Rossendale House Care Home

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 rated 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 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. People and relatives praised the care they received from trained, compassionate and kind staff. Comments included, “The care is very good, and the good thing is that after being (person’s) sole carer for a good number of years I can take a step back and they can take care of both of us” and “The care has got better. The staff are picking things up and taking time to get to know (person) much better.” We observed staff throughout our assessment. We witnessed staff assisting a person to move using a hoist with respect, care and ensuring the person gave consent at every step. Staff spoke to the person with kindness including friendly chat which lightened the task. Staff were seen to be patient and treated people with dignity.

Staff had nothing but praise for how people were treated. Comments included, “This is the favourite home I have ever seen or been in. People are treated well and with dignity. We are a good team and it’s a whole different vibe here” and “People are treated well and with dignity. We are a good team, and we aim to give 100 percent to the people we care for.” Staff spoke about people in a kind and compassionate way and it was clear staff at all levels knew people well.

The registered manager undertook regular spot checks and observations of practice to ensure good care was being delivered. They said, “Care plans are personalised and regularly reviewed to ensure they reflect each resident’s individual needs, wishes and preferences, helping staff provide care that is tailored to the person rather than simply completing a list of tasks.” We saw extensive evidence of success stories where staff and leaders had worked closely with people to ensure the best possible outcomes. This was achieved through consistent communication, teamwork and person-centred planning. This helped to improve people’s outcomes and wellbeing.

Partner agencies told us people and themselves were treated well. One partner said, “It’s a lovely place to go where I am always welcomed with a smile.”

The provider treated people as individuals and 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 were able to provide examples of people’s individual needs and preferences. Staff spoke of people attending places of worship including Churches and how care was tailored to people where English was not their first language. We observed an activity where people discussed various topics and staff encouraged conversations around people’s cultures and backgrounds to ensure all people were treated equally and everyone’s voice was heard. Staff told us they had learnt a person’s native language to be better able to communicate with the person better. The environment felt calm and different areas of the service including small quieter lounges, seating on corridors and a library meant people could choose how and where to spend their time. Seating was set up for smaller groups to socialise and engage with each other to ensure people didn’t feel overwhelmed.

Care plans and life history books held extensive information on people’s past including families, jobs and how people liked to spend their time. Regular reviews and feedback from people and relatives ensured people were at the centre of the care they received resulting in more positive outcomes for people. Examples where shared by the registered manager of positive outcomes for people to evidence when staff had gone above and beyond their duties to ensure a person was not socially isolated and made to feel part of a community, even when unwell or being cared for in another setting. The registered manager said, “We ensure people are treated fairly, with dignity and without discrimination.”

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. An events notice board was displayed around the service in different areas to remind people of the activities on offer. We observed numerous activities during our site visit including a singer, chair exercises, quiz and arts and crafts. All activities were well attended and people appeared happy and engaged throughout. People and relatives spoke highly of the activities provided and we were told the service facilitated family events using the smaller lounges at the service. We saw evidence of previous activities including an animal safari that visited the service, a summer fayre and trips out. A gardening club had been introduced where people could plant flowers and vegetables. The planters were wheelchair friendly, so everyone was included. There were also plans to attend a local Church to help tidy the gardens to ensure people remained stimulated whilst having ties with the local community.We saw evidence in people’s care plans of preferred activities. Wellbeing staff completed feedback forms with people where suggestions were made on how people would like to spend their time. A restaurant club had been established where people chose a themed night and the food they would be eating. The plan was for people to serve food, and one person became ‘head of the restaurant’ with their own personalised apron and name badge. This empowered people and promoted independence. Staff spoke about people being empowered to make their own choices. They said, “If people don’t like the activity, nothing is set in stone. I give them a choice of other things they fancy and take it from there. No one is pressured to do anything.” The registered manager told us visits from loved ones were actively promoted. They said, “Once a month we hold spare chair Sunday where relatives can book to enjoy a Sunday meal with their loved one in the home, providing valuable time together in a relaxed environment.”

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Some concerns were raised in relation to the length of time nurse call bells sounded before staff responded to them. One relative said, “(Person) can be buzzing for a while.” We did note during our site visit that some nurse call bells were sounding for long periods. A call bell audit was reviewed during our assessment, and we could see staff did respond to the alarm but then the person pressed it again. The registered manager said, “We monitor call bell responses daily to ensure residents receive timely support. Response times are reviewed regularly to identify trends, busy periods and any calls that exceed our target response times. Where delays are identified, we investigate the reasons.”

We did receive positive comments from relatives stating their loved ones received assistance from staff should they require it. Following on from our assessment, the provider took our concerns on board and hired more care staff to ensure nurse call bell response times were minimal and that people could be assisted when required without long waits.

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 told us they were treated well and praised the leaders including unit managers, deputy manager and the registered manager. They said, “If I have any worries I can speak to [registered manager] she is a fantastic manager and I can’t fault [deputy manager].” The registered manager told us, “We are committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of our colleagues. We promote an open-door culture where staff feel comfortable speaking to the management team about any concerns, and regular one-to-one meetings and welfare discussions provide opportunities to check on (staff) wellbeing and offer support where needed.”

Staff have access to an employee assist programme providing free, confidential support including a 24-hour helpline. An awards scheme is open to all staff. A staff member was nominated each month by people, relatives and colleagues to recognise staff who have gone above and beyond in their role. Staff were encouraged to develop their skills including undertaking train the trainer qualifications in moving and handling and to take on champion roles to develop a specialised knowledge where they can share best practice with other staff. This ensured staff not only improved people’s quality of life but also developed their own skills and development.