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• 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 remained outstanding.
This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.
 

This service scored 90 (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 was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.
Staff demonstrated an exceptional and deeply embedded culture of kindness, compassion and dignity that consistently placed people's emotional wellbeing, wishes and relationships at the centre of care. Compassion was not limited to delivering commissioned support; staff built meaningful and trusted relationships which enabled people to feel valued, respected and genuinely cared for during some of the most difficult periods of their lives.
People and relatives consistently described staff as patient, warm and caring. One relative said staff provided "great care, support and attention and go above and beyond to make their day enjoyable rather than just stick them in front of the TV." Another described care professionals as "exemplary." Professionals also consistently described staff as compassionate, respectful and committed to acting in people's best interests.
Staff demonstrated exceptional empathy and emotional intelligence when supporting people experiencing distress, anxiety or vulnerability. Relatives described how staff took time to reassure a person living with dementia who was upset and frustrated, helping them make everyday decisions encouraged their involvement and interest in meal preparation and exercise. Through patient and compassionate support the person's mood improved significantly, reducing distress and provided reassurance for their family. Staff also developed trusting relationships with people experiencing self-neglect, supporting them at their own pace to make positive changes while respecting their attachment to possessions, personal history and right to make choices.
The provider's commitment to dignity and person-centred care extended beyond the boundaries of expected service delivery. Staff described how they continued to visit some people after their care needs changed and especially for those at risk of social isolation.. These visits helped people maintain trusted connections during periods of significant change, reduced feelings of isolation and provided families with reassurance that someone who understood their loved one's personality, preferences and usual presentation remained involved in their life. People benefited from strong and meaningful relationships with care staff which respected professional boundaries
One example demonstrated the exceptional compassion embedded within the service. A person living with a long-term health condition had developed highly trusting relationships with care staff over a time. Even after the person moved into residential care, staff maintained contact and continued to provide emotional support as they recognised the transition between care could be distressing. Staff supported the person during a significant period of ill health and provided emotional support to them and their family beyond what was expected of them as a care provider. This ensured the person was not alone during one of the most frightening and vulnerable moments of their life.
The impact of this support was profound. The person received comfort, reassurance and dignity at a time of significant fear and uncertainty. Their family described immense gratitude knowing a trusted person was by their side when they could not be present themselves. Throughout their care journey, staff supported the person to maintain control over decisions, preserve their independence and continue receiving support in ways that reflected their wishes and values. This relationship-centred approach also reduced caring pressures on family members, enabling them to spend meaningful time together as family rather than focusing solely on caring responsibilities.
As a result, people experienced care that went far beyond meeting practical needs. They felt respected, valued and understood as individuals, maintained their dignity and identity during periods of significant change, and experienced emotional wellbeing, reassurance and continuity through trusted relationships. Families described feeling supported, included and confident that their loved ones were cared for with genuine compassion, empathy and respect.
 

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met their needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds. Staff knew people well and developed meaningful relationships through consistent visits, longer call times and matching people with care professionals who shared their interests. Care plans contained information about people’s histories, relationships, routines, food preferences, faith, interests and desired outcomes. Daily records showed staff used this information to support meaningful conversations, activities, companionship and community access.
Staff adapted their approach to people’s individual circumstances. They used music, reminiscence and familiar routines to reassure people living with dementia, supported a person to reconnect with relatives when they felt lonely, and helped another person return to writing poetry and use positive affirmations to support their emotional wellbeing.
 

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 wellbeing.
Care plans described people’s desired outcomes and instructed staff to encourage participation rather than take over.
Staff demonstrated an exceptional commitment to promoting independence, choice and control by adapting support around the person's identity, life history, preferences and changing needs. Rather than focusing on limitations associated with their condition, staff took time to understand what mattered most to the person and tailored every aspect of support accordingly. They recognised that maintaining familiarity, personal identity and meaningful choice was fundamental to the person's wellbeing and sense of self. Staff carefully adapted their communication and approach so the person could continue making decisions about their daily life, personal care, routines and food choices in ways that felt comfortable and meaningful to them. When concerns arose regarding nutrition and wellbeing, staff worked creatively alongside the person and those important to them to identify solutions that reflected longstanding preferences and supported continued involvement in everyday decisions. As a result, the person became more engaged with support, experienced improvements in nutrition and personal wellbeing, reduced self-neglect and retained greater choice and control over their life despite increasing care needs. By continually adapting the service to the individual, rather than expecting the individual to adapt to the service, staff maximised independence, preserved dignity and enabled the person to maintain a strong sense of identity and autonomy for as long as possible. Additionally, as future care needs changed, staff continued to advocate for the person's wishes and preferences, ensuring that their voice remained central to decision-making and supporting a smooth transition to the next stage of care.
 

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 repeatedly said staff recognised changes quickly, adapted their approach and contacted families, managers or healthcare professionals without delay. Communication through telephone calls, emails, virtual meetings and the care app helped relatives remain informed and confident that concerns were being addressed.
Staff demonstrated professional curiosity and took preventative action. When staff identified that a person living with dementia had begun leaving their home at night, the provider arranged additional overnight support at short notice and the incident did not recur. A staff member contacted NHS 111 after recognising a person’s condition had deteriorated, remained involved and informed both the office and the person’s family. Staff also noticed changes in people’s mood, mobility, eating and drinking, skin condition and general presentation and escalated concerns appropriately.
Staff adjusted support in the moment to reduce distress. This included reassuring a person living with dementia, offering meaningful choices and taking them for a walk; adapting outings around mobility, visual impairment and the risk of sensory overload; and arranging familiar staff when schedules changed. Relatives said management resolved concerns immediately and kept them informed even when staff expected to arrive only 10 to 15 minutes late. A professional also described managers as highly responsive and said they held detailed discussions about what would work well for each person and then made the necessary arrangements during discomfort, concern or distress.
 

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.
Staff consistently described managers as approachable, kind and responsive. They said leaders listened to work-related and personal concerns, acted without blame and provided guidance whenever needed. Staff gave examples of managers supporting them through bereavement, serious illness and other personal difficulties. One staff member said they felt valued because concerns were “listened to and acted upon,” while others said managers were always available by telephone or in person.
The provider made a significant and sustained investment in staff development and resilience. This included funded annual team events, individual coaching for key roles, structured supervision, support visits, appraisals and opportunities to attend the annual provider conference. Team events gave staff a safe space to reflect, challenge practice, connect with colleagues and discuss the emotional impact of their work. Coaching covered emotional intelligence, leadership approaches, coaching skills and personal effectiveness. An external professional described a culture where staff solved problems without blame or fear and took shared responsibility for improvement.
Staff received induction, e-learning, practical workshops, refresher training and competency assessments. They said training increased their confidence and managers arranged additional guidance before they supported people with unfamiliar needs. Rotas supported continuity, included travel time and were planned in advance. Managers adjusted schedules when people’s needs changed and sought familiar staff during absences. Staff overwhelmingly felt supported, skilled, valued and able to speak openly.