Spennymoor Care Home Limited

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 respectedtheir privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness andrespect.

The feedback we received about the care provided was positive. One relative said, “More than happy, [person] is clean and well-presented doesn’t have food on their clothing. If the conservatory is full, they find somewhere for us to talk when I visit.” Another relative said, “I think it is good, there is a smile on [person’s] face, so they are doing something right. We don’t worry about [person] in this home.”

People told us people were always treated with dignity and respect when staff were delivering their care. One person living at the home said, “Yes, you are treated nicely, what do you expect when they are so kind to you.” A relative added, “[Person] is clean and has a bath once a week, a daily wash and shave.”

People looked clean and well presented. Staff maintained records of when they had assisted people with their personal care. A relative told us, “[Person] looks clean and smart. [They get] their hair washed and blow dried and a bath twice a week.”

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 told us they were given choice about the care they received. People were able to choose how they spent their day, the clothes they would like to wear and what time to get up and go to bed. One person said, “I can have a lie in if I want, I can have breakfast when I get up, which is usually the same time.”

People’s care plans contained a life history with details about where people were born, their family, employment and wartime experiences. Any cultural/religious needs were also recorded. One person said, “They have a priest that comes in at least once a fortnight, or as often as he can.”

Staff promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, support and wellbeing. This helped enable people to remain in their own homes where possible.

People told us staff promoted their independence as much as possible. One person said, “I choose what clothes I want to wear, and I clean my own teeth.” Another person said, “I wash myself. I like to do things myself and if I am stuck, I ask.”

During the inspection, we observed people doing things for themselves where possible. This included eating and drinking and walking around the home using a zimmer frame, with support from staff if needed.

We were told the home provided in-house activities however, people said they would like more opportunities for trips out into the community and to access outdoor space within the home’s grounds, especially in the nice weather. One person said, “I do chair exercises, someone comes in to do crafts with us, we have a music man who does old times music and quizzes.” A relative told us, “There aren’t any community links and people don’t seem to go out anywhere.”

The minutes from a residents meeting in 2025 showed people had been asked if there were any trips they would like to go on and to let staff know. No further updates had been provided since this meeting, and the provider told us people had not wanted to go out anywhere when asked.

Relatives were able to come to the home freely and there were no restrictions on visiting hours. This enabled people to maintain relationships and avoid feeling isolated.

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 the inspection, we observed staff responding to people’s needs throughout the day. For example, supporting people to go to the toilet, or bringing drinks when requested. The weather was very hot at the time of our visit, and we saw windows had been opened and cooling fans used to help people feel more comfortable.

People said staff responded well if they experienced any problems or concerns. One person said, “If I need a doctor, they get one for me very quickly. An audiologist comes to check on my hearing and my hearing aids. We have a podiatrist that comes to do my feet every few weeks.” Another person said, “They get the doctor for you if you need one and I have a chiropodist. I like my feet being done. I go to my optician and dentist when I need them.”

The provider supported staff wellbeing, which enabled staff to deliver caring, person‑centred support.

Spennymoor is a small, homely care home with a regular staff team, some of whom had worked there for many years. Staff said they enjoyed their roles and that everyone got on well together.

The provider ensured staff were supported through the provision of a staff handbook, regular supervisions, and staff meetings which provided the opportunity to raise concerns both confidentially, or in group settings.

The provider said staff were encouraged to take regular breaks and maximize the use of their annual leave entitlement to ensure they received adequate rest and relief from a potentially stressful working environment.

Staff told us they felt their well-being at work was taken seriously and looked after by management. One member of staff said, “If something is wrong, they sort it out straight away. They are very understanding if we ever have any personal circumstances as well.”