Turning Point - Hollygrove

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.

We observed people being treated in a caring way. Staff showed compassion and a respect for people’s rights. Staff knew how to communicate with people and took time to make sure they had their say in all aspects of their lives. We observed staff providing support that promoted people’s dignity. For example, staff were discrete when prompting people with personal care or making sure people’s general appearance was to their preference.

Feedback about the staff approach was positive. People and relatives told us, “I could not ask for anything better, they [staff] absolutely adore [person]” and “They [staff] always speak so kindly to [person].”

The service had received many compliments from relatives and professionals about the caring approach of the staff.

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.

People’s needs were recorded in care plans which included information on their life history and life circumstances. This information helped staff understand people and provide personalised care and support. People’s communication needs were recorded and staff told us different ways they supported people to communicate. Staff said, “One person answers yes or no, so we phrase questions accordingly” and “One person does not talk but understands. If they are not happy, they make noises.”

We also observed staff interacting with people effectively demonstrating they were aware of people’s needs and good practice guidance. The registered manager shared examples of how staff had supported people to follow their interests and do things they enjoyed. For 1 person, staff had encouraged them to be involved in recycling which had since become their ‘job’ in the house. This had led to the person making sure the recycling bins were out for collection and developed into making friends with people who regularly collected the recycling. This had enhanced feelings of purpose and wellbeing for the person.

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 relationships that were important to them. People had visits from family members and went out on social trips to see family, which included overnight stays. There were no restrictions on visiting. Relatives told us they felt welcomed when they visited. Comments from relatives included, “They [staff] are so welcoming to us, they are so accommodating there” and “I can visit whenever I want to and feel welcome in the house.”

People’s independence was promoted and staff provided support to maintain and develop skills of daily living. We observed people were involved with light domestic tasks, meal preparation and shopping. Staff supported people to access their local community and go shopping, go for walks nearby and some people attended a nearby day service. This gave people the opportunity to socialise with friends and engage in various activities.

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 knew people well and had detailed guidance on how to support emotional wellbeing. This helped staff know how to respond to any experiences of anxiety or distress. People and relatives confirmed that staff had a good knowledge and understanding of people’s needs. One relative said, “I am impressed by how well the staff know [person] and support them.”

The registered manager shared examples of how they had supported people to overcome anxieties. For 1 person, staff had asked a local barber shop to open on an evening or a Sunday. This helped the person visit and get their haircut when there was nobody else in the shop.

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

The provider had various systems to support staff wellbeing. Staff had an electronic application on their phones which enabled them to easily access everything on offer. This included resources such as help to see a GP, a free confidential helpline and access to free counselling. There was also financial support and help with health initiatives such as stopping smoking, menopause and mental health wellbeing.

Staff said they now felt well supported but working conditions had been challenging. Staff felt the new registered manager had improved things for them and they felt confident this would continue to improve. One member of staff said, “It has been a bit up and down, but the new manager is really good. We feel uplifted again with not so many worries and concerns. There is always someone we can speak to.”

There was an employee of the month scheme where staff nominated earned a small gift. The service celebrated staff birthdays and engaged in national celebrations such as Christmas and Easter. The registered manager said they had a ‘new starter’ call with new staff to explain all the wellbeing resources available to them. All staff had a wellbeing plan which recorded what helped them have a good day at work. Wellbeing was also an agenda item on all staff meetings and any requests for flexible working were considered.