Deerswood 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 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 changed to Outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 95 (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 was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. Interactions between people, staff and relatives were warm, friendly and relaxed.
The staff team worked with people and their relatives to understand what dignity meant to them, there was a dedicated dignity and wellbeing champion who led on this work. A member of staff told us, “We really look after the people in our care, we are taught to treat them as we would our own family.” Relatives told us staff worked hard to get to know them and the people they supported, and treated people with dignity and respect. A relative told us, “The staff are amazing, we’re so happy with the care [my relative] gets. I love the place. I love coming here to visit and I know he’s so happy.” Feedback from another person stated how the approach of staff had a positive impact on their wellbeing. They said, ‘I’m very happy being here. For me, I would go as far to say that it saved me. Having company, people being there when I have been on my own, it has been all support here. There are a lot of kind people here.’
People and relatives, without exception, spoke highly about the care delivered by staff and managers. The actions of staff helped people and their relatives feel confident in the care delivered. One person told us, “All the staff are great, but [staff member] is a marvel to me.” Some relatives spoke about their initial reluctance to consider a care home for their loved one, and their feeling of stress and guilt in relation to this, but found that the high-quality care, support and attention to detail provided by Deerswood Lodge had alleviated these concerns. Feedback from relatives included, “This place is brilliant and my [relative] is so much happier here than the last place, and she was there for 14 years.” And ‘I don’t hear very many positive stories about moving into care homes, but I can honestly say that it has been the best thing that has ever happened for us, and that is down to you at Deerswood. Thank you doesn’t seem enough.’
 

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Staff knew all people extremely well, and were knowledgeable about who they were as people, including their backgrounds, interests, needs and preferences. It was evident in our observations that all people were treated as individuals, and we saw many cases of people having their individuality celebrated. For example, one person had expressed an interest in being a DJ, therefore staff had arranged a festival for everyone at the service in which this person would host and DJ. A ‘Midnight knitting club’ had been set up by night staff for people who struggled to sleep. This resulted in people’s anxiety at night reducing as they had an activity to help them relax and engage with others.
Staff learned about people’s backgrounds and understood what made each person unique. This enabled them to shape support that suited each person specifically, in a way that increased their wellbeing and joy. For example, one person living with dementia had experienced heightened anxiety. Following life history work, staff linked this to their previous role as an accountant. Staff developed meaningful tasks using simulated invoices and paperwork familiar to the person’s past experiences. This reduced the person’s anxiety and provided them with a sense of purpose and reassurance.

The provider promoted equality, diversity and inclusion, and staff understood people’s individual cultural, religious and social needs, including dietary preferences, traditions and languages. Regular “International Day” events helped people and staff learn more about each other’s backgrounds and cultures, which promoted friendships, inclusion and person-centred relationships. These events demonstrated how equality and diversity were embedded into everyday practice and contributed positively to people’s experiences of care. Staff communicated in ways people understood and used tools when people needed extra support, such as language translation software and matching staff with people who spoke the same language. During our visit we observed care that felt personal, thoughtful and shaped around what each person valued most.
 

The provider was exceptional at supporting people to remain in control of their lives and make choices that reflected their identity, preferences and cultural needs. Staff consistently enabled people to do as much as they could for themselves, using personalised approaches that balanced encouragement, safety and autonomy. Support was adapted sensitively to uphold dignity and independence. For example, people were supported to be involved in romantic relationships and were treated as experts in their own lives.
Staff supported people to develop meaningful roles and relationships within the service, which promoted independence, wellbeing and self-esteem. For example, people actively worked in the garden, made and sold craftwork to raise money for charity, were supported to learn new skills such as cooking and horticulture, engaged with local schools, colleges and organisations and to be a part of the community they lived in. One person told us, “I don’t like to join in with many activities, that’s my choice, but I really enjoy being outside and the gardening activities. The staff are very nice.” Staff were skilled at adapting communication, so people could express their preferences. Individualised communication methods ensured people could remain independent and engaged in activities and tasks important to them, including talking books, music therapy and tailored sensory approaches for people with visual or hearing impairments. Regular reviews ensured support remained responsive to people’s changing needs and preferences.
People who experienced emotional distress, were supported with validation, calm reassurance and distraction, helping them feel understood and in control of decisions about their care. Staff also used family involvement and tailored communication tools to support decision-making where capacity fluctuated. People had real control over how they spent their time and how their personal space looked. Rooms were highly personalised, reflecting people’s identities, history and preferences. These choices improved confidence, motivation and independence, and we saw a visible positive impact on wellbeing across the service. A member of staff told us, “They get amazing care here. We really look after the people in our care, we love them like our own 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 on hand to support people when they wanted and needed it. They responded quickly to call bells, but also to people’s requests both inside and outside of the service in the extensive gardens. A relative told us, “Staff are always available. You only have to look up and they will be there, they’re pretty amazing actually.”
Staff were aware of people’s needs and understood when people needed assistance. One member of staff told us, “We have enough staff to spend time with people and get to know them. I recognise straight away if someone needs me.” Feedback from people was monitored to ensure their needs were met and the registered manager regularly observed care and spoke with people to ensure they were happy.

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of theirstaff, andwas exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staffconsistentlyspokeextremelyhighlyof the provider and told us leaders were always supportive and responsive to their individual wellbeing needs, including adapting roles and working arrangements to support staff with personal circumstances or health conditions. A member of staff told us, “Without [registered manager] and working here, I would be completely lost, they have done so much for me.”

The provider promoted a positive and inclusive culture where staff felt valued, listened to and involved in decision making. Deerswood Lodge is operated by Shaw Healthcare which is an employee-owned organisation. The organisation believes their care teams are at the heart of all they do, and staff had opportunities to contribute ideas, influence improvements and share in the organisation’s success. Leaders encouraged feedback through suggestion schemes and recognised staff contributions through awards, development opportunities and progression pathways. A member of staff told us, “I’m very proud to work here, the managers and all the staff support each other. We’re encouraged to be the best we can be.”

The provider actively prioritised staff wellbeing and recognition through initiatives such as appreciation events, employee awards, long service celebrations and access to wellbeing support services. Staff were entirely positive about the strong team culture and told us they felt respected, supported and proud to work at the service. We saw examples of staff receiving specialist training and support to develop and be promoted within their roles.Low staff turnover and strong teamwork promoted excellent continuity of care for people, creating a positive,consistentand caringenvironment.