Downs 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.

Staff treated people with warmth, empathy, and respect. We saw everyday interactions, whether during care activity, meals, or conversation, demonstrated genuine appreciation for people’s dignity.

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.

Each person’s life story, preferences, beliefs, and strengths were taken into account in their care. Care plans reflected people’s individual personalities and goals, and staff showed flexibility in responding to each person’s wishes. We observed people engaging in activities which related to their hobbies and interests such as playing games and assisting staff to arrange the dining tables in preparation for mealtimes.

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 take part in a varied programme of meaningful activities. Staff offered sessions throughout the week, with an additional activity every other weekend and on alternating Saturdays. People said they enjoyed the range of opportunities available.

The service maintained strong community links. A local nursery visited monthly, and schools, a charity, youth theatre groups and singers came in regularly. People also joined sessions with other care homes for communal singing, which supported social interaction and wellbeing. A church group visited on the first Friday of each month for those wishing to participate.

Weekly exercise classes helped people stay active, and staff provided items such as fiddle muffs and fidget toys to support comfort and engagement for people living with dementia. Activities were person-centred and adapted to meet individual needs.

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 were prompt in responding to people’s needs, whether physical or emotional such as when someone was distressed, in pain, or unwell. We saw the team acted swiftly and with sensitivity. Records showed staff responded to call bell requests in reasonable time and people told us their needs were met.

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

The provider supported the wellbeing of its staff through supervision, training, and opportunities for reflection. This enabled staff to remain motivated and capable of delivering good quality, person‑centred care. Although the staff team were familiarising themselves with the management style of the leadership team, they told us they felt well supported.