Greensand 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.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered 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 70 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Leaders and staff always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Staff consistently demonstrated kindness and compassion, and people and relatives repeatedly described them as friendly, patient and respectful. One person said, “They are friendly.”

Relatives told us staff took care to maintain people’s dignity however there were some concerns raised around the frequency people had their hair washed. One relative told us, “I don’t think her hair is washed enough. Today it smells really bad and I’ve asked them about washing it. I don’t know how often they do it.” We also confirmed from the person’s care notes they only had their hair washed once over 18 days. We noted there were other people whose hair looked greasy. A visiting professional told us they had also raised this as a concern in the past but felt this had improved. A member of staff told us that some people carried out their own personal care and that “We try to do it daily (showers). Some people do their own personal care, but you are not always sure they’ve done it. It’s difficult to say that to them though.” The manager told us in response that residents will be specifically allocated a day each week to have their hair washed [outside of being offered day]. They said, “If residents do refuse this will be documented. We are introducing where staff use positive language to encourage residents to have their hair washed. We are working close with relatives to see if they can come in to support the team to encourage their loved one to have their hair washed.”

However, people were seen being supported in a calm, unhurried way during lunch, and staff took time to gain consent and ensure comfort. We found people’s clothing was well cared for and people’s clothes were coordinated well. People’s dignity was maintained, even when providing full personal care. We also saw caring interactions between staff and people with 1 complimenting a person on their new hairstyle. An external professional told us, “Staff interactions with residents were warm and respectful.”

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 and relatives told us staff knew them well, including their personal histories, preferences and routines, and they felt genuinely treated as individuals. Relatives described personalised care such as accommodating food preferences, supporting cultural or personal needs, and adapting activities for people who were unable to join group sessions. A member of staff said, “I make everything person-centred. I address them how they want to be addressed.” The manager told us, “Staff can look at the residents care plan, we encourage them to read so they can get to know each resident very well.”

Staff demonstrated a clear understanding of how to tailor care, using accessible information, picture cards and individual communication approaches. People were being given options on drinks, and we saw some people had juice and others had wine. People were being shown options of meals to help make their decision. During an activity the activity ball game staff member showed a lot of patience. One person could not work out how to throw the ball back; however, they were encouraged by the staff member who showed compassion and patience.

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

People were supported to make day‑to‑day choices about when to get up, what to eat and how they wished to spend their time. A relative said, “They have a lot of activities going on, and they encourage mum to join in.” Staff encouraged people to do as much as they could for themselves and used equipment or therapy input where appropriate to maintain their mobility and independence. People were able to receive visitors freely and were supported to keep in touch with family, with relatives confirming they could “visit any time” and felt involved in decisions. Online feedback from a relative included, ‘Visitors are warmly welcomed and Greensands has a real 'family' feel about it. We can't thank them enough.’

We observed people moving around the floor independently, sitting where they chose or staying in their rooms instead of coming to the communal rooms. When 1 person’s relative came in to visit them, they went to the coffee area on the ground floor.

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.

People and relatives described staff as responsive, saying staff always informed them when people’s needs changed or when incidents occurred. Staff recognised when people needed assistance, including those unable to communicate verbally, and examples included staff quickly supporting people with toileting needs or repositioning to prevent discomfort. We observed positive interactions between people and staff, for example, when 1 person was being given their medicine by a member of staff, we heard the person ask them for a cuddle which they gave. Observations during lunch showed staff responded promptly to requests, supported people who required help and offering alternatives if needed. During an activity we observed a member of staff kept every person engaged with the activity. They knew each person by name, understood their strengths and weaknesses and encouraged them all to take part.

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

Staff told us they felt valued, listened to and well supported by the leadership team. One told us, “When I first started to work here, I felt at home, a place I wanted to come again. Everyone is so lovely.” Staff reported good teamwork, a positive culture and support during difficult situations, which contributed to their wellbeing and confidence at work. Staff commented they would be happy for their own relatives to live in the service, reflecting their confidence in standards of care and the supportive working environment. The manager told us, “We have activities for staff that go on. For example, we had a nutrition and hydration week two weeks ago. We had trolleys going around with drinks, with healthier snacks for the staff. We have a programme within the company for their wellbeing. So, they can contact them. It's confidential. They can scan the QR code and speak to someone about their wellbeing if they would like any support.”