St George's Nursing Home (Oldham)

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 good. At this assessment the rating has remained as 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.
There was a culture of kindness in the home. We observed staff treating people with consideration and gentleness and spending time with people outside of tasks. Staff used gentle touch to get people’s attention and spoke kindly to people when supporting them with tasks such as eating.
We observed staff speaking sensitively to a person who needed help with personal care They spoke quietly, explained that they were wet and discreetly took them to their room to get changed, ensuring the person’s dignity was maintained at all times.
Feedback from families was positive. One person said, “The staff are caring and attentive to dad when I'm around on the unit.”.
The local authority were positive about the staff and the way they treated people they supported and their families, saying, “The care staff and management navigated some difficult situations with the service user’s family member and acted with professionalism and understanding”.
 

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met individual needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Care plans contained information specific to each person, including things they enjoyed talking about and were important to them. Where appropriate, care plans also included information about the person's non-verbal signs that may indicate they are in pain.

People’s personal and religious beliefs were also considered. One person living in the home said, “The carers give an adequate standard of care. Once or twice a month a priest comes to give me communion. I feel that I'm treated with dignity and respect here.”
 

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 offered choices, and where appropriate, staff supported them to understand their options and make informed decisions. During a music therapy session, we observed one person who was initially reluctant to participate. Instead, they chose to assist a staff member with a different activity. Over time, the person gradually became more engaged with the music session—this was entirely their choice, supported by staff. By the end of the session, they were fully involved, enjoying the music and dancing alongside staff members.

One of the signs on a notice board in one of the units said, “Our residents do not live in our workplace, we work in their home” One family member echoed this sentiment when they told us” The carers are friendly, fun loving and helpful. Dad chooses what he wants to wear and when he gets up and goes to bed.”
 

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 provider informed us that staffing levels were assessed based on the needs of the people being supported. These staffing levels were sufficient to allow for one-to-one care when required—for example, if a person needed closer observation due to being unwell.

We observed people’s needs being met to ensure comfort and dignity at all times including assistance with clothes, activities and food and drink.
 

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.
The provider and management team placed a strong emphasis on staff wellbeing. Staff were supported in a variety of ways, including access to an onsite psychology team, which was available to all staff, including night staff, for support.
Management maintained an open-door policy, encouraging staff to approach them with any concerns. Staff wellbeing was also a regular topic of discussion in lead nurse meetings, and individual staff members had felt comfortable seeking support when needed.
All staff had access to counselling services, and the provider had taken practical steps to support individuals facing personal challenge.,
Psychologists also ran group sessions focused on managing stress and anxiety, and management were flexible in reviewing shift patterns to accommodate staff experiencing personal difficulties.
Overall, there was a high level of mental health support available, and staff wellbeing was clearly prioritised across the service.