The Beeches

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.

Staff treated people with kindness and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with professionalism and respect.

People told us staff were kind, caring and helpful. One person said of staff, “They are incredibly kind, and nothing is too much trouble.” Another person told us, “The staff are lovely, always cheerful and helpful.”

Relatives told us their family members had developed positive relationships with the permanent staff who supported them. One relative said of staff, “They are amazing; they love [family member] and she loves them, too.”

Several relatives commented on the homely atmosphere, which they said was beneficial for their family members. One family member said, “It really does feel like a home; a family or a community.” Another family member told us, “They keep [family member] happy and there is a very warm atmosphere throughout.”

People said staff were respectful and maintained their dignity when providing their care. One person told us, “I have never been treated disrespectfully. The staff never talk down to you; we are like a happy family.”

Staff treated people as individuals and made sure care and support met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Staff respected people as individuals and supported them to live in a way which reflected their strengths, aspirations and goals. People told us staff knew their individual interests and encouraged them to pursue these. One person said of staff, “They always encourage and support; for example, I love gardening - I am out there all the time - and they bring seeds and plants for me to plant.” Another person had been supported to attend a concert given by their favourite musician and to meet the performer, which staff told us had been a long-held ambition.

Relatives said staff acknowledged and valued their family members as individuals. One relative told us, “[Family members] are called by their first names, which they like, and they call their regular carers their friends.”

People’s personal, cultural, social and religious needs were met. Religious community leaders visited the home regularly, and some people visited places of worship with their families. The manager told us religious services broadcast online could be made available to people if they wished.

The Provider Information Return (PIR) outlined how the provider supported people to engage in activities and events relevant to their cultural and religious needs, stating, ‘Our activity programme includes cultural and religious events that are meaningful to our residents. This has included marking religious celebrations, cultural festivals, and awareness days, ensuring residents feel recognised and respected.’

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

People told us staff supported them to be independent. One person said, “They ask to make sure I can manage whatever it is and then let me do it.” Relatives confirmed staff encouraged their family members to remain active and as independent as possible. A relative said, “Doing the garden is a major source of independence for [family member]; they encourage that.” Another relative told us staff were supporting their family member to regain their mobility and independence following a fall, saying, “Since [family member’s] fall, they are gradually helping him walk a little more each day.”

A regional activities coordinator visited the home weekly and arranged a timetable of activities. External activities providers visited the home regularly and people had opportunities to participate in events organised in conjunction with other care homes run by the provider.

People told us they enjoyed the activities provided at the home, although some people said they would like to see a wider range of activities. For example, one person told us, “The exercise classes are fun and I like the music, but they don’t provide much else. I play Scrabble when my friends come in.” Some of the relatives we spoke also with identified activities as an area which could be improved.

The manager told us improvement in activities provision was a theme which had emerged from the most recent resident/relative surveys and said plans had been made to act on this feedback. We noted improvement in activities provision was included in the home’s action plan, which included objectives to, ‘Develop and document activity plans based on residents' preferences and interests’, and to, ‘Ensure all activities are suitable for different needs, particularly for residents living with dementia.’

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.

We observed during our visit that staff responded to people’s immediate needs and acted promptly to ensure people’s safety and comfort.

People said they felt reassured knowing staff were available if they needed support. One person told us, “I feel safe because there is always someone around if you need them.”

During our visit a person was assessed by paramedics, who made the decision to transfer the person to hospital for further assessment. The paramedics requested the person’s medicines and information about their care needs. These were provided promptly by staff, which enabled a prompt and effective transfer to hospital.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff told us they were treated fairly and their individual rights respected. They said they felt valued for the work they did.

The PIR outlined the flexible working arrangements available to staff and the positive outcomes this had achieved, stating, ‘Staff can apply to swap shifts to meet individual needs, such as religious observances, childcare, or medical appointments. Staff have expressed that this flexibility allows them to balance their work and personal commitments, which has improved retention and morale.’