Weald Hall Residential Home

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 inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection 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 80 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Staff always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. People told us they had good relationships with staff who looked after them well. A person told us, “It’s excellent here. It smells clean and it is clean. The staff can’t do enough for you. The staff tell us it is our home. One of the carers in particular looks after me very well. They go above and beyond. Nothing is too much trouble for them. There is a lot of laughter here.” Staff we spoke with knew people well including their personal history, background and goals. Staff had time to talk with people and build positive relationships.

The service 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. Care plans were person-centred and reflected people’s individual needs and preferences. The management team and staff spent time getting to know people and regularly discussed their likes, dislikes and preferred routines. The lifestyle Lead took time to understand what activities people enjoyed and how best to support their social and emotional wellbeing.
The management team gave examples of how people were supported to pursue interests and goals that were important to them. The service took time to understand people's life histories, hobbies and aspirations and used this information to provide personalised support. For example, staff created individual memory books for people, containing photographs of activities they had participated in and experiences they had enjoyed. These helped capture meaningful moments and supported reminiscence and engagement.
Staff were committed to supporting people to maintain lifelong interests and experiences that were important to them. For example, 1 person had previously enjoyed flying and had a longstanding interest in aviation. To support this, the service arranged for the person to fly in a light aircraft, which travelled to Ipswich. This enabled the person to revisit an activity they had always enjoyed and demonstrated the service's commitment to providing personalised, person-centred experiences based on people's individual histories, interests and aspirations.
The service had also developed facilities designed around people's interests and wellbeing. This included a pub-themed area in the garden, complete with a bar, pool table and television, providing a social space for people to spend time with others. In addition, there was a dementia-friendly room designed to support people living with dementia through familiar and meaningful surroundings. These spaces provided opportunities for social engagement, reminiscence and recreational activities tailored to people's individual needs and preferences.
A relative told us, “The carers feel like part of my family now. I love it here. As soon as [relative] came here, [relative] started engaging with life again. [Relative] has always loved bowls and belonged to a local club. The carers take them there, which is lovely. They will also take [relative] to hospital appointments if I can’t do it. They bring as many people as they can into the lounge, even though it may be difficult to get them there, they make sure nobody is left out or alone in their rooms.”
Another relative told us, “It is magical here. When we were looking for somewhere for [relative] to live, I felt an instant connection with this place. I had seen 6 other places, and I wanted this one so badly for [relative]. There are always plenty of staff here. They take [relative] out on day trips, like a river cruise which they loved. It knocks the socks off of other care homes that I know of. I feel a bit sorry for the people living in the other ones.”
 

The service promoted people's independence and supported them to have choice and control over their lives. People were encouraged to pursue their interests, participate in activities of their choosing and maintain relationships with those important to them. The service provided opportunities for people to take part in activities that reflected their interests and promoted social inclusion. For example, the service hosted different events, bringing together people, their relatives and members of the local community. Some of the event’s included live entertainment, refreshments and stalls and provided people with opportunities to socialise, maintain relationships and enjoy meaningful experiences based on their preferences and interests. Feedback from people and their relatives was positive, with the event creating enjoyable memories and strengthening community connections.

The service 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. People told us staff were very good and they were not kept waiting when they needed support. A person told us, “I have a stoma and they help me with it. I feel safe. This place is ideal for me. They make sure that I drink enough in this hot weather.”

The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff. Staff felt well supported working at the service and found it to be a positive experience for them. The manager had a number of systems in place to support and engage with staff. There was an open-door policy in the office and staff could access the office at any time to speak to the management team. Feedback from staff was positive regarding the support they received from the management team. A member of staff told us, “I really enjoy working here. The managers are very approachable, and I don’t have to think twice before sharing any feedback.”