helps build meaningful relationships. Staff told us they valued the opportunity to spend time chatting with people and listening to their life experiences and memories.

People were supported to maintain meaningful relationships, and we observed a welcoming environment for visitors. Relatives confirmed they could visit freely without restrictions.

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 had a caring approach, they listened to and understood people’s individual needs, views and wishes. Staff interacted with people in a respectful and gentle manner and were responsive to their needs.

The provider had increased staff presence in communal areas by our second visit and overall, staff responded promptly to people’s requests and provided reassurance and practical support to minimise discomfort, anxiety or distress where needed.

Healthcare professionals told us staff responded to people’s changing needs promptly to ensure any interventions were not delayed. One commented, “I didn’t have any concerns during my contact with the service. I thought they had demonstrated good communication with other agencies such as the GP in making sure the individual received relevant medical attention”.

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

Staff reported they worked well as a team and enjoyed coming to work. Staff described the registered manager as approachable and supportive, stating they felt able to speak openly with both the manager and the deputy.

Effective communication systems were in place, including team meetings to provide updates, daily handovers, and an updated resident information sheet. Staff said these systems helped keep them informed, and they routinely read care notes to ensure they were up to date with any changes.