Daventry Road

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 told us they liked the staff who supported them. One person said because of the relationships they had built with staff, “I like living here.” We saw people enjoyed spending time with staff and involving them in their daily lives. People appeared relaxed and comfortable in staff’s company and shared jokes and conversations with ease. We observed warm interactions between people and their key workers, and people felt confident to seek their advice when they wanted it. Staff responded with kindness, patience and interest.

Relatives were very complimentary about the staff team. One relative said, “[Staff] know [person’s name] well and there is good continuity of staff, so they get to trust them.” Another relative told us staff focused on what mattered to their family member and listened to their preferences, saying, “They do what [person’s name] wants. They help them keep their routine.”

Staff had an excellent understanding of people’s needs, preferences and what was important to them. They used this knowledge to offer meaningful choices and to support people to maintain relationships with family, friends, partners and others who were important to them.

Staff recognised the importance of continuity of care and spoke respectfully about the people they supported. They valued the trust people placed in them and the relationships they had built. One staff member said, “It is an honour and a privilege to care for the people here. To share my patience, love and give out kindness. If my child was in a care home, I'd want to know there were staff who would go above and beyond. That is what we try to do.”

Health and social care professionals also spoke positively about the caring culture within the home. One professional who had visited the service over a long period said, “I've never seen anything other than compassion and professionalism.”

Staff promoted people’s dignity and privacy and took practical steps to uphold these rights. For example, they knocked on people’s doors and sought permission before entering. A visiting professional confirmed staff always supported them to see people in their rooms, ensuring people’s privacy was respected.

Overall, people experienced warm, compassionate and person‑centred care from staff who knew them well and were committed to supporting them to live fulfilled lives.

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 experienced care which recognised them as individuals, valued their choices and supported them to live meaningful, fulfilling lives. Staff used their understanding of people, including through keyworker relationships, and responded to people’s preferences. A relative said, “[Person’s name] has a rapport with their keyworker and all the staff. [Staff] respond to who they want to receive care from.” This helped people feel comfortable, respected and in control.

People were supported to take part in activities which reflected their individual interests. Staff planned personalised weekly activity schedules with people, so each person had a structure in place which suited them. These plans varied between each person, and reflected their hobbies, routines and goals. Activities included board games, arts and crafts and cinema club. Staff planned days out around people’s individual interests, such as cinema trips, garden centres, train rides, parks, gardens and local festivals. A relative told us this meant their family member, “Gets to live the life they want to live. [Staff] work around them.”

A larger, monthly outing was arranged for each person. A staff member told us, “I enjoy doing the trips. That’s when you see people at their happiest. It makes all the hard work worth it.”

Staff ensured activities and outings were tailored and flexible. For example, when a group visited a cat café, staff arranged an alternative trip to a dessert café for a person who did not like animals. This meant everyone could enjoy an activity which suited them.

Relatives told us staff took people’s interests seriously and adapted support when people’s preferences changed. One relative said their family member enjoyed football but sometimes preferred to relax, and staff “work with them” to balance both. Another relative described how staff supported their family member to go on holiday to Cornwall with a close friend who also lived at the home. They told us, “I think that’s really nice. I like to go on holiday with my friends too.”

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 make their own choices and to have control over their daily lives. Staff promoted people’s independence, upheld their choices and supported them to live meaningful, self‑directed lives. People told us they chose the meals they wanted, and staff used pictures and visual menus to help people plan meals in a way which suited their communication needs. Some people enjoyed the independence of making their own drinks, helping with meal preparation and completing some household tasks. One person explained they were involved in preparing meals and washing up, which helped them maintain their skills and independence.

Staff encouraged people to spend their time as they wished, including choosing when to get up, when to go to bed and how to structure their day. People were supported to make decisions about what to wear, how to spend their time and which activities they wanted to take part in. Staff understood people’s right to decline aspects of their care and took time to listen to what support people wanted.

Relatives confirmed staff promoted people’s independence and respected their choices. One relative said, “[Person’s name] will ask the staff when they want to come here and they will call me.” Another relative told us, “[Staff] encourage [person’s name] to make a coffee when they want one, and something like a sandwich.”

Staff also supported people to keep in touch with those who were important to them and to attend social events, parties and celebrations at times of people’s choosing. One relative described how staff helped their family member manage choice in a way which felt safe and empowering, enabling them to feel more in control of decisions they could make for themselves. Staff did this by providing a limited number of options for their family member to choose from.

People were supported to express themselves and be the individuals they wished to be. Staff encouraged autonomy and helped people pursue relationships, interests and personal goals. For example, 1 person was supported to safely begin a new relationship, with staff offering guidance and reassurance while respecting the person’s privacy and independence.

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 attentive, responsive and compassionate, ensuring people received the right support at the right time. Staff were visible and available to people at all times, and we saw people did not have to wait long when they wanted support. This included times when people were anxious, distressed or needed assistance with their physical health.

Staff were able to anticipate when someone might need reassurance or support. They recognised early signs a person may be becoming distressed and responded in calm, reassuring ways, encouraging people to focus on what would help them feel settled and happy. Staff provided personalised support, helping people feel safe and reassured quickly.

Relatives told us staff recognised and responded to their family member’s changing needs. One relative said, “Staff have recognised [person’s name] has changed and have responded to it, they go with the flow with him.” A health and social care professional also described how staff availability and their understanding of a person’s health needs meant they could support key aspects of the person’s health more quickly than external professionals alone.

People’s care plans contained clear guidance to help staff identify early indicators of anxiety or distress and outlined strategies to prevent escalation.

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 received a thorough induction and the training they needed to provide safe, person‑centred care when they first started working at Daventry Road. They also had regular supervision, staff meetings, ongoing training and debriefs after significant incidents. These opportunities allowed staff to reflect on their practice, discuss their development and raise any concerns, including those relating to their own health and wellbeing.

Staff at all levels said the provider was supportive when they needed help with their own wellbeing. They described flexible working arrangements which enabled them to balance their personal needs with the needs of the people they supported. Staff told us this helped them feel valued and able to provide consistent, compassionate care.

The provider had systems to help keep both people and staff safe when out in the community. This included additional equipment and risk‑management processes designed to promote wellbeing and ensure staff felt confident and supported while carrying out their roles.