Gracefields Nursing 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.

People spoke positively about the staff and told us they were kind, caring and treated them with respect. During our visit, we observed that people’s privacy and dignity were maintained when staff supported them with personal care. Staff knocked on people’s doors before entering and checked that people were comfortable, which helped create a respectful and reassuring environment.

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 individual interests were recorded in their care plans, including their family history, hobbies, preferences and the types of interactions that were meaningful to them. This helped staff understand what mattered to each person and support them in a way that felt personal and familiar. Staff also respected people’s cultural and religious needs. For example, one person’s room had been adapted so they could continue practising their faith comfortably and privately.

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

People and their families told us that visitors were welcome at any time, and there were no restrictions on when people could see their loved ones. Pets were also allowed to visit, supported by a policy that explained how animals could be safely accommodated at the service.

People’s choices and consent were respected, and staff supported people to make decisions about their day‑to‑day lives. We received mixed feedback about trips out of the service. People told us they enjoyed going on outings when they happened, but some people said they would like more opportunities to go out into the community.

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 told us their call bells were easy to reach and that staff responded when they asked for help. They also valued how staff supported their loved one with personal hygiene when they were finding this difficult.

The manager explained that they were working with the mental health team to support a person who found family visits difficult, so that both the person and their relative could have a more positive and accessible experience.

The provider told us they looked to introduce a new internal training framework. Staff would be supported to recognise people’s needs earlier and respond before any discomfort or distress developed. The planned training would help staff to notice changes in behaviour, understand people who could not always communicate verbally, and act quickly when people needed help. The aim was expected to help people feel listened to and more involved in their care.

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

Staff also spoke about the training and learning opportunities available to them. One person told us they had completed face‑to‑face leadership and falls training, alongside monthly online updates. Another staff member explained they were offered dedicated time each month to update care plans, with the option to complete this as overtime if it could not be fitted into their usual hours.

Staff described feeling valued for their work they carried out. One member of staff, who had been in post for a number of years, told us they felt well updated and well supported. Other staff echoed this, saying the manager was “very approachable” and that they could go to anyone if they had concerns. Staff also confirmed they received regular supervisions, typically every three to six months, and that performance reviews were carried out by the manager.