Somerset 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 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.

The provider consistently treated people with kindness, empathy, and compassion, and ensured their privacy and dignity were respected at all times. Interactions between staff and people were warm, respectful, and person‑centred, reflecting a strong caring culture within the service.

People told us they felt valued, listened to, and treated with respect. They described staff as kind, patient, and attentive, taking time to understand how people wished to be supported. Staff demonstrated genuine compassion in their approach, responding sensitively to people’s emotional and physical needs and offering reassurance when required.

Staff promoted people’s privacy and dignity during all aspects of care and treatment. This included ensuring personal care was provided discreetly, people’s personal information was handled confidentially, and people were supported to maintain independence and control wherever possible. People were encouraged to make choices about their care, routines, and daily activities, and these choices were consistently respected.

Our observations showed staff spoke to people in a respectful manner, addressed them by their preferred name, and involved them in conversations about their care. Staff were mindful of people’s dignity in shared spaces and ensured people were supported in a way that upheld their self‑esteem and individuality.

The provider demonstrated a strong commitment to compassionate, dignified care. People experienced respectful, empathetic and kind care, underpinned by values placing people at the centre of everything the service did. The registered manager told us, “Kindness and dignity come from understanding the individual person and ensuring staff have a full picture of their care needs.”

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.

Care delivery was person centred and based on a detailed understanding of who people were as individuals, not just their care needs. Care plans clearly reflected people’s strengths, abilities, and aspirations, and staff supported people to build on these wherever possible.

People were encouraged to maintain independence and choice in their daily lives, with support provided in a way which promoted confidence, wellbeing, and a sense of control. A person told us, “They [staff] are kind and caring; they will sit with me. If I need to talk for 5 hours they will talk to me. They are very approachable and they go at my pace when doing things. I have a keyworker and they take me out for meals and to the cinema; we get on well.”

Staff took account of people’s cultural background, faith, beliefs, lifestyle, and protected characteristics when planning and delivering care. This included respecting people’s customs, communication preferences, dietary requirements, and personal routines. People’s identities and backgrounds were acknowledged and valued, and care was delivered in a way which made people feel understood and respected. For example, one person was provided with information about the service in a different written language and had been supported to actively follow their faith beliefs.

Information about what mattered most to people was documented and consistently used to guide care. Staff were knowledgeable about individuals’ histories, preferences, and personal goals, which helped ensure care was delivered in a meaningful and personalised way.

People told us they felt recognised as individuals and said staff understood them well. People reported their choices were respected and care was adapted when their needs or preferences changed. Our observations showed staff consistently adjusted their approach to reflect people’s wishes and circumstances.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Staff ensured people understood their rights and encouraged them to make decisions about their daily lives and the support they received.

People were involved in planning their care and were supported to express views, preferences, and goals. Staff respected people’s choices and adapted care to reflect how individuals wished to be supported, including decisions about routines, activities, personal care, meals, and healthcare; this helped ensure people remained central to all decisions affecting their lives. People had access to friends and relatives and engaged in individual activities of choice in the local community and within the home, which we observed.

Care plans reflected people’s choices and preferences, and staff used these consistently when delivering care. Where people wished to remain independent, staff provided support in a way which enabled rather than restricted them, assisting only when needed and encouraging people to do as much as possible for themselves, for example, making their own meals.

Staff supported people to understand their rights around consent, decision making, and accessing support. Where people required assistance to make decisions, staff provided information in accessible ways and involved appropriate representatives where needed, ensuring people’s wishes remained at the heart of care planning.

People told us they felt in control of their care and said staff listened to them and respected their decisions. Our observations showed staff consistently promoted autonomy and choice while ensuring care remained safe and appropriate. A relative told us, “They [staff] listen to [person and all have conversations with [them]. [Person] does not like missing out on anything and staff know they can contact me or family anytime. I ring every week and I have a chat with the carers first. It’s marvellous how they treat us; lovely people, all of them and exceptionally nice.”

Staff understood the importance of promoting people’s independence and knew about people’s capacity to make decisions. People were actively empowered to make their own decisions about their care and support.

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 demonstrated a strong awareness of people’s individual preferences and were attentive to verbal and non verbal cues, enabling them to recognise when people needed reassurance, assistance, or changes to their care.

Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment, taking timely action to reduce discomfort, concern, or distress. This included responding quickly to requests for support, adjusting care approaches when people became anxious or uncomfortable, and offering reassurance and emotional support when needed. Staff showed patience and empathy in their responses and took time to ensure people felt heard and supported.

Care records reflected people’s known triggers, preferences, and signs of distress, which helped staff anticipate needs and respond effectively. Staff communicated well with one another to ensure continuity of support. A staff member told us, “We know how to respond to people in the most appropriate way by listening, looking for non-verbal cues, noticing patterns of emotion, being empathetic and by inviting people to share their thoughts, by asking open-ended questions and validating their [people’s] feelings.”

People told us staff responded quickly and kindly when they needed help. They felt listened to and reassured and reported staff took their concerns seriously to make them feel comfortable and safe. Our observations confirmed staff remained calm, respectful, and responsive, adapting their approach to suit each individual and situation. A person told us, “They [staff] do things the way I like.” A second person said, “It’s the same staff, a few new people, but I know them well now; they talk to me and listen to what I have to say.”

The provider demonstrated a strong ability to respond effectively to people’s immediate needs, ensuring care was flexible, compassionate, and focused on minimising distress while maintaining people’s dignity and wellbeing.

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

The provider demonstrated a clear commitment to caring for and promoting the wellbeing of their staff and recognised the importance of a supported workforce in delivering high‑quality, person‑centred care. The culture within the service was open, inclusive, and supportive, with staff wellbeing viewed as being integral to achieving positive outcomes for people.

Staff told us they felt valued, supported, and listened to by leaders. The provider had systems in place to support staff wellbeing, including regular supervision, opportunities to discuss workloads, and access to support when staff experienced challenges at work. Leaders remained approachable and responsive, encouraging staff to raise concerns, share ideas, and seek guidance.

The provider enabled staff to deliver person‑centred care by ensuring they had appropriate training, resources, and time to meet people’s individual needs. Staff received ongoing training and development opportunities to maintain skills and confidence, and they were supported to reflect on their practice and continuously improve the care they provided.

Staff workload and rota arrangements were managed to reduce pressure and promote a healthy work‑life balance. Where staffing challenges arose, the provider took proactive steps to ensure staff felt supported and people continued to receive consistent and compassionate care. Our observations showed staff were engaged, attentive, and able to deliver care in a calm, caring, and person‑centred manner.

Staff spoke positively about teamwork and morale within the home; the most recent Investors in People revalidation survey verified this view. A staff member told us, “I receive praise in my supervisions and get rewarded with bonuses. I have breaks and rest periods when needed and if I have any concerns or need help with my own wellbeing, I discuss this with the senior staff during supervisions.”