Malden House

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 outstanding. At this assessment the rating has changed to good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 85 (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 being caring, kind and patient when supporting people. Relatives made comments such as, “The staff are kind and caring and know mum well. Staff are very warm and friendly” and “He gets on very well with the staff who care for him, and yes treated with dignity and respect, and they know his likes and dislikes.”Relatives were made to feel welcome in the service and encouraged to dine with their loved ones and join in activities and trips.

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 were treated as individuals. Care plans were tailored for each person. Staff knew people well. The registered manager told us, “Each month I hold a resident meeting to discuss anything specific that the residents would like to do or any concerns. We review food, activities, health and safety and general wellbeing. During last month's meeting, we set up a small men's choir group as they would like to sing.” Resident meeting records showed people had a lot of input and actions had been followed up by the team.

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew them rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff promoted people’s independence. Relatives told us there were lots of meaningful activities in the home for example, outings, exercises, games and creative arts. One relative said, “My husband has been in the home about 18 months now. He was not safe at home, had some falls. This is on one level, and they monitor him all the time with his mobility. They also monitor but let him be independent where he can be.” Another relative said, “[My relative] is blind, but the staff are very good, and they can still paint with their encouragement.” The registered manager told us that a person living at the service bakes cakes with the support of the cook. This has had an impact on their well-being by improving their self-esteem, reduced low mood and gave them a reason to get up in the mornings.The service also organised a choir conducted by a person living in the home. Signing and listening to music has had an impact on people’s wellbeing. Staff told us they make every effort to support people to maintain their independence for as long as possible.

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.During our visit we observed staff supporting people to have their lunch. On 2 occasions 2 people became distressed. Staff were quick to respond to people’s needs and offer them reassurance. People responded to staff and each person became calmer and less anxious.

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff told us they felt valued and had a very supportive management team. Surveys carried out by the provider showed that staff were overall happy working for the provider. One staff member told us, “I feel valued, listened to and supported, can say any issues without fear”. Another staff member said, “I feel supported by the team manages and like working at the home."

Responses from the survey such as staff were thanked for doing a good job, staff reported they had a good work-life balance. The registered manager told us they celebrate different occasions making sure all staff are included. For example, during events for the home, staff were able to learn about different cultures and had themed lunches and activities. The team embraced this and were able to showcase their countries.

The provider held other events such as a family day where staff were encouraged to invite their families to the home and join in the activities. On some occasions staff were able to come into work in different clothing to celebrate their culture.

The provider holds an annual awards ceremony for their staff. People, relatives and the wider community can be involved and vote for staff based on their hard work. Last year the activities person won an award for all the great activities they had organised. In addition, there were ways for staff to be promoted and improve their skills. They can go onto become seniors and managers which helps career progression.The register manager told us, “We operate development pathways, including a Carer-to-Senior pathway or Leadership Development for our Deputies and Home Managers, as well as anyone in the organisation with managerial responsibilities, which supports experienced team members to develop leadership, care planning, and supervisory skills in preparation to further their career”. The management team care about the staff wellbeing and try to do as much for their staff as possible.