The Old School 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.

Relatives said there had been changes to the staff team which had been difficult for some people. However, people now had regular care workers which they liked. They commented, “It’s very good [now], I’m pleased with it, it’s definitely lovely now things are settling down.”

Staff had a caring attitude. They listened to people and communicated with them in a kind and respectful way. A relative said, “I have a sense of how they are with [person] and they’re very good.”

Care and support was delivered in line with people’s preferences and wishes.Individual and group activities were available to everyone including art and crafts, baking, discos, meals out, shopping, and other community activities.

Staff knew what was important to people. For example, 1 person had an activity they took with them everywhere and staff ensured this was always possible. Another person liked 1-2-1 time with staff in their room and also liked to spend time alone. Staff facilitated this so the balance was right for the person.

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 had person-centred, specialist training where necessary to support the people’s unique needs. For example, staff had had tailored dementia-focused training to enable them to support a person with specific requirements, ensuring their care was informed, compassionate, and evidence-based.

The activities provided were personalised depending on people’s needs. They reflected people’s interests, communication needs, and cultural backgrounds. People were supported to stay connected to their faith and traditions by attending places of worship and celebrating cultural events.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People choose their own lifestyles and routines. A relative said, “[Person] always has two food choices at every meal. With clothes they ask [person] what they want to put on, and [person] says. [Person] says if they are tired, and the staff say, ‘let’s get you into your pyjamas and watch tv’.”

Staff encouraged people to be as independent as possible and to decide whether they wanted company or not. A relative told us, “If [person] wants to be in their own room or not mix, staff understand and make sure [person] is safe and secure in there, and at night they pop their heads in to see how [person] is.”

People’s preferences were recorded in their care plans so staff could support them in what they wanted to do. This ensured the choices people were offered were things they wanted to choose from.

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.

Relatives said staff knew how to respond if a person became distressed. A relative told us how staff sometimes rang them if a person did not seem their normal self as hearing their family members voices reassured them.

Care plans provided strategies for staff on how to alleviate people’s distress in a way that respected their wishes, needs, and preferences. For example, staff knew that a person needed calm interactions, tactile objects, and space if they became agitated. By providing these staff supported the person to feel comfortable, safe, and calm.

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

Staff said they felt valued and treated in a way which supported their own wellbeing. A staff member told us, “Management are very understanding and very considerate [towards the staff], and flexible about our shifts.” Another commented, “Morale has improved – I’m very happy working here now.”

The service had invested in employee wellbeing, with staff trained in mental health first aid through an accredited external programme. These staff acted as a resource for colleagues, providing support, guidance, and signposting for mental health or stress-related concerns.