Wisteria Lodge

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 been changed to 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.

People and relatives consistently described staff as exceptionally kind, compassionate and respectful, providing many examples of how this positively influenced their wellbeing. Comments included, “[Staff] are exceptionally kind and caring, so gentle”, “Staff are an extended family to her, she thinks they are family. They are so kind and loving and I really trust them” and “I cannot praise the care and nursing staff enough. I spend significant time in the home and as a result have got to know all the staff. Without exception they are responsive, understanding, empathetic and caring.”

Professionals external to the service were also positive about the caring nature of staff. One told us, “I have always found the care provided at Wisteria Lodge to be compassionate, individualised and focused on maintaining the wellbeing, dignity and quality of life of its residents.”

Staff actively looked for opportunities to improve people's lives and to create moments that mattered to them. This was embedded in everyday practice and was understood by staff at all levels. For example, the clinical manager told us, “We all look at how we can make someone’s life better. It makes us proud.” There were many examples of when staff had gone out of their way to provide special moments for people, demonstrating their care. For example, 1 person who was cared for in bed, had a particular love of birds of prey. Staff arranged for a bird handler to bring birds into the service so the person could hold one. This created an extremely meaningful experience for them and resulted in what a staff member described as“happy tears.”Another person had been a keen tennis player. Staff adapted strawberries and cream to the consistency of diet they required and supported them to watch Wimbledon, enabling them to enjoy something that had been important to them. A relative also told us that when their family member reached 100 years of age, staff organised a“wonderful celebration with balloons.”

Treating people with dignity, respect and promoting their privacy was embedded throughout service delivery. The provider had implemented ‘The Wisteria Way’ training to ensure all staff understood the importance of these values. Throughout our inspection we observed genuine, respectful and person-centred interactions between staff and people creating a welcoming atmosphere throughout the service. Staff knew individuals exceptionally well and supported them to engage in meaningful activities.For example, when 1 person became anxious, staff had recognised that undertaking household activities eased their anxiety and gave them a sense of purpose. A staff member was encouraging the person to fold linen and we heard them say, “Thank you, you’re doing an excellent job.” We saw the person to relax and smile.

People also told us how their dignity and privacy was respected. One person said, “They [staff] treat me with dignity and respect, they always knock the door when they come in and if one of the [male staff]comes to help me,they always askdo you mind me or do you want one of the ladies.”

Relatives told us staff’s care extended beyond people to themselves. One relative told us, “I would add that not infrequently management and others recognise when I may be struggling emotionally and mentally and check that I am coping.” The clinical manager told us 1 person’s husband had become saddened when their wife’s interaction with them had lessened. They supported the relative to bring in their wedding album which prompted memories and supported the relationship.

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.

Staff demonstrated an exceptional commitment to getting to know people as individuals, taking time to understand their backgrounds, life histories, interests, and personal strengths. For example, people and relatives were asked to complete a life-story prompt book to share people’s life stories and memories. Staff used these to understand people and to support meaningful conversations and interactions. All staff spoke warmly and knowledgeably about people and could describe what mattered to them, what they enjoyed, what they found reassuring and how they preferred to spend their time. For example, a staff member told us, “[Person] loves ‘girly’ things so we make sure she has her hair and nails done and make up and jewellery on.”

The provider had documented a journey about a person who was admitted experiencing extreme periods of distress. The clinical manager told us, “We always ask, what can we do differently to make this resident feel safe, understood and at home?” As staff got to know the person, they understood the cause of the episodes and implemented successful strategies to prevent the cause. Photographs showed the person thriving and enjoying a good quality of life.

People’s care was organised around their individual needs and preferences rather than being determined by the home’s established routines. For example, the clinical manager told us several people preferred to get up and start their day at a similar time. In response an additional staff member was introduced during this period. This meant people were supported to get up when they wanted, without having to wait for staff availability.

The service had developed an outstanding range of meaningful activities that were thoughtfully tailored to people’s individual histories, interests, preferences and past experiences. Activities included a book club, gardening, visits from nursery and school children, singers and pet therapy. People told us they valued the activities available, and during our inspection we observed people actively engaged and clearly enjoying the opportunities provided. Relatives also told us how the social life at Wisteria Lodge benefited people. One said, “[Person] wasvery quiet and withdrawnon admission but is nowsmiling, happy and enjoys entertainment and company.As a family we could not be any happier.”

The provider had also developed an innovative initiative that used people’s previous occupations to inform highly personalised activities. This enabled staff to draw on what was meaningful to each person and support them to reconnect with familiar roles and interests. For example, a retired nursery nurse was supported through doll therapy, caring for a doll in a way that reflected her previous role. A person who had worked as a secretary was enabled to make notes and check staff rotas, while a retired engineer was provided with a toolbox and familiar tools to explore and use. This promoted a strong sense of purpose, identity, achievement and belonging, and demonstrated the provider’s commitment to ensuring people experienced a rich and fulfilling quality of life.

People had been supported to exercise their rights in relation to their care and treatment. For example, 1 person with complex needs had particular beliefs and preferences which meant they did not always follow recommended guidance. Staff listened to the person's views and respected their individual choices, adapting the way care was provided to reflect their wishes. The person's relative and external professionals were involved when specialised support or advice was required. Records showed staff understood the person's individual needs, beliefs and choices and used this information to guide the care and support they provided. This demonstrated the person remained central to decisions about their care and was supported to exercise choice and control in their day-to-day life. Another relative told us, “[Person] is encouraged to make decisions about eating and drinking.”

The provider recognised the importance of maintaining family and social connections. People and their relatives told us they could visit at any time and stay for as long as they wished. Visitors were welcomed with complimentary food and drinks, and people were supported to invite family and friends to join them for meals, celebrations and events.

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.

Staff supported in a timely way and in line with their needs. A relative told us their family member sometimes rang their call bell very frequently and staff responded promptly and patiently.

People were supported to remain comfortable. Where people could not verbally express pain, the provider used a pain tool to ensure they remained pain free.

Relatives told us staff supported people kindly if they became emotional. For example, 1 relative said, “One day [person] was upset, and the staff member was so kind to her and brilliant.”

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.

Staff wellbeing was a clear and embedded priority within the service. The provider offered a range of meaningful support, including counselling, reflective sessions and employee assistance programmes, and was accredited by Investors in People, demonstrating its commitment to valuing, supporting and developing its workforce.

Staff spoke exceptionally positively about the culture and support they received. Managers were described as approachable, compassionate and genuinely invested in staff’s wellbeing and development. One staff member told us, “I came as a carer, then senior, did level 5 [a qualification in care], then I joined the management team. I have been in the role 4 years. I love it.” Staff described feeling like a “big family”, reflecting the strong sense of belonging and teamwork across the service. This was supported by recent survey results, with 100% of staff saying they would recommend the service as a place to work.

The provider had initiatives to recognise and celebrate its staff. Recognition included employee of the month, International Nurses Day celebrations, special occasion gifts and regular social events. Staff were encouraged to share food from their cultures during games afternoons and evenings, strengthening relationships, inclusion and understanding across the team. Managers told us they celebrated staff’s birthdays and special occasions as they would with their own families and had arranged a hotel celebration for staff at Christmas.

This strong culture was recognised by people and their relatives. One relative told us, “Staff seem to be respectful of managers and are a really great bunch of people and staff are close. There is a friendly rapport with each other. They also have days when they celebrate the staff. The morale is very good.” Another said, “It is a good team, they care about each other, and they are happy and safe in their working environment and supported.”

The provider’s sustained investment in its workforce had created an exceptionally positive culture where staff felt valued, supported and empowered to thrive. Staff were encouraged to develop their careers and were given opportunities to progress, contributing to a confident, motivated and highly engaged workforce. This had a direct positive impact on the quality and consistency of person-centred care people received.