Union Supported Living

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 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.

Relatives spoke positively about the support their loved one received. They told us, “Staff are respectful and have built up strong relationships with [Person],” and “Staff do respect [Person’s] privacy.”

Staff members we spoke with demonstrated a good knowledge of the person, describing their likes, dislikes and preferred their care routines with warmth and kindness.

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.

Relatives valued the support provided to their loved one. Staff recognised the importance of treating people as individuals and providing support in a personalised way. A staff member told us, “[Person] is very complex and the care plan fits around this. [Person] is a good teacher; it’s all interwoven to ensure staff get to know them, but [Person] does change with each staff member, based on the relationship built up.”

Care records captured the person’s preferences and needs, including information about important events in their life history, how they wished to be supported, and their likes and dislikes. The importance of a structured routine to help reduce their anxiety was also detailed in their care records.

People’s protected characteristics such as religious beliefs and disability were reflected in care records. Staff spoken with clearly understood the person’s individual needs and how best to support them. A staff member told us, “We more less know from their body language; the more you connect with them, the easier it is to know what they want. When [Person] wants to say something to me, they look right into my eyes and use their iPad. It’s important to take lots of time, be patient, talk very low, and you’re able to get the information. If you rush the communication, you’re not going to get it."

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

The person was supported to make daily choices about their meals, drinks and activities, which relatives confirmed. A staff member told us, “[Person] likes being able to choose what they want to eat and all the activities they enjoy, and following their routine is very important to them. When they have had enough of an activity, they let us know and we leave.”

Staff used accessible communication methods, including an iPad, gestures and photos, to help support the person’s understanding and make choices.

Where possible the person was involved in planning and reviewing their care and support. Records captured their preferences and needs. This included how they wanted to be supported by staff and what the person could do for themselves to maintain their independence. A staff member told us, “When it comes to personal care and changing clothes, they will do this by themselves with staff offering encouragement and prompts."

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.

During our visit, staff were available and attentive to the person’s needs. Staff spent time chatting to them and encouraging them to join in conservations. A video shared with the inspector showed [Person] participating in a range of activities based on their interests.

Staff knew the person well and adapted their communication and interactions in response to their mood and anxiety levels. Staff gave the person time to process information and respond, which helped them remain calm and express their choices. A staff member told us, [Person] communicates mostly through an iPad. When they are happy, they are quite vocal and use hand gestures. If they are unhappy with something, you see this by their facial expressions and the sounds they make.”

The service worked closely with a range of health and social care professionals to ensure the person’s health needs were closely monitored, supporting them to achieve good outcomes.

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

Staff felt supported and enjoyed working at the service. One staff member told us, “The managers are very accommodating, and responsive to any questions.” Another said, “I go to the team leader who is very supportive, I enjoy working here and feel listened to.”

Staff received the guidance and information they needed to fulfil their roles, supported by clear communication in individual and team meetings. One staff member told us, “We work well as a team; it’s a good, stable team."