Biffins Care Home

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. During our visit, we observed positive interactions between staff and people. People’s loved ones spoke positively about the management and care staff, describing them as kind, caring and approachable. Comments included “The staff are all caring, every single one, they are good people,” and, “The staff are respectful, caring and professional. I can’t praise them enough.”

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. Staff knew people well, including information about their communication preferences, likes and dislikes and relationships that were important to them. People’s rooms were personalised with items important to them. Staff respected people’s wishes and preferences, one person told us they preferred to stay in their room, but when they did want to go out, staff supported them to do so.

The provider promoted people’s independence so they understood their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. People were encouraged to make everyday decisions, such as what they wanted to eat and drink, and staff supported people to do as much for themselves as they were able. During our visit, we observed one person being encouraged to mobilise independently, with staff offering assistance only when it was needed.

Most feedback about activities was positive. People were supported and encouraged to take part in a range of meaningful activities, and staff were seen engaging people in board games, colouring, word searches and looking through books. Staff also respected the wishes of those who did not want to participate. However, some relatives told us they were unsure about what activities were provided, and there was no visible activity schedule displayed during our visit. One relative told us, “They have a pack of big cards, and [family member] often does word searches and colouring. [Family member] quite enjoys being involved in things.” Displaying an activity timetable more clearly would help people and relatives understand what is available each day.

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. The service had a call bell system which people could use to alert staff when they required support. If a person was unable to use the call bell, alternative equipment was used to alert staff which included alarm sensor mats. We observed staff responding to the call bell system and verbal requests in a timely manner. One person using the service told us, “I have a call bell, I just press it and somebody will come." Staff understood people and how they communicated, we observed staff responding effectively when people were communicating nonverbally.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. The registered manager spoke highly of the team at Biffins Care Home and explained they operated an open-door policy, encouraging staff to seek support whenever needed. Staff told us they felt supported and able to approach the management team.

As part of the recruitment process, the service collected relevant health and wellbeing information through application and new‑starter forms, including any reasonable adjustments required. The registered manager described how they considered staff wellbeing when planning rotas, including being flexible where possible for those with caring responsibilities or personal commitments such as medical appointments. They gave examples of occasions where the provider had supported staff experiencing health concerns or navigating personal challenges, including help with completing official documentation.