The Dales

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• 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 85 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Staff always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. Without exception, people said they were happy living at the service and highly recommended the care due to the caring nature of the staff team. One relative told us, “Every member of staff, without exception, is very kind to all of the residents. I have never heard a member of staff being sharp or disrespectful.” Staff were outgoing, friendly and kind natured where some staff spontaneously started singing and dancing for people. We observed positive relationships which benefitted people’s wellbeing. Staff had a “can do” attitude and people told us, “nothing was too much trouble.” For example, an external entertainer did not arrive, so staff quickly organised a karaoke session with staff, people and relatives were all involved. One relative said, “It was the best afternoon ever.”

Staff 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. Care plans were detailed and focused on what mattered the person. Key details about people’s life history were included and conversely, subject areas staff should avoid raising with the person were also noted to avoid distress. Staff had clear guidance on how to support people to live life as they wanted to ensure everyone was not discriminated against or experienced ill treatment. One relative told us, “Some residents can be quite challenging at times, but the staff are always so kind and gentle with them. I don’t know how they do it.”

Staff promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff never rushed people and the focus was always to ensure people maximised their independence. For example, one person was supported to walk from their room to the communal lounge. The person apologised to the staff member for walking slowly. The staff member told them, “Don’t you worry. I’m not going anywhere. You take you time.” The person thanked the member of staff for their kindness. Another person told us, “I can get up and go to bed when I want. There’s no lights out time here.”

Staff 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 were highly responsive to call bells, particularly emergency alerts. When an emergency call bell was activated, staff immediately ran to the person’s room. While doing so, they communicated quickly and effectively with colleagues, handing over any ongoing tasks to ensure staffing levels and other people’s support needs were maintained. One relative told us, “In an emergency, the staff are there in the blink of an eye.”

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to consistently deliver person‑centred care. Staff described an outstanding culture of development, encouragement and shared ambition, and many spoke about the exceptional personal and professional journeys they had experienced while working at the service. These journeys were underpinned by a strong ethos of continuous learning and the provider’s commitment to nurturing each individual’s strengths, confidence and skills.

The registered manager was on site daily and staff told us they could seek support at any time. One member of staff said, “The registered manager is very good. If they are not available, there is always a nurse or the deputy manager. There is always someone available to help us.” Staff consistently reflected that leaders knew them well, understood their aspirations and offered timely guidance that helped them grow in their roles and maintain high‑quality practice.

Staff told us the provider’s wellbeing support was exceptional and far exceeded what they had experienced elsewhere. Structured wellbeing packages, opportunities for reflection, and recognition schemes ensured staff felt genuinely valued and motivated. Many staff told us these supports had helped them progress through challenging stages in their careers and personal lives, build resilience, and develop into confident, skilled practitioners able to deliver highly individualised care.

The exceptional support from leaders created a positive, empowered workforce. Staff consistently said they felt proud of their development and the impact they were able to have on people’s lives. Their collective journey demonstrated a strong, embedded culture of growth, compassion and excellence, enabling the service to sustain outstanding person‑centred care.