Age UK Doncaster

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 changed to outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals, and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 90 (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 treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. There was a visible culture of kindness and respect across all staff which was embedded into day-to-day practice. People were extremely complimentary about the kindness of staff and how they supported them with dignity and respect. People told us staff were not only respectful of them but of their situation and home. One person said, “They [staff] provide respectful, private personal care observing my dignity. I have a regular carer who I get on with very well. [Staff] gives food and will tidy round for me. I am still very independent which [staff member] encourages.” Another person said, “They are fantastic; they cannot do enough for me.” Another person said, “They are very good. They make my bed; reach shelves for me. They are brilliant; we chat and laugh.” One relative said, “This is a new experience for us [receiving care] and I can’t thank Age UK Doncaster enough for their compassion and care throughout this difficult journey. The service is excellent.”

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. People were involved in their care right from the initial assessment stage which ensured support was tailored to meet each person’s unique needs and preferences. This included discussions around people’s aspirations and preferences so staff and leaders could support people to meet their individual goals. One of provider’s values was respect, alongside effective and courageous. These values were discussed during staff recruitment and then throughout each staff member’s employment. This approach ensured key values were upheld, with respect for people, their families and their property remaining central to every interaction. Age UK Doncaster were involved in a joint working initiative, with an external provider, to improve activities and make them more dementia and disability friendly. For example, chair-based exercises which could be linked by a camera to screens in different settings, breaking barriers and reducing isolation. By listening to focus groups, staff and leaders utilised feedback which ensured protected characteristics did not mean exclusion for people. This ensured everyone was included. For example, staff and leaders looked for ways to include those who couldn’t access groups and ensured there were translation services for those people where English was not their first language. Staff and leaders had also been involved in Age UK Doncaster's Silver Link service, a community wellbeing service designed to reduce social isolation and loneliness and promote wellbeing, activity, social connection, independence and community participation. This ensured people were included and encouraged social activities and events to be more inclusive for everyone.

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. People felt respected and listened to and were able to exercise their choices and preferences. There was demonstrable evidence people’s independence and autonomy was genuinely maximised. Age UK Doncaster offered a range of services which promoted people to live well and remain connected to their communities. For example, 1 service was known as the ‘gift of friendship’ and was designed for people who benefited from companionship and social interaction. One person who received personal care from the provider, was offered this service to enhance their life. Staff and leaders matched this person to a befriender based on shared interests. A weekly visit was established and designed to build consistency and a relationship of trust. This supported the person to have regular companionship which reduced isolation, motivated the person to engage in a meaningful and purposeful activity and helped them connect to their personal history and identity. Staff and leaders also helped to reduce isolation and promote inclusion over the Christmas period. The provider recognised when people had no family or social connections which increased loneliness. Staff and leaders organised visits from staff and volunteers to ensure people received a Christmas gift and had a personal visit, offering time for meaningful interaction. These small acts of kindness had significantly impacted on people’s wellbeing. One relative said, “[Family member] still puts on full makeup. [Family member] is very glamorous and expects the very best attention which they get from the carers.” One staff member said, “I gain people’s consent, and explain what I am doing. People are involved in any decisions.” Another staff member said, “Everyone is different so l try and support them in the way they want. I respect their routines and choices. Also, they can talk to me easily if they have any concerns, worries or help with anything else which will make their lives better.” Professionals were extremely complimentary about how the provider enhanced choice and support. One professional said, “I have found through audits [completed by local authority], that they [Age UK Doncaster] have good and safe systems in place to ensure care is scheduled appropriately and consistently to ensure continuity for the people they support. Care planning is robust with clear evidence of choice and control to the individuals they support, and they encourage and support people to be as independent as possible and work with individuals to set goals.”

The provider was exceptional in how they 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. People received care that was highly responsive to their immediate and changing needs. Staff and leaders demonstrated a strong commitment to early intervention and timely support. Leaders attended a workshop on reducing hospital admissions and delayed discharges, the service embedded a proactive approach to early occupational therapy referrals. This ensured necessary equipment and aids were identified and put in place without delay, enabling people to return home safely and maintain independence at the earliest opportunity.

The service further strengthened its responsiveness through an ongoing evaluation project, which actively sought feedback from people using the service via focus groups and questionnaires. This ensured care delivery remained aligned with people’s current experiences and needs. Feedback demonstrated that, in addition to practical support, people highly valued the social interaction provided by staff. Leaders recognised this as an immediate and important aspect of wellbeing and used this insight to enhance care planning and delivery. As a result, care was increasingly holistic, addressing not only physical needs but also emotional and social wellbeing in a timely and responsive way. Professionals praised the way staff and leaders responded to immediate concerns. One professional said, “Age UK [Doncaster] keep my client safe and well and any issues identified are quickly reported and resolved. They are proactive to raise safeguarding issues should any arise and work closely with myself and other professionals to resolve them.”

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff and leaders respected each other as peers and colleagues and ensured everyone had a voice and opinion, they felt safe and comfortable to voice. All staff members were trained in equality and diversity, as well as privacy and dignity. This was followed up during observations in the community, as well as in supervision sessions and in team meetings. Age UK Doncaster believed in encouraging people to promote their independence and actively encouraged them to be as independent as possible. For example, staff had supported 1 person to improve their cooking skills which had empowered them to be more independent. Staff had access to a staff handbook, which contained information about the service and code of conduct. This explained to staff what was expected from them and what they should expect from the provider.