Hatherley Lodge

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 service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. This was our first inspection of this service. The service 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.

We observed staff treating people with dignity and respect throughout our time in the service. People told us they liked the staff and they were treated with respect. One person said, “The staff are nice, we are all well looked after here.” Another person commented, “The staff are not a bad lot, they treat me nice, I get everything I need, we all do.” A staff member told us most people were independent with personal care, and they always gained people' consent if anyone needed support with personal care. They made sure people’s privacy and dignity was respected by closing doors and windows.

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. People’s care records included sections that referred to things they liked to do and their cultural and religious needs and their preferences for personal relationships. Staff told us they took account of people’s culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. A staff member told us, “I understand the different cultural and religious needs of the people who live here. I am happy to support people in whatever way they want me to.” Another staff member said, “There is no judgement here. There is respect for people from different cultures and religions. People are supported to practice their religious needs.”

The deputy manager told us and people confirmed family and friends were welcome to visit them anytime without time restrictions. Family and friends usually called ahead so staff could let them know if their loved ones were going to be in or out on planned activities.

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

There were a range of planned activities for people to take part in. One person told us, “We play connect 4, bingo, colouring books, and go shopping. We are making clocks for our rooms. We go to the local pub, McDonalds and on coach trips to the seaside.” Another person said, “There are enough activities but not everyone wants to join in. I like going to the knitting sessions at the local library and I go to Church on Sundays.” A third person commented, “I go to the shops with staff, we do physical exercises and we go to the seaside on a coach.” The deputy manager told us the service had access to a coach from April till October each year, so they planned day trips with people. People had already planned a coach trip to Deal in April.

A health care professional told us their client had developed meaningful relationships with other residents and was encouraged to engage in activities that reflected their interests and passions. A social care professional told us, “The staff team support our client in accessing the community and taking part in organised trips as well as providing support for activities our client enjoys such as gardening, writing and painting.”

Staff promoted people’s independence. A person using the service told us, “I help staff in the kitchen, I empty bins. I keep my room tidy; I hope to move into my own place sometime in the future.” A staff member told us, “Some people want to help in the dining room, or help in general, it is their home. We support people to manage their laundry, and they are very independent with this.”

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. A staff member told us how they helped a person regain their confidence in going back out into the community. Another staff member told us that 1 person did not verbally communicate, however they recognised by their facial expressions and restricted movements when they required support with their needs.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. A staff member told us, “The managers have been very responsive to my particular protected characteristics and made some relevant adjustments, I am very grateful for this as it has meant that I can keep working.” Another staff member said, “I have regular supervision with the deputy manager every 2-3 months. We discuss my work and any personal circumstances that may arise. The deputy manager is very understanding.”