Cumbria 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 80 (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.

There was a strong emphasis on people and the person being at the heart of the service. Every staff member was committed to deliver the best possible outcomes for people and they were observed to interact in a mutual, sensitive and respectful manner.

Staff respected people’s homes and were kind in their approach. Staff had built trusting and therapeutic relationships with those they supported.

One person described the staff as “my friends.”

Staff ensured dignity was embedded in all aspects of care and support. They said they were especially conscious to ensure kindness, compassion and dignity were exhibited when in the community. Staff wanted the people they supported to be recognised as people in their own right.

Staff offered discreet guidance to people when in the community to ensure they were not on the receiving end of any unwanted or unwarranted behaviours from others.

Family members used words such as caring, patient and supportive to describe staff.

They described how staff cared for them too. One relative told us how a close family member had been unwell and staff kept in contact with her to see how she was. She said, “They even looked after me. It was really nice of them to do this."

Staff treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met their needs and preferences.

Staff had a good understanding of each person’s preferences, behaviours and unique communication styles. This allowed staff to identify early signs of distress and provide necessary support.

Staff had undertaken a course in Makaton to support a person’s communication needs. They spent time with the family to learn individual adaptations to their use of Makaton and what this meant to them. These efforts made an enormous difference to the individual who could now communicate effectively with staff giving them a voice within the service.

Staff took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture, unique backgrounds and protected characteristics when delivering care and support. People were supported to decorate their homes in accordance with their personal taste which allowed them to put an individual stamp on their own environment.

Staff supported people to engage in activities and social opportunities which reflected their individual preferences and choices. This helped them to maintain links with their local community.

People were supported to maintain contact with people important to them and to their local community where they had personal connections. One person had reconnected with his local rugby club where he used to play.

Staff supported people to use technology to get connected with friends and family members but were also mindful of the potential risks associated with social media use. People were informed of these risks in order to make informed choices about the extent of their internet use.

Staff supported and encouraged people to maintain their independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care and wellbeing.

Care and support plans detailed things that were important to people, routines and preferences and what steps staff could take to promote autonomy and help people lead on care and support decisions.

One advocate commented, “Staff supported them to take the lead, to go forward and to lead them.” This demonstrated how people could take control, make their own informed decisions and exercise independence in their daily lives.

People were actively supported to pursue their social, occupational, educational and vocational goals with staff offering personalised encouragement, practical assistance and recognition of their efforts. Staff shared in people’s joy and achievements by capturing memories by way of photographs and memorabilia so people could reflect on their positive experiences.

Staff promoted inclusion but respected people’s rights to decline, change their mind or exercise their choice not to get involved.

One person told us, “I make all my own decisions, and I go out when and where I want.”

One family member commented how their loved one had been getting out lots, getting involved in sporting activities and even meeting staff member’s pets.

Staff listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. They responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Staff supported people to engage in things they enjoyed and made them happy. Where people became unwell or unsettled, staff were trained to respond and followed care and support plan guidance on how to respond to risk escalation or to people’s changing needs.

Staffing resource was allocated to support people’s immediate needs in a safe manner but also in response to an untoward event necessitating urgent escalation or interventions. Staff were proactive to remove triggers, minimise escalation and deploy techniques to prevent unwanted distress.

We heard how the holistic assessment process and consistency of approach enabled staff to build rapport and trust with a person described by a healthcare professional as being, “Complex with challenging and violent behaviours.” This has led to the person requiring less immediate and urgent interventions, enjoying more positive experiences, and better managing those triggers which he now recognised as impacting his wellbeing negatively.

The provider and management team consistently prioritised and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and created a culture which supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff spoke positively about the provider, managerial support and the quality of the training which allowed them to perform their duties safely, to a high-standard and where the people they supported were paramount.

Staff were introduced to the organisation by way of a corporate welcome day which provided an overview of the company, workforce benefits and wellbeing support available via the ‘Wellbeing Hub’. This included wellbeing funds, financial support, physical and mental health related support, counselling services and recognition awards.

Staff had benefitted from wellbeing support provided by the organisation which demonstrated the provider’s response to staff in times of need. One staff member received financial and wellbeing support from the organisation which allowed them to focus on their hospital treatment and recovery. The team also offered personal and emotional support during the treatment and on a phased return to work with lighter duties. The staff member told us, “I would have sunk if it wasn’t for them.”

Another staff member told us, “I can pick up the phone at any time, day or night, to discuss anything and if I need to decompress. It’s no trouble to them.”

Staff were motivated, passionate and inspired to do the best for the people they supported. Staff also felt supported and spoke about personal and collective support they received.

Staff had a voice within the organisation through debriefs, regular team meetings, ‘HIVE’ staff surveys and on-line feedback channels and forums which allowed them to contribute to the service.

There was a strong team togetherness where people were supportive of one another. One staff member told us how she adores the people she works with. Another commented how the organisation was “supportive and caring."