Agincare Enable Dorset

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

This service scored 95 (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.

Feedback we received showed staff delivered compassionate, person-centred support, empathy, patience, and understanding. Feedback from people and their relatives was overwhelmingly positive and evidenced a strong, embedded culture where people were placed at the heart of care. Comments included describing staff as being ‘caring, professional, dedicated, with strong emphasis on effective communication, positive relationships, and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries’.

People described developing highly trusting and meaningful relationships with staff, supported by continuity of care and a consistent staff team. Staff told us “Continuity of care is very important because it helps build trust and positive relationships. People are more comfortable with familiar staff, and this allows us to understand their needs, preferences, and routines better, resulting in improved care and support”. And “When agency staff are required, the same agency workers are used where possible. This consistency helps build trust and familiarity, which benefits the individuals I support”. And “Continuity of care helps build trust, reduces anxiety, and enables us to provide more person-centred support.”

Staff told us “I believe people are cared for well. Staff are around on site at all times to support people to achieve their goals and ambitions, such as going to work, cinema or cooking.” And “The culture within the service is very supportive and caring”.

Relatives consistently shared positive feedback about the caring approach of staff and told us this gave them confidence and reassurance that people were receiving high-quality care. Their feedback reflected a service which not only met people’s needs but consistently exceeded expectations through a compassionate and respectful approach. Each relative we spoke with said their loved one was ‘always’ treated with dignity and respect.

Staff spoke about people with warmth and professionalism and demonstrated a clear understanding of the importance of delivering person-centred care. They were knowledgeable about people’s individual preferences, values and lifestyles and ensured care was tailored accordingly. Staff promoted independence, choice and control in a way that protected and enhanced people’s dignity. Staff told us “I respect people’s dignity by maintaining privacy, treating them with respect, and involving them in decisions about their care. I encourage independence by supporting people to do as much as possible for themselves and by offering choices whenever appropriate.

Staff told us “We provide care and support with dignity, respect, privacy, and courtesy that we would expect for ourselves or our own families. We achieve this through providing privacy in personal care, adult-to-adult communication and respecting their homes”.

Health and social care professionals spoke positively about the service and described a ‘collaborative, responsive and person-centred approach’ to the care and support people received. They told us, “Staff maintained effective communication, were open to feedback and worked proactively to respond to people’s changing needs”. Professionals reported that staff worked in partnership to achieve positive outcomes for people, and told us, “Staff clearly know the people they support very well.”

The provider demonstrated a commitment to promoting kindness and inclusion beyond the delivery of regulated activity. The provider liaised with healthcare professionals and the local authority in planning and developing future provisions for people with learning disabilities and autism. This showed the provider’s wider commitment to supporting people with dignity and compassion within the local community.

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.

The providers care planning system was focused on keeping people as independent as possible to live well in their own homes. Care records contained detailed and personalised information about each person’s preferences and routines. Feedback from staff confirmed an individualised approach was fully embedded in the service’s culture and everyday practice.A relative told us “Staff would soon find out if {Person} is not happy about something. Staff do try and explain or to do something different to see if that approach is better.” Staff told us, “If extra time is needed to support a person, it is discussed with management and arranged.”

A healthcare professional told us, “Staff have developed greater confidence in their ability to support {Name}, alongside a deeper understanding of their triggers, communication needs, and effective de-escalation techniques. This has led to more positive, consistent, and trusting relationships between {Name} and the staff team, creating a calmer and more predictable environment.” Another told us, “Staff support all clients to meet their needs in a positive way to ensure they are supported to be as independent as possible.”

The provider had an equality and diversity policy in place. The policy detailed the providers commitment to uphold legislation and best practice to ensure people and staff were treated fairly.Staff described how, “Knowing the person well helps ensure I treat them fairly as they wish. I have received training in equality and diversity which is monitored by feedback and spot checks.”

A relative described how “Staff are encouraged to give people their own free will, to do the things they want to do”. Another said, “Staff make quite a lot of effort, to do things in the way that {Person} likes.”

The service had adopted the FREDA principles of fairness, respect, equality, dignity, and autonomy. Staff and leaders fully understood that without rights-respecting care, people’s human rights could not be truly upheld, respected, valued and celebrated.

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

Care plans detailed how people and staff could promote independence, choice and control. For example, encouraging people to do as much for themselves as possible and by ways of offering choices. Relatives told us “{Name} gets to choose what she eats, planning her menu at the beginning of the week, there is a range of things that she can choose from. I would say they do try and give her choice where it's appropriate”. Another relative said “Staff support {Name} to live independently”. Staff described how they encouraged people to remain as independent as possible and be involved in their care. Staff told us “Most of the time the individuals make their own minds up and choices, if they need help, I will give them a couple of options to help the individual decide what they would like”.

A healthcare professional said, “Staff support all clients to be as independent as possible”. The provider received several compliments from family members, comments made included; ‘Really appreciate your commitment to helping [name] feel understood, supported, and empowered to make positive choices in their life.’

The provider told us people’s rights were central to the organisation’s way of working. They told us staff demonstrated these values throughout their work, which was monitored during spot checks and training. Staff told us, “Staff are encouraged to promote and respect people’s individuality and rights.” And “We encourage their independence and assist them to make choices using their preferred method of communication, such as pictures or assisted technology”.

The provider worked with other organisations from another county that strived to help young adults to develop their life skills and independence.

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.

The culture was open, and staff, registered manager and provider strived to provide a service to enable the person to have a fulfilling life. Overall, the feedback demonstrated a consistent pattern of high-quality, person-centred care that responded to people’s individual needs and preferences.

Staff described how they supported people to pursue their personal interest and aspirations. For example, enabling people to maintain interests in steam trains. A social care professional told us “Staff have facilitated activities proposed by individuals such as: joining a social event with other locally supported people, accessing areas for enjoyment such as the seafront, becoming a ‘Dignity Ambassador’, accessing the garden independently to enjoy their hobby looking after the plants, attending sporting activities of their choice such as boxing and looking at options to volunteer with the Scouts.” This meant people were able to enjoy personal interests and be part of their local community.

Records showed how people were supported to achieve ambitions. One example showed how a person was supported to plan, arrange and attend a concert in a large city. Every detail for the day was planned in steps that were manageable for the person. From budgeting for the event, arranging transport, planning food and refreshments and discussing what to expect at the venue. This approach, and with staff reassuring the person throughout, meant the person attended an event they had always wanted to experience, and they demonstrated increased confidence, independence, decision-making skills, and resilience.

Staff told us “The service delivers person centred care, promotes independence, and supports people to live fulfilling lives. The staff are dedicated and committed to providing quality care.” And “The service is very responsive to individual needs and always open to going extra mile.” The service has a positive impact on people's quality of life by helping them maintain their independence, wellbeing, and involvement in their local community. Support is provided in a way that encourages choice and empowers individuals to remain in control of their daily lives wherever possible. People have been supported to access public transport independently of staff. This has improved people’s confidence and reliance on staff”.

A social care professional told us the management and staff “Set high expectations for the people they support and help people to follow their interests”.

People and their relatives told us overall communication with the service was effective, and they felt informed and actively involved in decisions about care. Records showed that staff supported people’s needs and responded appropriately. They liaised with external professionals when necessary, ensuring timely interventions and person-centred responses.
People were supported by staff and a service who were proactive and responsive to their changing needs. Relatives told us staff know people very well and communicated well, especially in connection with their relative’s health needs. People were supported by staff and a provider who were proactive and responsive to their changing needs. Support was tailored to each person’s individual needs. This included making adaptations to people’s own homes to help their independence. A relative told us, “{Name} loves her bath and it is part of their sensory plan. They did not have a bath only a shower, we had to go through hoops, etc, but eventually we did get the landlord to agree to allow a bath to be put in. It was really important to {Name}, that she had that as part of her sensory plan”.

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 were supported by the provider with their wellbeing. This had enabled them to provide care to people in a safe way. Feedback we received from staff showed they were passionate about their roles.Staff told us they worked well together and felt valued and supported by the registered manager and provider who they described as being ‘very approachable and supportive’. Staff told us “My experience working at Agincare Enable Dorset has been positive. The team works well together and there is a strong focus on providing person centred care. What works well is the dedication of staff and the support provided to people using the service”.

Staff described how the provider enhanced their wellbeing. Staff told us, “Good flexible working arrangements to accommodate personal commitments and providing adequate leave to support a healthy work-life balance.” Another staff said, “I appreciate the way staff members are recognised and appreciated for their hard work and achievements.”

The provider offered initiatives for staff that included a ‘Refer a Friend’ bonus when they were recruited, a discount card for certain shops and restaurants, the opportunity to join the company pension scheme and an Employee Assistance Programme that offered confidential advice and wellbeing support. Staff told us this made them “Feel valued, management work well and help create a positive working environment.” Regular staff meetings and opportunities for team working had helped to foster a positive and inclusive working culture. This included regular, informal staff check-ins. Clear processes were in place to support staff with their mental and emotional health, and staff told us they had felt listened to.

The registered manager told us staff retention was good, and if agency cover was needed, regular agency staff were used who people know well. Staff told us “Staff morale is very good. Management bring in sweet treats for staff from time to time and most staff attended a ‘team bonding night’ which was good.”And “I feel motivated and highly valued”.