Sidmouth 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 outstanding. At this assessment 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 95 (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. Overall staff showed compassion and kindness when supporting people throughout the 2 visits. People and relatives told us staff were kind and caring. However, during our visit, we observed 1 person had not been supported in a dignified manner.This was addressed by the provider.

The provider 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 outlined people’s preferences in detail. People and relatives told us that staff met their care needs including their communication needs and treated people individually. The provider shared several examples of how people were treated as individuals. For example, in one case a person was not settling into the home and staff realised they had been used to getting up early and following their morning routine, once this was put in place, the person responded very positively. In another case a person who had taught piano was given a keyboard and with support from staff they were able to enjoy this activity which had been very important to them throughout their life. Another person was given the opportunity to experience the joys of a classic car which they had a lifelong interest in. Overall people were able to continue to do things they had done prior to moving into the home. These experiences enhanced people’s lives.

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and well being.People were encouraged to be as independent as possible. The provider shared several examples with us of supporting people to be independent and have choice and control over their lives. In each case people’s well being had improved. For example, equipment such as walking aids, bespoke chairs, moving and handling equipment was available for people to use so they could remain mobile and independent. The provider managed to obtain a specialist chair for 1 person which meant they could be more comfortable and sit in an area of the home they had previously found difficult. Staff promoted people’s rights for example; by assisting people to exercise their civil right to vote, this was done by post. The provider invited health care professionals to the home to offer support to people such as the optician, dentist and chiropodist. There was a befriending service made available to people, and a church pastor visited the home when requested. All the above showed the provider went the extra mile to promote people’s choice.

The provider was exceptional in how they 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 and relatives told us that staff responded to them as quickly as possible. For example, if a person had a fall, an ambulance was called, and immediate support was given. During our visit, we observed staff attending to people when it was required. The provider shared with us several examples of how they were able to meet people’s immediate needs. In each case the person’s health needs had improved. The team and management team responded to people’s changing needs swiftly which meant they had quick medical interventions leading to improved health outcomes.

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care. The provider engaged with staff at all levels. Emphasis was placed on staff well-being. For example, staff were provided with a massage chair which they could use during breaks which supported staff well-being. Feedback from an employee’s survey was overwhelmingly positive about the way the managerial team supported them. Staff were supported to develop their skills and move up in the organisation. Staff were supported to obtain other qualifications and take up further education. Staff were given flexible working hours when requested.