Portsdown View

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 did not provide a rating for the service. At this assessment, this key question has been 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 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.

People consistently described staff as exceptionally kind, compassionate and respectful, providing many examples of how this positively influenced their wellbeing. Comments included, “The staff are fantastic and so caring, they can’t do enough for us”, "They (staff) treat us as friends but in a professional way. They don't look down on us and treat us with respect" and “They (staff) go above and beyond for me.” Professionals external to the service echoed this. For example, 1 told us, “Portsdown View is just outstanding in all aspects. [People] always seem content. All carers are very efficient, and nothing is too much for their patients.”

Privacy and dignity were embedded throughout the service's culture. The provider had developed 'Dignity Do's', which set clear expectations for respectful and dignified care. This was consistently reflected in staff practice. For example, we observed staff knocking on people’s doors and waiting for an answer before entering, they addressed people by their chosen name and spoke respectfully with people. The feedback we received from staff demonstrated they were proud of this approach.

We observed consistently warm and meaningful interactions, with staff adapting their approach to reflect people’s individual needs and preferences. For example, 1 person had a love of dogs, and their care plan identified the use of toy dogs as an effective way to support their wellbeing. We observed a member of staff involving both the person and the dog while supporting them to take their medicines which brought them comfort and reassurance.

Special occasions, including birthdays, were celebrated in ways that reflected each person's preferences and helped people feel valued. The registered manager told us when someone had no family available to celebrate with them, staff and other people living at the home came together to mark the occasion, ensuring the person felt included and able to enjoy their special day.

Leaders demonstrated a commitment to ensuring respect and compassion remained central to care, including during challenging situations. When 1 person's behaviour risked influencing how staff may perceive them, leaders facilitated reflective learning sessions to support staff’s understanding of the person's experiences and needs. This ensured the person continued to receive dignified, respectful and compassionate care.

This caring approach extended beyond people using the service to include relatives. Relatives were warmly welcomed and supported to spend meaningful time with their relatives. We observed relatives taking part in activities and sharing a meal. A relative told us, “It’s like from home here.” Another relative told us how they had been supported when their relative was nearing the end of their life which included practical support such as being offered accommodation so they could stay close to their relative as well as receiving emotional support.

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in ensuring care, support and treatment reflected each person’s needs, preferences, strengths, aspirations, culture, background and protected characteristics.

The provider demonstrated an exceptional commitment to understanding each person as an individual. A relative told us, “As soon as we got [Name] in, they (staff) asked about what he wanted to do. He used to love golf, so they looked into that. They cooked him his favourite meals. Any detail, they did it.”

The provider recognised that people wanted to spend their time in different ways and tailored support accordingly. During our inspection, people chose from a wide range of meaningful activities. Some had gone on a trip to a local scenic spot, others relaxed in the garden, enjoyed live entertainment, completed tapestry or spent time with relatives or the friends they had made in the service. People who preferred or needed to remain in their rooms received personalised one-to-one support, including activities and hair and beauty services. People living with advanced dementia or nearing the end of their lives also benefited from a Namaste programme, using sensory experiences such as music, aromatherapy and gentle touch to promote comfort, reduce distress and enhance wellbeing. This demonstrated people were enabled to live in ways that reflected their individual preferences, interests and wellbeing, regardless of their needs or abilities.

Staff delivered care that respected people's faith, culture and identity. Staff demonstrated an excellent understanding of how to support one person in line with their religious beliefs during end-of-life care. Records and a relative confirmed the person's wishes were fully respected, ensuring compassionate care that honoured their identity and dignity. Another person was supported to continue attending their chosen place of worship. Their friend told us this meant a great deal, particularly as they had no relatives involved in their life, and showed staff went the extra mile to maintain something that was deeply important to them.

Staff used their knowledge of people's histories, preferences and aspirations to achieve outcomes that had a meaningful impact on their lives. One person who experienced high levels of anxiety on admission was supported to reconnect with interests they had previously enjoyed through swimming and piano lessons arranged by the home. Staff told us this had significantly reduced the person's anxiety. A relative described the impact of this personalised approach, telling us, "[Person’s name] did nothing at home; they've actually given her a new lease of life, things she probably wouldn't have done before."

The provider also recognised and celebrated people's strengths, enabling them to continue making valued contributions. For example, a retired doctor living at the home helped deliver first aid training to staff, allowing the team to benefit from their knowledge and experience. Another person said, “I enjoyed [activity] from a professional point of view, I used to teach art. I like to be involved at that level. I feel the staff value my contribution.”

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

People had been supported to exercise their rights in relation to their care and treatment. For example, 1 person mostly managed their own diabetes care in liaison with an external nursing team. Staff in the home were seen as supportive whilst the person retained full control, which was important to them. A relative told us, “[Name] has had enough of long stays in hospital, so wishes to avoid anything bringing him in. The team here work to support that. They are responsive and support him.”

The provider recognised the importance of maintaining family and social connections. People and their relatives told us they could visit at any time and stay for as long as they wished. Visitors were welcomed with complimentary food and drinks, and people were supported to invite family and friends to join them for meals, celebrations and events.

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.

Staff responded to people’s needs in a flexible and person-centred way, adapting care throughout the day to ensure people were supported appropriately. This included responding to health concerns and day-to-day support needs.

A relative told us how staff provided comfort when a person needed it and said, “They (staff) are always there, they’ll give her a cuddle, sit with her and calm her down. There was an incident recently where she was emotional, they’re so patient and great at distracting her and making her feel useful.”

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

Leaders demonstrated an exceptional commitment to staff wellbeing, development and enablement, recognising that a supported workforce was fundamental to delivering high quality care. Staff had access to a comprehensive range of health, wellbeing, financial and employee assistance initiatives, alongside meaningful recognition and reward schemes. For example, the provider's 'Praise Month' celebrated teams receiving the most positive feedback, and during our inspection we observed a staff member receiving an award after being nominated by people using the service, relatives and colleagues. Staff consistently told us these initiatives made them feel genuinely valued and exceeded their expectations. Leaders also promoted an inclusive culture by offering flexible working arrangements that reflected individual circumstances, including religious commitments and caring responsibilities.

The provider invested significantly in staff development and created clear opportunities for career progression. We met several staff who had progressed within the organisation and spoke positively about the support they had received. One staff member, who was new to care, described how they had been supported to develop their skills and had gone on to win a 'Best Newcomer in Care' award. The provider had also introduced a Personal Development Fund, enabling staff to pursue individual learning and career aspirations regardless of their role. This innovative approach formed part of a wider workforce strategy to improve retention, develop future leaders and strengthen succession planning, and had received external recognition with the provider's Head of People receiving the Workforce Development Leader of the Year award at the Social Care Leadership Awards.

Leaders actively sought and responded to staff feedback through a range of accessible engagement methods, ensuring staff felt listened to, supported and able to influence the service. This approach had created a highly positive culture where staff felt valued and motivated. One member of staff told us, "I genuinely love coming to work, I don't think I'll ever leave." Staff consistently spoke with pride about their roles and the positive difference they were able to make to people's lives.