Abbey Village

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.

Staff were kind and caring and positive relationships had developed between people and staff. Staff were attentive to people’s needs and talked them through what they were doing, which people responded to.

People said, “The carers are very kind; they are so pleasant and willing to help. There is always a smile on their face, having fun and laughing, it makes such a difference” and “I get on well with the staff, they are smashing.”

Comments from relatives included, “[Name] is wonderful and caring, and all the carers are” and “They are very kind. I don’t have any concerns.”

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 plans contained information specific to individuals. For example, people had their preferred name documented. This was then written across people’s care plans and staff approached them using their preferred name.

We observed that some people chose to spend time in their rooms, whilst others sat in the communal areas. We observed staff ensuring people received the same level of support by regularly checking on people who chose to stay in their rooms throughout the day.

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 as much independence, choice and control over their daily lives as possible. Staff encouraged people to make their own decisions. We observed people were offered options and listened to. People said, “I can do everything for myself, they come at night to see me” and “I can go out when I like, I go and have a ciggy (cigarette) outside. I can’t do the things I used to do at [Name], I like to go and sit in the park with my friends and I was always going to the shops for other people. I do that here too.”

There were regular activities taking place and planned. People choose whether to take part by exercising, dancing, or simply enjoying the atmosphere. It was clear these sessions brought people joy, and they told us attendance was entirely their choice. We observed staff speaking to one person who wanted to watch the activity from afar. Staff respected that choice and still engaged with them as part of the activity.

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.

Overall, the provider generally listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes, but this was not always consistent.  

Staff responded to people’s needs promptly. We saw staff notice when individuals needed assistance, approach them quickly, and act to ensure they were comfortable. Staff also answered call bells without delay and supported colleagues who requested help. We did not observe long waits for care.

People told us they were usually supported quickly, although waits were sometimes longer when staff were busy. One person said, “If you want anything you only have to ask. They are helpful and be busy.” Another person said, “I press the buzzer; it depends how busy they are how long it takes. They come quite quickly; they are fairly good.”

The provider promoted staff wellbeing and supported staff to deliver person‑centred care.

Leaders took steps to ensure staff felt informed and supported, and staff spoke positively about the leadership team.

Regular staff meetings focused on day‑to‑day operational matters such as cleaning equipment, uniform standards and staff conduct. Leaders placed meeting minutes in the staff room so those who could not attend stayed updated.

Leaders demonstrated a clear understanding of their responsibility to support staff wellbeing. They told us, “The office door is always open, and we will ensure we make time for people.” They also recognised areas for improvement and showed a commitment to continuing to develop the staff team.