Juniper Court Care 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. This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated 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 and their relatives spoke positively about the staff supporting them. Comments included, “Very hardworking staff who have so many admirable qualities,”, “Very good. They chat to [my relative]” and “I am happy with the care staff and their attention to detail. They are caring and responsive.”

Feedback from health and social care professionals was positive about the care staff working in the home. Comments included, “I generally find the home to be person-centred, staff are aware of what is important to my client’s wellbeing,” and “I feel that the staff are very dedicated to their jobs and are always professional.”

We observed mostly positive interactions over the 2 days we visited the home. Staff were observed sitting with people and engaged in conversations with positive banter taking place. In contrast the dining experience was task orientated with limited communication in respect of offering people a choice of what they wanted to eat or drink. The music in one of the dining areas was extremely loud and for some made communication difficult as they were unable to hear what was being said to them. We raised this during the assessment. In response the deputy manager told us they had completed an observation of the dining experience and was working with staff to make improvements to ensure mealtimes was a sociable experience.

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.

Care plans included information about people’s preferences, cultural needs and their personal history including people that mattered to them. People's sensory and communication needs had been considered during the assessment process and formed part of the person's care. This included the use of glasses and hearing aids and different ways of expressing their needs.

We saw photos of activities that had recently taken place, which showed pictures of people taking part in a variety of activities including celebrating their birthdays with family and friends. People were offered opportunities to attend bible classes and the local church visited weekly.

Staff knew people well and could tell us about people's individual needs. Health professionals told us staff knew people well and worked alongside them to ensure care was person centred.

One professional told us they had recommended a person move to a busier part of the home, however staff had said this person preferred a quieter area and liked their own company. This showed staff knew people well and advocated for them. Whilst another person was supported to move to another part of the home to enable them to mix more with other people. The visiting professional said this had been a positive move. They told us the person was being listened to, and actions being taken to ensure it was what the person wanted.

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

Staff told us they would always involve people in their care, and they would always offer choices. A member of staff told us, “I support people by listening to their preferences, involving them in decisions, and respecting their choices whenever possible.”

The registered manager regularly held resident meetings to seek people’s feedback and suggestions which were responded to. For example, people in the home had been keen to have pet tortoises and a fund-raising event had been organised. As a result, 2 pet tortoises had pride of place in the home.

People were consulted about what they wanted to eat and what activities they wanted to take part in. Where people did not want to join in the group activities one to one activities were completed with people in their bedrooms.

People had a garden room available to them where they could entertain visitors. There were tea and coffee facilities that people could access. Some people had chosen to hold birthday celebrations in this area enabling them to invite extended family.

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.

Staff were responsive in meeting people’s needs throughout the assessment. Call bells were being answered promptly. Staff completed regular checks on people to ensure they had all they needed. Call bells were in close proximity to people so they could call staff if they needed assistance.

Staff told us, at times, the home could be busy such as during peak times when people were receiving personal care. However, the team worked together to ensure people received the care they needed. Staff told us in the event of an emergency the management team would support them to ensure people’s needs were met.

We observed staff responding to a person, who had expressed distress, staff were responsive and provided assurance to the person. However, a visitor had noticed that another person was becoming anxious. They had to point this out to staff that were present in the communal area as they had not noticed this. This was followed up with the management team and assurances were provided. We were told the staff member would attend further training building on their confidence, in supporting people that may become distressed.

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

Staff we spoke with told us they enjoyed their roles and felt supported both professionally and personally by the management team. Staff told us, “I am completely content in the job role I have,” and “I am always supported and listened to by my manager.” From talking with staff, it was evident the management team, nurses and seniors helped to support people alongside the care staff providing a whole team approach.

Regular supervision and annual appraisals were provided to staff to support their wellbeing and develop their skills and monitor performance. Staff confirmed the training they had completed enabled them to support people in a person-centred way meeting their health and wellbeing needs.

There was a 24 hour on call system where staff could go for advice or additional support. Rotas were planned in advance enabling staff to request time off and to plan their own personal life.