Asher Excellent

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 requires improvement. At this inspection the rating has changed to 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.

We received positive feedback from a person supported by the staff. They told us, “The staff are very good and I am very happy with them.” They added, “They are always kind towards me and have a caring approach.”

Staff demonstrated a caring attitude and gave examples of how they gave care and support in a way that promoted dignity and respect. One staff member told us, “I always close the door and cover the person with a towel while giving a strip wash.” One person told us, “I don’t feel embarrassed with the staff as they involve me and we have a laugh and a chat."

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.

Staff had a good understanding of the importance of treating people as individuals and in giving care and support in a personalised way. One staff member told us, “It’s so important to treat people as individuals and give care in a way they like it."

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

One person spoken with told us they were supported to make decisions about their care and support. Staff feedback to us demonstrated how staff promoted people’s independence. For example, 1 staff member told us, “[Person’s name] is able to select their own clothing, and also decide what they would like us to make for their meals and what drinks to prepare. We always give independence wherever possible."

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.

The operations manager told us they would always work with people in meeting their needs. They gave us an example of one person who was able to contact the district nursing team themselves if they felt their skin was becoming sore but updated the care staff if they had done so. The operations manager told us they, and care staff, then followed any guidance from the district nursing team to ensure the person’s immediate needs were met so as their skin did not become damaged.

The provider informed us that care call times were scheduled around people’s needs and if a person wished to have changes made to times, this would be facilitated, for example if they had hospital appointments to attend.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The provider had a small staff team and knew them well. Staff had one-to-one meetings with leaders and also had the opportunity to complete staff feedback forms. When feedback forms had been completed, the provider met with staff to discuss these.

Where staff did not drive, the current arrangement was that the operations manager drove staff to and from care calls. The operations manager told us this arrangement currently supported staff and ensured their wellbeing.