Wessex Lodge Nursing 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 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 treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. We observed positive interactions between staff and people using the service. In several instances, staff demonstrated respectful and person-centred care, knocking on doors before entering, offering drink choices, and using clear, supportive communication when assisting people with mobility. These practices promoted dignity, autonomy, and a sense of involvement in their care.

People and relatives spoke positively about staff, describing staff as kind and supportive. Comments from people included, “They are kind, and I would describe them as lovely. They go that extra mile to support me”, "They are lovely with everybody. Very kind people”, “Very kind carers, there isn’t anyone who isn’t kind”, “The carers get to know people and get to know when they need help. They are very helpful and kind people” and “The carers are very kind; they ask us what they can do for us.” Comments from relatives included, "The care is exceptional. Staff are lovely and kind … They are genuinely the right staff to care for him”, “Staff have a great sense of humour and have lovely relationships with all the residents”, “Staff are exceptional” and “Most of the staff do respect him.”

Staff spoke with warmth and genuine care about people. They were able to describe people’s interests, likes and dislikes.

The provider treated people as individuals and ensured that their care, support, and treatment reflected their needs and preferences. Staff took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture, unique backgrounds, and protected characteristics.

People told us that staff understood them well. One person said, “(Staff) know me so well and what I like and don’t like.” A relative told us, “They all know [person’s name] and her little quirks. She can get upset, but they know how to care for her.”

Cultural and spiritual support needs were understood and supported. People, relatives and staff confirmed that the provider had links with local places of worship and supported people’s dietary lifestyles in line with their preferences.

This feedback reflected a respectful and inclusive approach to care, where people’s identities, choices, and independence were recognised and supported in everyday practice.

The provider promoted people’s independence, ensuring they understood their rights and had choice and control over their care, treatment, and wellbeing.

People told us they were supported to make everyday choices and felt listened to and respected by staff. Comments included, “I am asked how I would like to be helped with showering or washing” “They know I do I can do most things myself and what I like done” and “They ask me how to do things in the way I want.”

Staff described how they encouraged people to maintain their independence, including supporting them to clean their own rooms, wash themselves, and make decisions about their daily routines. This promoted autonomy, dignity, and a sense of control.

People, relatives, and staff spoke positively about the recent introduction of an activities’ coordinator and the variety of activities available. The role was widely recognised as having a meaningful impact on wellbeing. A programme of group and one-to-one activities was in place, and staff described how they supported people to take part in ways that suited their preferences.

Leaders demonstrated a commitment to embedding a culture where all staff contributed to activity engagement, rather than relying solely on the activities’ coordinator. Staff gave examples of how they supported people with specific activities and showed good awareness of available options.

People and relatives also shared examples of staff supporting community access, such as trips to the local pub. Some people and relatives expressed a desire for more community-based activities and increased one-to-one engagement, particularly for those who may not enjoy group settings. Leaders acknowledged this and shared plans to expand community involvement, including exploring the use of a minibus to support outings.

We saw evidence of efforts to support personal relationships. Initiatives such as joint events with a neighbouring care home, family-inclusive gatherings, and personalised newsletters for people from their friends and family helped people stay connected with loved ones and the wider community.

People and relatives confirmed there were no restrictions on visiting, which supported personal relationships and individual preferences. Comments from people included, “There are no restrictions on visiting hours. This is important for me” and “I know that visitors come in at all different times, I’ve seen them.”

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views, and wishes. Staff responded promptly to people’s immediate needs and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern, or distress.

People told us they felt well cared for and that staff were responsive. Comments from people included, “Staff listen to what you want”, “Staff are good at looking after me”, “Carers get to you quickly if there is a problem and they know what they are doing”, “If I start to go dizzy, they get to me very quickly”, “Someone fell outside my door, staff arrived very quickly and dealt with it well”, “If I press the button, they are with me pretty quickly”, “They do come along quickly if I need anything” and “If I use my bell, staff get here quite quickly unless they are looking after somebody else.”

Whilst most feedback was positive, one person noted occasional delays, “Sometimes a bit too slow and I have to wait for them.” This was also reflected in feedback from relatives which was mixed. Some relatives felt where people needed support from more than 1 staff, at times there could be a delay until 2 staff were available. Other relatives told us, “Emotional support with the full-time staff is great”, “When they say to her 2 minutes, they guarantee they will come”, “They are on hand, got a call bell in the toilet too, he calls and they appear” and “Staff came straight away, they cater for every single need.”

Overall, staff were described as alert and responsive, and people felt reassured that help was available when needed. We observed staff responding promptly to people’s immediate needs. The provider had a call bell system in place that escalated alerts if not answered within a set timeframe. Staff also described how they monitored and anticipated support needs, particularly for people who may not be able to communicate them directly.

Feedback from people confirmed they were supported to access medical care when required. One person told us, “I had a problem with my foot, so the GP came in and gave me antibiotics.” We saw evidence of staff escalating concerns to external services, for example to the GP for chest infections.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff reported feeling well supported through regular supervisions and team meetings. The registered manager’s open-door policy and inclusive leadership approach fostered a culture of openness supporting staff to raise concerns and contribute to service improvement. Senior leaders were described as responsive and accessible, with effective communication and guidance that contributed to a positive working environment. Staff felt valued and informed.