The Hollies

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 remained 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 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. We observed staff treating people with kindness, dignity, and respect.

Daily notes contained information about people’s emotional well-being, so staff were able to monitor if people were unhappy or distressed over a period of time. There was a relaxed and friendly atmosphere in the home, people and staff were relaxed in each other’s company. One person said, “I love it here, it’s the best place I have ever lived.”

People and their relatives gave very positive feedback about the care received at the home, they told us staff were kind and caring and they were happy with the support received. People all spoke very highly of the registered manager and staff. One person told us, “The staff look after me really well.” Another person told us, “I’m always chatting to staff.”

The kindness shown to people at the service was also felt by their relatives and professionals coming to the service. The actions of staff at the service gave relatives peace of mind knowing their family members were cared for. Staff spoke about people fondly and with compassion. People spoke positively about staff and the way they were treated. Relatives felt the service was caring. A relative said, “The service is person-centred. We feel the staff put their all into looking after people to the highest standard.”

A visiting professional told us, “I observe staff who are constantly approachable, caring and genuinely committed to doing what was best for each individual.” This meant people were treated with warmth and respect, helping them feel valued and safe.

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. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

People and relatives were extremely positive about their or their family members’ care. The service was designed in line with people's needs. Staff had supported people to identify goals and develop skills. Information about what worked well and what did not work was shared between the staff team to help develop consistent approaches, improve outcomes and support people achieve their outcomes.

Staff ensured people’s strengths were used to enhance their lives.Care plans were person-centred and based around the needs of the individual. People’s rooms were decorated and furnished to reflect their own tastes and interests. One person had a superhero mural in their room which had been painted by a staff member. Another person had a space themed room including a telescope. One person told us, “This place revolves around the residents.”

Staff recognised that people needed balance in their lives and some needed routine. People's lifestyle choices and decisions were respected. Each person at the service had a key worker and staff were motivated to identify opportunities for people to try new things. One staff member told us. “[Name] would like to go on an aeroplane, they have never done that before. I have spoken to management and rather than going abroad we would go to a UK airport. We would do lots of risk assessing first and help them towards that.”

Staff and leaders facilitated visits to support important relationships. Relatives said their family member was given choice and support to maintain contact with family. One relative told us staff arranged Facetime calls with various relatives which they really appreciated.

The service celebrated special events. A visiting professional told us, “I saw a lot of social and festive engagement and joined in with events like Halloween and Christmas. Many of the staff wanted to help foster a joyful atmosphere within the home and they also concentrate on outings for the service users.” This meant people received care that recognised and respected their unique needs, preferences, and identities.

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 included details about what people could do independently and how they were involved in day-to-day tasks. A staff member said, “We try to promote as much independence as possible. If [name] hasn't washed their pots properly staff will go over them again afterwards. The same with cooking, [name] likes to make pizzas, staff will help, and they will put it in the oven. They like to get as involved as possible.”

Staff offered choices about food, clothing and where to go out, taking into account when people had limited capacity. One relative told us “They think outside of the box.”

Each person either had access to their own vehicle or there was a large company vehicle which could be used. This meant they were able to go out individually and did not have to compromise their own preferences to fit in with others. A staff member talked about a person who lived at the service getting their own car and said, “They absolutely love it, their quality-of-life skyrockets. They are so much less limited with the car so they don’t have to walk or get on bus, they can still do that but when they need to go further afield cars are brilliant.”

Staff encouraged people to make decisions about how they spent their day and supported them to take part in activities they enjoyed. Communication was adapted to support choice, and people were given time to respond. Examples were seen of people going out and engaging in meaningful experiences. A staff member said, “I feel like we are all on the same page and all here to help people we support, promote independence, and get people out in the community.” This meant people were supported to make their own choices and maintain control over their daily lives.

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.

A positive behaviour support (PBS) practitioner worked with the service to help ensure people’s needs and preferences were understood and met. Each person had a PBS plan in place. PBS plans were detailed and contained information on how best to respond to them.

Staff provided emotional support when needed and consistently maintained people’s privacy. We observed staff respond to people as a team in a timely and caring manner. We observed that staff and people at the service knew each other well. This supported staff to respond to people quickly and efficiently. One person told us, “Staff are well trained. Staff know me and know how to help me. I only need to say I feel unwelland the GP sees me.”

Relatives were full of praise and gratitude for the staff.One relative said, “We feel the staff know [name] a lot better than we do.”

We received feedback from a medical professional who worked with the service who said, “I find the staff to be friendly, knowledgeable about the residents and quick to request advice or help when needed.” This meant people experienced compassionate, person-centred care from staff who knew them well, respected their preferences, and responded promptly to their needs.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff received regular supervision and appraisals to support them to deliver high quality care. Advice and guidance were provided in a nurturing and supportive manner. Supervision sessions provided a space where people could discuss any professional or personal challenges and explore support which may be available.

The management team had introduced a recognition scheme. Staff could nominate one another for recognition, and the winner could choose a treat for the team. Their picture and recognition details were also added to a display board. One example was fizzy drinks and snacks for night staff and pastries for day staff, and they had a staff recognition board. This helped to raise moral within the staff team.

Staff without exception told us they felt supported by managers at the service. A staff member told us, “[Registered manager] is very approachable, kind and caring and gives you the time of day no matter what you’re knocking on the office door for. They listen to everybody and they care about the residents as well not just numbers and the business side of it.”

The registered manager told us how they were able to provide emergency leave for staff and gave examples of when this had been used. There was an employee assistance programme in place that staff could access for support. Staff were also offered overtime, but this was capped to ensure staff didn’t work too many hours in a week to protect their wellbeing and keep people safe. The registered manager said, “One of the biggest things for looking after staff is the wellbeing. Some days everyone is ok and other days someone may need something.” This meant people received care from staff who felt supported, valued, and able to perform their roles effectively.