St Johns Wood

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

A person described staff as “Kind, pleasant and like a friend.” A relative said “[Staff] are caring and thoughtful. They have [person’s] best interest at heart.” Staff supported people to express their needs, respected cultural and personal preferences, and guided them safely when necessary. A person who described the support they had received with personal care said, “[Staff] are so professional, I am never embarrassed.” Staff also worked respectfully with colleagues and other professionals such as district nurses to provide coordinated care.

Staff spoke with respect about people they supported, and management emphasised the importance of treating people in a dignified manner.

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. A relative said, ‘” Carers are very aware of [person’s] religious background’. Another family member described the staff approach as “Very natural” and ensuring “Individual care.”

The registered manager allocated care workers to people based on personality, experience, interests and skills to meet each person’s individual needs.

People confirmed care was tailored to what they wanted to do and how they wanted to be supported. Staff encouraged independence where safe and adapted care to reflect each person’s routines, preferences, and abilities.

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

People told us they remained in charge of their routines and preferences. One relative said, “[Person] is in charge, and [person] is getting what [they] need.”.

Care plans included information about people’s choices and preferences. Staff adapted care to reflect people’s emotional wellbeing, levels of confusion and changes in their needs each day.

The provider had systems for people and their relatives to give feedback about their care and support. This feedback was largely positive.

This showed that people were supported to do the things that mattered to them, in ways that respected their choices and abilities.

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.

The provider had reviewed and adapted care plans and risk assessments when needed. People and their relatives reported punctual, flexible and attentive care from staff.

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

Staff said they felt valued and supported, with regular supervision that considered their wellbeing as well as their workload. A staff member told us, “The manager is approachable, always listens, and supports us if we have any concerns.”

Staff told us their training gave them the skills and confidence to provide good quality care.

The provider had a lone working policy which outlined clear safety procedures for nurses and care workers. This included mandatory check-in and check-out calls, wellbeing calls during longer visits, and escalation steps if staff could not be reached.

Staff carried photo ID and were encouraged to report any risks promptly. These measures gave staff confidence that their safety and wellbeing were prioritised while working in people’s homes.