Highfields

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs. At our last assessment we rated this key question outstanding. At this assessment, the rating remains outstanding. This meant services were tailored to meet the needs of individuals and delivered to ensure flexibility, choice and continuity of care.

This service scored 96 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The staff team demonstrated an exceptional level of inclusivity, consistently placing people at the heart of every decision about their care and support. They worked in true partnership with individuals and their representatives, responding thoughtfully and collaboratively to any changes in needs. This meant people were not only consulted, but genuinely empowered feeling heard, respected, and valued at every stage. As one relative reflected, “Our views are always sought, along with our input on what improvements could be considered in [name’s] best interests.”

Holistic, person‑centred care was deeply embedded in practice. Support plans were impressively detailed, capturing what makes each person unique. Such as, their preferences, personal histories, important relationships, cultural and religious identities, and even meaningful dates such as family birthdays. These plans ensured people’s choices were consistently prioritised, with family members closely involved wherever appropriate. Another relative told us, “There is a real caring team atmosphere in the home, and all staff work together very well to provide outstanding care.”

People were supported to lead full, enriched and meaningful lives. They enjoyed regular access to activities and experiences that truly mattered to them, always guided by their own interests and choices. Whether spending time at home or out in the community, each opportunity was carefully shaped around what brought joy, comfort, or a sense of purpose. These personalised experiences helped people maintain independence, express themselves freely, and stay connected with the world around them. From cinema visits to theatre outings, people were continuously supported to explore, participate, and remain part of their wider community.

The provider had an exceptional understanding of the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, this meant care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity. The provider strived to ensure that everyone had excellent continuity of care, and that all necessary appointments went smoothly to ensure people had the best possible outcomes. We also saw that action was taken by the provider to address and improve the experiences of future health appointments for people. For example, complaints were raised with the relevant health authorities when people’s experiences of care did not fully meet their holistic needs.

People received care and treatment from services that prioritised and understood their diverse health and social care needs and staff worked closely with relevant professionals to ensure people received joined up care. People had access to dietitians, occupational therapists and speech and language therapy teams and other external professionals.

Support records clearly demonstrated how well the provider ensured the service and external professionals worked together to provide truly coordinated care. This seamless partnership meant people experienced consistent support that adapted quickly to their changing needs. Transitions between services such as returning home after a hospital stay or adjusting to new support requirements were handled with exceptional care and planning. As a result, people experienced far less anxiety or disruption, helping them feel reassured, supported, and safe throughout every stage of their journey.

The provider demonstrated an exemplary approach to developing information that was accurate, up‑to‑date and meticulously tailored to each person’s individual needs. People were consistently supported with a wide range of accessible formats that clearly explained their care, treatment and support in ways that supported them to understand. This high standard was evident throughout the inspection and reflected both in the environment and in the clarity and quality of care and support provided and documented.

As people were not able to communicate verbally, staff showed exceptional skill and sensitivity in interpreting individuals’ needs. Observations highlighted strong, trusting relationships between staff and the people they supported. These relationships enabled staff to recognise and respond swiftly to subtle cues, ensuring that needs were met promptly and effectively. This approach significantly reduced distress and discomfort, creating a calm, reassuring and emotionally supportive environment.

Staff consistently used the intensive interaction approach to enhance communication. This highly responsive method involved engaging with people through their own meaningful sounds, vocalisations and patterns of expression. Staff explained that this technique was particularly effective, as it met individuals on their own terms and fostered deeper emotional connection. Through this, staff were able to build rich, responsive communication that strengthened rapport and improved people’s experience of care. When external professionals attended, staff or family representatives were always present to support communication and advocacy. This ensured that each person’s views, preferences and responses were recognised and represented, despite any barriers to verbal communication. This practice demonstrated a strong commitment to promoting people’s involvement in their own care and safeguarding their ability to express themselves in meaningful ways.

The provider was exceptional at enabling people to be involved in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result. People and their representatives were encouraged and enabled to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. For example, people received monthly reviews with their key workers and people were involved in activity planning. People’s relatives received regular feedback surveys, to give feedback about their loved one’s care. Staff told us how they would identify if a person was unhappy with any aspect of their care and said, “ We are an established team and know the people we support really well. If their behaviour changed, such as suddenly becoming withdrawn or no longer enjoying an activity that we know they love, we would know something was wrong and report this to the management.”

Staff understood that people may show their displeasure or concerns through a change in their behaviour. One member of staff told us, “I always act in people’s best interest by choosing the least restrictive option. I give options to people we support and observe their body language and facial expressions to help them make a choice. I try to choose a suitable environment where people we support are more relaxed and comfortable.”

Staff understood that people expressed themselves in diverse ways through sounds and facial expressions and if the staff believed the person was unhappy, they changed what they were doing. For example, one person had a health condition that impacted on their overall well-being and this was visible to staff by this person’s movements and alertness. The staff had a thorough understanding of this condition and how to recognise the signs of when this was affecting the person’s ability. This enabled and ensured the staff team were able to support this person in a safe, effective, and caring way.

Relatives were clear on how to raise any concerns and felt confident that any complaints or suggestions would be taken seriously. The provider had created an environment where feedback was welcomed and acted upon. People and their representatives were encouraged to be involved in decisions about their care. Relatives participated in people’s care, including risk assessments and capacity assessments. Staff regularly communicated with relatives via phone calls, emails and invited them to face to face meetings. Relatives told us they were included in the care of their loved ones. This inclusion helped relatives feel valued because it reassured them and demonstrated that staff recognised the importance of family connections in the person’s wellbeing. Being invited to participate, asked for input and being kept informed fostered trust and confidence in the service. Relatives told us they felt like partners in care rather than observers, which strengthened their sense of belonging, reduced anxiety and helped build a positive, collaborative relationship with staff.

The service had links with the local authority and easy-read materials were produced to support people’s understanding and communication needs. The service had a complaints policy in place, which supported a consistent and transparent approach to managing concerns.

The provider was exceptional at ensuring tailored support was provided that ensured fair outcomes for people. This enabled them to access the care, support, and treatment they needed when they needed it. People were encouraged and supported to embrace new and enriching experiences, such as adventure holidays where they could develop skills like zip‑wiring, and pursue personal interests, including taking scenic train journeys. These opportunities were made possible through a strong commitment to positive risk‑taking and meticulous resource planning, ensuring each experience was both safe and empowering.

We saw that information was provided in a variety of formats that were accessible to people, to ensure they were fully included. The provider was aware of the importance of removing barriers to care, and supported people with disabilities, communication needs, or other protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments were made, such as providing the technique of intensive interaction to enhance communication and an accessible premises, to help ensure that care was inclusive and equitable.

Staff worked hard to mitigate barriers and support people to ensure they were not discriminated against due to their disabilities. People had access to support that promoted equality, removed barriers or delays, and protected their rights. The provider complied with legal equality and human rights requirements, including avoiding discrimination, considering the needs of people with different protected characteristics and making reasonable adjustments. The provider prioritised, allocated resources and opportunities as needed to tackle inequalities and achieve equity of access.

External stakeholders provided positive feedback about the care provided and found the staff team communicated well with them and responded to any information request promptly.

Staff and leaders demonstrated an exceptional commitment to understanding and addressing the needs of people who may be at risk of experiencing inequality in their care, experiences or outcomes. They were innovative in how they gathered and listened to information about individuals and consistently used this insight to shape highly personalised care, support and treatment. This ensured that every person received an approach that was not only tailored, but truly responsive to their unique characteristics, preferences and barriers.

Leaders and staff took proactive and sustained action to prevent any form of discrimination or unequal treatment. They actively sought out potential barriers that could disadvantage individuals and implemented effective solutions to remove or minimise these. Equality, diversity and inclusion were strongly embedded in daily practice, supported by comprehensive training completed by all staff. This created a culture where inclusivity was central to decision‑making and consistently underpinned positive experiences for people.

The provider ensured people had access to a diverse range of meaningful activities that reflected their age, gender, abilities and personal interests. People maintained friendships with individuals from the provider’s sister home and regularly participated in age‑appropriate social events and shared activities. These included visits from external organisations offering enriching experiences such as animal encounters and creative arts sessions. People also benefited from fortnightly aromatherapy sessions, each with their own personalised wellbeing programme.

Opportunities for new and exciting experiences were prioritised. For example, two people were supported to take a train journey for the first time. This was thoughtfully planned and risk assessed, ensuring the experience was safe, enjoyable and confidence‑building. Photographs clearly showed the joy and enthusiasm this generated, and leaders confirmed that additional train journeys were already being explored.

Staff demonstrated innovative and anticipatory practice when supporting community participation. Venues were assessed in advance to ensure accessibility, comfort and suitability for each person’s sensory, physical and emotional needs. This enabled people to enjoy activities such as visiting a local arena for a festive pantomime, where careful planning ensured the environment promoted a positive experience.

Annual holidays were tailored to each person’s preferred destinations. A popular choice was a specialist residential centre in the Lake District, where individuals enjoyed highly inclusive activities such as canoeing, zip‑wiring and bike riding. Photographs evidenced high levels of engagement, enjoyment and achievement, clearly illustrating the positive impact these experiences had on people’s wellbeing and confidence.

People and their representatives were fully supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

Support plans included details about important life changes, including transitions in care and people’s end of life considerations.

The management team had sensitively approached the subject with people’s representatives regarding end of life plans and funeral plans. They had explained that this was to obtain the wishes of the people they supported, their family and all loved ones to give them peace of mind, ease the strain and ensure all wishes were met. One parent requested full support to help arrange a funeral plan and wanted the team’s suggestions with musical likes and dislikes for their loved one and asked that a celebration of the person’s life at Highfields was included.

People were continuously supported to plan for holidays and life events such as birthday and other celebrations and gain new experiences in their life.