Hatzfeld House

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 changed to 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 90 (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 demonstrated exceptional commitment to delivering care with kindness, empathy and compassion. People’s privacy and dignity were consistently respected, and staff created a culture of warmth and inclusivity that extended beyond the service to professionals from other organisations. Feedback from people, relatives and healthcare professionals was overwhelmingly positive. Comments included, “they are caring”, “the staff are kind, and we get on well together”, “staff are kind, and they help with everything” and “I like the staff, they support you. They look after us and I feel safe.” A healthcare professional told us, “The staff are all incredible and make the care and treatment of the resident’s top priority. They will all go above and beyond to ensure that every patient has the best level of care and quality of life.”

Our observations confirmed these views. Interactions between staff and people were genuine, respectful and person-centred, creating a welcoming and homely atmosphere throughout the service. Staff knew individuals exceptionally well and supported them to engage in meaningful activities, such as reading the newspaper, playing cards and crafts. Every interaction reflected patience and respect, promoting autonomy and enhancing emotional and physical wellbeing.

Management recognised staff for their exceptional commitment to delivering care with kindness and issued a monthly newsletter called ‘Acts of Kindness’ with examples of acts of exceptional kindness observed by the staff team. For example, a staff member spent time with a service user whilst on their break, staff donated numerous gifts for in-house raffles for people, and staff continuously supported service users by regularly asking if they need support to anticipate people’s needs. We observed this dedicated practice during our visit.

This culture of kindness and compassion was embedded in everyday practice, ensuring people consistently experienced exceptional care that prioritised dignity, respect and choice.

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support needs and preferences were met and respected. Care was highly personalised, with people always treated as individuals. People’s bedrooms reflected personal tastes, for example, one person who loved dogs had dog-themed bedding in line with their preferences. Celebrations were tailored to each person, with birthdays marked by personalised parties and gifts. For example, one person chose to celebrate with coffee and cake, while another enjoyed a disco. Regular themed events, such as Chinese New Year, Irish dinners, French evenings and disco nights, created vibrant opportunities for social engagement. A person told us, “I like to go to the disco… there is dancing and I dance. I am happy here.”

People’s religious and cultural needs were respected, with staff supporting individuals to attend local church services regularly. Wellbeing journals captured what mattered most to people, ensuring their likes, dislikes and feelings were heard and acted upon. The journals had a specific focus on people’s holistic emotional and physical health; giving people an opportunity to discuss what made people feel in control, healthy, foster good relationships and live a good life and to feel well looked after. This proactive and person-centred practice empowered staff to tailor care that promoted autonomy, dignity and emotional security, ensuring people received individualised care.

People felt fully involved and valued in their home, which helped to achieve an inclusive community. For example, people were supported and encouraged to have roles and responsibilities in the service. One person told us, “I am a member of the residents committee, and we discuss all sorts. I asked when we will be going to the Newark Air Museum again it was very good.”

Activities were tailored to individual interests, such as watching a chosen film, crafting with staff, or reading the newspaper and discussing current affairs. The service also embraced diversity and inclusion through initiatives like the Veteran Friendly framework, with dedicated Veteran champions recognising and celebrating those who had served in the armed forces. This highly personalised approach demonstrated a deep commitment to promoting and respecting people’s individual choice.

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.

Staff and leaders had an in-depth understanding of people’s social histories and what was important to them. Care plans fully reflected people’s care needs and personal choices. People were supported to be as independent as possible, and the staff team went over and above to promote people’s autonomy and independence. Examples of this included, supporting people to attend ‘Knit and Natter” at the local library, church services regularly, the local coffee shop to relax, the local pub for a meal and the snooker hall. Staff supported people to use public transport safely and walks were arranged in the local area; we saw a recent trip was attended for people to go pumpkin picking.

One person who had a love for cooking was supported to carry out independent cooking and made a Shepherd’s pie and people were also promoted and supported to do their own cleaning and laundry where appropriate.

People had detailed information on what was important to them and staff ensured their wishes were met. For example, staff supported one person to see their relative regularly as their relative was unable to use transport to visit them at Hatzfeld House; this promoted their independence and ensured relationships were respected and maintained.

Relatives shared that staff understood each person’s likes and dislikes, ensuring they were never pressured to do anything they did not want to. This approach gave people real choice and control over their daily lives. Some people’s bedrooms were located in an outdoor courtyard, enabling them to access their room freely with their own key and maintain privacy and autonomy. One relative explained, “There is a sense of independence fostered by having their own front door and carers know before entering.”

Staff and management listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. They a good understanding of each person’s holistic needs and responded promptly and effectively to support people in the moment, acting swiftly to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Communication was personalised enabling people express their wishes clearly, for example, one person who was hard of hearing and didn’t like to wear their hearing aids. Staff supported them by communicating clearly in close quiet proximity ensuring they felt comfortable.

Staff used instant two-way communication devices, such as walkie-talkies, to ensure reliable and immediate information exchange. This enabled swift coordination and prompt responses to people’s needs, eliminating delays and demonstrating a proactive, person-centred approach to care.

Staff knew people very well and could anticipate people’s individual needs. During observations, we saw a staff continuously genuinely engaging with people in a relaxed person-centred approach always anticipating needs rather than waiting for requests; this showed care was delivered proactively and promoted people’s comfort and dignity.

The provider always cared about the wellbeing of their staff and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff felt empowered and passionate about their roles and staff spoke with pride and passion about their roles, expressing a strong sense of responsibility for keeping people well cared for.

Staff told us they had positive proactive relationships with management and that staff teams worked well together at all levels of the service. Comments from staff included, “The team around me is so supportive, no job is too big. Management or staff on the floor are so proactive”, “Staff are lovely, management are good, we all work as a team” and “The staff team are very supportive.

Employee initiatives and staff reward schemes were in place to promote workforce wellbeing and staff morale. The provider promoted ‘staff member of the month’, voted by people using the service and ‘employee of the month’, where staff and leaders voted respectively; this promoted staff to feel valued and appreciated. Each month this was displayed in the home and celebrated amongst people using the service and the staff team.

Staff told us they were supported with flexible working arrangements where appropriate, and management were always available to support them in both working and non-working hours where support was needed. One staff member told us. “One of the best places I've worked at, I love it here they have been so supportive.”

In addition to formal recognition schemes, the provider offered personal touches of appreciation, including birthday vouchers, Christmas bonus vouchers and regular team-building activities. These gestures created a strong sense of belonging and reinforced a positive, inclusive culture where staff felt valued and motivated.