Sheepwalk 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 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 80 (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. People and their relatives gave very positive feedback about the care received at the home, they told us staff were kind and caring and they were happy with the support received. We observed staff treating people with kindness, dignity, and respect. There was a relaxed and friendly atmosphere in the home, people and staff appeared relaxed in each other’s company.

Relatives all spoke very highly of the registered manager and staff. The kindness shown to people at the service was also felt by their relatives. A relative said, “[Registered manager] is practically on speed dial if I need them, absolutely they are so open. I worry they must never leave. If staff leave it’s like a bereavement. They are a lovely person kindness itself and level-headed.” Another said, “All easy to approach and talk to you, you feel like part of the families.”

The actions of staff at the service gave relatives peace of mind knowing their family members were cared for. A relative told us, “[name] has got limited communication skills, we take cues from their behaviour. Every fortnight they come home overnight and the following day, they are eager to come home [to Sheepwalk House] and gets their bags ready.”

Staff spoke about people fondly and with compassion. A staff member said, “It’s their home and that’s genuinely what it is, what they want to do, their rooms, their dinners, they go out when they want.”

Daily notes contained information about people’s emotional well-being, so staff were able to monitor if people were unhappy or distressed over a period of time. One example was where someone had limited money in their bank account and wanted to do a particular activity. The staff member documented that they explained why it was not possible and though the person understood, they were upset. The staff member then went to a shop and bought themselves a bag of sweets that they shared with the person. This action displayed that the staff member knew the person well and had listened to the person and what mattered to them.

This meant people were treated with warmth and respect, helping them feel valued and safe.

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 supported to set goals and achieve their outcomes. Staff ensured people’s strengths were used to enhance their lives. Care plans were person-centred and based around the needs of the individual.

An internal positive behaviour support practitioner worked with the service to help ensure people’s needs and preferences were understood and met. People’s rooms were decorated and furnished to reflect their own tastes and interests.

Where a person was living a long way away from family or the area they grew up in, staff and leaders facilitated visits to support important relationships. Staff recognised that people needed balance in their lives and some needed routine. People's lifestyle choices and decisions were respected. A staff member said, “We tidy up [name] room, as soon as they come back, they get it back to a mess, which is exactly as they want it.” This meant people received care that recognised and respected their unique needs, preferences, and identities.

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

Care plans included details about what people could do independently and how they were involved in day-to-day tasks. One relative said, “They have choices and actively says what they want. When they were first there they wouldn’t go out, since then they go swimming, cinema, ice skating, trampolining, walking and theatre. Their world has broadened so much.”

Staff encouraged people to make decisions about how they spent their day and supported them to take part in activities they enjoyed. Examples were seen of people going out and engaging in meaningful experiences. Communication was adapted to support choice, and people were given time to respond. Each person had access to their own vehicle which meant they were able to go out individually and were not having to compromise their own preferences to fit in with others.

This meant people were supported to make their own choices and maintain control over their daily lives.

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.

Where a relative had requested carers of the same gender to care for their loved one, this was respected. Staff ensured people’s privacy was maintained as all times and worked together as a team to ensure people’s needs were responded to quickly but appropriately and in a very person-centred way.

Relatives were full of praise and gratitude for the staff.A relative told us about a time when their loved one was in a public place and became overwhelmed. They were informed about the situation and told how other Sheepwalk House staff had come to where they were and their presence alone made the person feel at ease. The relative said, “They know how to diffuse it, it reassures me.”

We observed staff responding to people in a timely and caring manner. Interactions observed evidenced that staff and people at the service knew each other well, this supported staff to respond to people quickly and efficiently, particularly where people had limited or alternative methods of communication.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff received regular supervision and appraisals to support them to deliver high quality care. Advice and guidance were provided in a nurturing and supportive manner. Supervision sessions provided a space where people could discuss any professional or personal challenges and explore support which may be available. Staff without exception told us they felt supported by managers at the service.

A staff member told us, “We have a chance to have a counsellor for mental health problems if we need them, phone numbers are in office. We have a mental health first aider here too and they would give us numbers and just talking about problems. We can go to [registered manager] as well, we’ve got plenty of support. The counsellor we could ring and speak to, was out of the company. Very flexible. I find the company will work around like if people have got children and need to change hours and things like that.”

Another staff member said, “[registered manager] does my supervision, we go through all sorts, ask how I feel I’m doing, if I want to do any course - NVQ 3. They ask. They [registered manager] have been there for me, been through quite a lot and all team members have been supportive, we are really good with each other. All of them, could turn to anybody. The best place I’ve ever worked.” This meant people received care from staff who felt supported, valued, and able to perform their roles effectively.