Novus Care Limited - Surrey

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 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.

People and their relatives were positive about the care and support provided by the service. They told us staff treated them with kindness, compassion and dignity. People said they had developed positive, trusting relationships with staff and that their privacy was respected during care delivery. Feedback included, “I find they are very supportive and have empathy, they are there to help me”, “[Staff are] certainly respectful and she is treated with dignity” and “They are sweet, sweet [staff]. They are respectful and they try their hardest.”

The nominated individual told us, “We do training around dignity, not to discrimination, equality and all of these things with the staff and embedding that every day with people’s care.”

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.

People and relatives fed back positively on how staff supported people as individuals. One person told us, “They are very friendly and always come in saying, ‘Hello [person’s name’.”
A relative told us, “I feel that staff do not rush things, they give my mother time as required and respond to her needs appropriately and with respect.”

People confirmed that staff were polite, treated them as individuals and respected their choices and how they wished to live their lives. People’s care plans were person‑centred and included information about their background, care needs, abilities and preferences, as well as how they wanted to be cared for. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people’s cultural needs and backgrounds and took these into account when providing care. One person told us, “I want to be with somebody to be able to talk as well as I don’t see many people. It’s important to have someone to talk to and trust, and I can do these things with them. It’s a positive source, who will listen if I have to say something.” A member of staff told us, “The people we take care of sometimes live on their own, they become lonely and they need someone to talk to. So being there, it improves their emotional wellbeing.”

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

People were supported to remain as independent as possible and to stay in control of their lives and care needs. Staff understood the importance of promoting independence to help people continue living at home for as long as possible. One person told us, “They don’t do it (washing) for me, I do it all myself, but they are there if I need them.” A relative told us, “The carers they send to us know what they are doing and soon become part of the family.”

A member of staff told us, “The first visit is always difficult. You have to also build up your confidence with the service user. The service user has to be happy with you as well. You know, build that trust first day with the service user.”

Care and support plans clearly identified what people could do independently and how staff should provide support when needed. This helped people to retain choice and control over their care and support.
 

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.

One person told us, “They have got me through a very bad time, they helped me through that, If I had been on my own, I don’t know how I would have managed.”

People and their relatives told us staff were attentive and responded promptly when people’s needs changed. Staff spoke confidently about each person’s typical presentation and were able to describe how they recognised and responded to signs that someone required additional support. A member of staff told us, “If I'm going into a client, I can't be moody, I should be smiling, speak in a tone that makes them feel that I'm here for them, I'm here to help them.”

Care was delivered seamlessly across settings. In one example, staff continued to provide care alongside hospital staff when a person was admitted, maintaining familiar routines, supporting communication with professionals and offering reassurance and companionship. This continuity reduced anxiety and gave the person confidence at a time of distress.

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

The provider took steps to promote staff wellbeing and support staff to deliver person‑centred care. Staff were encouraged to share feedback through staff surveys, and the provider used health and wellbeing forms to help identify when staff may need additional support. The nominated individual told us, “In their probation, we don’t just do their spot checks and their supervision. It has wellbeing meetings, which isn't about work necessarily, because this job actually can take its toll on staff.”

Leaders were responsive when staff experienced difficulties both at and outside of work. We saw examples of staff being offered more frequent support meetings when they were struggling, which helped staff feel supported and valued. A member of staff told us, “[Registered manager] is a really good manager. And she can really identify when I'm snowed under her first
question isn't well why, it's what can I do to help you? I feel quite confident and comfortable being able to go to her and say, I don't know what I'm doing, or I can't do this, and feel supported rather than chastised.” This helped staff maintain a healthier work‑life balance and supported them to deliver consistent, compassionate care.

The provider recognised and valued the contribution of staff. An employee of the month scheme was in place, with staff nominating colleagues for the award. Staff who were successful received a day’s annual leave as recognition for their work. The provider also acknowledged staff wellbeing by offering staff a day off on their birthday. These initiatives demonstrated a commitment to valuing staff and promoting morale, which helped support a positive and motivated workforce.