Albany House - Stratford-upon-Avon

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 who supported them and described caring, respectful relationships. People told us staff were kind, treated them with dignity and took time to understand them as individuals. One person said, “The staff here are nice” and relatives described staff as, “Very kind.”

Following compassionate and supportive care to their family member, 1 person’s family had presented staff at the service with a plaque, as a mark of their appreciation for the “Exceptional care, compassion, dedication and kindness” shown by staff.

During the inspection, we observed warm and positive interactions between staff and people. Staff took time to talk with people, ask about their wellbeing and provide support in a caring and discreet way. People were comfortable in the company of staff and engaged with them confidently.

Staff knew people well, including their personal histories, preferences and what was important to them. Staff told us they learned about people's backgrounds through conversations with them and by reviewing care records. This helped them provide personalised care in the ways people preferred.

Staff respected people's privacy and dignity. For example, they knocked on bedroom doors before entering, offered personal care discreetly and supported people in a way which maintained their independence and choice.

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 received person-centred care which recognised their strengths, preferences and individual goals. Staff understood people's needs well and tailored support to help them achieve outcomes which were important to them. For example, staff supported 1 person who felt anxious when spending time independently in the community by breaking their goal into small, achievable steps and identifying strategies which worked for them. As a result, the person was able to confidently enjoy local walks on their own.

People told us they received flexible support which promoted their independence and respected their right to make choices about their daily lives. Staff adapted care provided to reflect people's wishes, abilities and changing needs.

People were supported to pursue interests and activities which were meaningful to them. Some enjoyed spending time in the community with staff, while others preferred to access community facilities independently and travel further afield. People also chose to take part in group activities and celebrations within the home. One person told us, “Christmas here was good. There was about 13 of us, we played games and had Christmas lunch.”

Staff responded to people's individual needs and identified equipment or support which could help them remain independent and enjoy the activities they valued. One person explained how this support had enabled them to spend more time doing things they enjoyed and told us, “I am off to the pub tonight.”

People said they were able to maintain relationships that were important to them and could receive visitors without restriction. One person told us, “My mom and dad can come and visit me. I know it's important to them.” Relatives told us visits were not rushed, and they were made welcome by staff.

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

People were supported to develop and maintain their independence in ways that were meaningful to them. Staff encouraged people to build everyday living skills and make choices about how and where they spent their time. Some people chose to help prepare meals, while others preferred not to. One person told us, “You can cook or not cook, depends on whether you feel like it.”

People had choice and control over their daily lives and were supported to make decisions about their routines and future goals. One person said, “I get up at what time I want.”

Staff supported people to achieve their aspirations and increase their independence. Some people were working towards attending college, while others had been supported to gain employment. Staff also helped people develop the skills needed to manage their own tenancies and live as independently as possible in the future.

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.mjn yu

People told us staff responded promptly when they needed support and were available when required. For some people this was having time to talk with staff, while for others it involved a timely response when they felt unwell or required urgent assistance. People were confident staff would respond when needed.

During the inspection, we observed staff recognising and responding to people's needs sensitively and without delay. Staff were attentive to people's wellbeing and were skilled at identifying when someone may need reassurance, support or intervention. They responded appropriately to minimise discomfort, reduce anxiety and help ensure people felt safe, as well as possible, and supported.

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 felt supported in their roles through regular shift handovers, team meetings and 1-to-1 supervision with their managers. Staff gave examples of leaders working flexibly to support their individual circumstances, aspirations and professional development. This helped staff achieve their own goals and promoted continuity of care for people using the service.

Staff said they felt valued and that responsibilities were shared fairly across the team. Most staff worked a combination of day and night shifts and told us managers planned rotas to allow sufficient rest between shifts. This helped support staff wellbeing and ensured people were cared for by staff who knew them well and understood their needs.