The Gables

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. This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated 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 always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. People and relatives praised staff on their kindness and compassion, they told us staff were patient and caring. One person told us, “The staff are lovely, they always knock on my door and greet me with a smile” another person said, “I like living here, the staff are kind, they respect my wishes, I have not had any issues”. Relatives shared the same views, some of the comments included, “The staff are always welcoming and professional, I thought at first, how long will this last, but no, they remain just the same, they have endless patience with (relative)”. We observed some positive interactions with people where staff were empathetic and patient. We also observed staff provided sensitive support to a person to ensure their needs and wishes were promoted.

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’s care plans demonstrated ways in which people were treated as individuals, for example, one relative told us, “They (relative) like and dislike certain people, the staff are aware of this, (relative) responds really well to (staff), so they fetched them and they calmed down and was settled. The senior called me to let me know what had happened, they are excellent with communicating things to us”. Staff treated people as individuals, one staff member shared, “I was chatting to a resident about the amazing pastry on a pie made by the chef, we learned they loved to make pastry and pies, especially apple pies. We held a two-day activity making the pies with the chef and other residents. These sessions follow on to making Eton Mess, tomato and herb bread, using ingredients grown by the residents and planning others such a sloe gin and truffles for Christmas”.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. People and relatives told us they had choice and control over their lives, and this was important to them. One person told us, “The staff are great, (staff member) is taking me into to town this morning, they take me out 2 or 3 times a week”. Another person said, “The staff do try to encourage me to join in the activities, I do get a bit down in my room, I do feel a little better when I join in, but sometimes it’s just too much for me, the staff do listen to me and I am thankful to them”. People told us they were involved in activities and were engaged in changes to the service; this was also evident from people’s care plans. People were involved in other opportunities and activities which were in the local community and some people attended with their friends and family.

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. We received mixed feedback in relation to staff responding to people’s immediate needs. Some people told us staff attended immediately when they used their call bell, others said they needed to wait for up to half an hour. However, there was no evidence to suggest people were waiting for long periods of time, and the call bell responses we observed were reasonable. One person told us, “‘I didn’t feel well last weekend, and the staff got the doctor, I started on antibiotics, I think this was responsive”. Some people wore alarm pendants to alert staff when they needed assistance. We observed staff regularly checking on people who spent time in their rooms.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to deliver person-centred care. Staff told us of the recent changes in the services management structure and said they felt supported by the management team. One staff member said, “The operations and deputy manager are really approachable, they have been supporting us with a listening group where we can meet with them on a 1-1 and share information in confidence”. Staff told us they enjoyed working as part of a team. Another staff member said, “I love working here, I feel well supported, I have won a making a difference award which I am really proud of. I feel valued”. The provider held a quarterly award to an employee who makes a difference, this is nominated by relatives, people, visitors and colleagues. Staff are nominated for their contributions to the service for their hard work, the staff member will then be nominated for the providers yearly award ceremony. Staff birthdays and other special occasions were also recognised by the provider where staff receive a gift. Other incentives were also available where staff could access hardship grants, this is a scheme which provided grants which are not repayable to staff members who are experiencing some difficulty. Staff also had access to a 24-hour counselling helpline.