Wheldale Heights

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 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 85 (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.

Staff were consistently caring. They had developed positive relationships with people based on kindness and respect. Feedback from people and relatives regarding the approach of staff was positive. Comments included, “Staff are very welcoming, like a second family. They genuinely care about [Name],” “Staff really care for [Name]. One thing we can take away from this is [they] are being looked after in a place that really cares” and “They are kind to me.” In addition, a visiting professional told us, “Staff are interacting with people well, they are kind.”

People’s dignity was maintained and they were treated with respect. One person told us, “They knock on my door and treat me with respect and dignity.”

Professionals from other organisations were welcomed into the service.

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.

Staff knew people well and supported them in a way that respected individuality and achieved positive outcomes. One relative told us, “They know how to approach [Name] to get the best results [for the person].” People’s backgrounds and personal life histories were detailed in care records and used to inform care provision. For example, staff supported 1 person who used to play rugby to attend a match. The service had a multi-faith room where various religious materials were accessible, to support people's faith.

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.

People were supported to maintain their independence and do things they were able to do for themselves. People were encouraged to make decisions about their care. They chose what they wanted to do and how they spent their time. Activities were available and there was a flexible approach to how these were facilitated to suit the specific needs and interests of people. For example, 1 person had been supported by staff to participate in an activity involving horses which also included their family. An activity staff member told us, “We like to make their goals happen.”

People were supported to access the local community. For example, staff supported 1 person to go shopping to choose some new clothes and people attended a nearby coffee morning. There were many examples of events and activities taking place, involving external providers and communities, for example, pet therapy, singers and children from the local school. The provider consistently held celebration events which included religious festivals. Relatives, friends and the nearby community were welcomed to these events.

The activity staff members knew people well. They were passionate about their role and aimed to make a difference, to enhance people’s quality of life and wellbeing.

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 understood people well. They responded promptly to meet people’s needs. Staff knew how to respond to each person in a supportive way. Feedback from relatives included, “[Name] is getting the right kind of care here” and “The staff are always calm and don’t rush.” We observed staff supporting people effectively when they became distressed, helping them to experience positive outcomes. Staff adapted their communication style to meet the needs of people. Effective communication between staff and people supported a relaxed atmosphere at the service.

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

The registered manager really cared about staff wellbeing and the ability of the whole team to provide a high standard of care for people. They ensured strong support systems were in place, including access to mental health first aiders and an employee assistance programme. The registered manager had effectively implemented systems to monitor how staff were feeling and took proactive steps to intervene and improve things for individuals when needed. They fostered a culture of meaningful engagement and empowerment amongst the staff team, creating regular opportunities and safe spaces for staff to openly discuss both personal and work-related matters.

Staff consistently told us they felt supported. Feedback included, “I am supported really well” and “I feel really supported.”