Matson 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. People, relatives and professionals consistently said staff were kind, respectful and attentive. Observations showed staff were patient, compassionate and knew people very well. Staff interactions were calm and reassuring, and people were supported in ways that promoted their independence and choice. A staff member said, “It is a positive environment. I always treat people with dignity and kindness. Staff always treat [people] with kindness.” Another staff member said, “I would be very happy for a friend or relative to live here. I see the care that people get. I see the care in staffs’ eyes, and I know how much they think of the people that live here. People are cared for very well here. People are cared for with respect.”

People told us they liked living at the home, and relatives were positive about the care and support provided. One relative said, “[My relative has] been there a long time, 25 years. I think [they] absolutely sees it as [their] home. The staff, without a doubt, they are so kind to [my relative].”

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met their needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Support plans were person-centred and clearly detailed people’s preferences, strengths and aspirations. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people’s personal, cultural, social and religious needs and how to meet them. Staff clearly knew people well and took pride in the work they did. A staff member told us, “The care that people receive here is top notch. I have wonderful colleagues who really care for people and support people in line with their preferences. We follow individual preferences and choice as contained in people's care plans.” This was corroborated by feedback from professionals, people and their relatives. A professional told us, “Staff are incredibly friendly and very professional. You see the way they interact with people, and it is brilliant; they are in tune with people's needs and preferences.”

The building décor celebrated and supported people’s individuality and people’s artwork, and photographs were displayed throughout their home. People’s bedrooms were decorated according to their preferences and were highly personalised.

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 and empowered to make their own choices about how they wished to lead their day to day lives.

The systems enabled people to maintain important relationships, access to activities and the local community to promote and support their independence, health, and wellbeing. The management team assessed the risks to ensure people had the opportunity to engage in activities in their home and in the local community. We asked one person whether they were empowered to make everyday choices, and they told us, “Definitely. I like being outside in charge of the garden and the watering.”

Staff supported people to exercise their right to independence, choice, and control at differing levels dependant on their healthcare, dependency needs and mental capacity. A staff member told us, “I make sure that people do as much as they can for themselves in line with their care plan…I support [people] to do things for himself and I don't take away [their] independence so [they] can continue to do things for themselves. I let people make their own choices.”

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. People’s care plans provided staff with guidance on responding to people’s immediate needs in a safe and person-centred way. For example, where people presented with feelings of distress, they provided staff with strategies on how to support the person in a reassuring way. One staff member said, “Care plans and risk assessments give [staff] the information needed to support people safely.”

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

Without exception, staff spoke positively about the service and how the management team supported them. One staff member said, “I am treated well,” another staff member said, “We have supervisions and appraisals, and we have access to EAP (employment assistance programme). Debriefs take place after [every] incident.”

People were supported by staff who felt valued by their leaders and their colleagues. The registered manager had developed a system to recognise staff performance and was responsive to their individual needs and preferences. A staff member said, “I started university in September…The manager has moved all my shifts around and have adapted [them to meet] my needs.” Another staff member said, “The registered manager has improved the service significantly. As a staff member I feel valued and listened to. I come in with a lot of ideas, and they try to try them all. I feel valued and listened to.”