Extra Care Service

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 spoke positively about the way they were treated by the staff. One person told us, “The staff are all kind, all of them and they listen to me. Most of the office staff are brilliant as well, they are lovely people.” Another person said, “They are very kind and caring with me.” People’s relatives also shared positive feedback about the staff.

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. Care plans included information about peoples personal, cultural, social and religious needs. People had been supported to share their life histories. People and relatives told us they had regular staff who knew people well. A person said, “It’s always the same staff and there are no problems. They know what I want and like.”

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. People told us they were supported to maintain their independence, one person told us “The staff always say to me, use it or lose it. They want me to help myself, but they are there if I need them.” Care plans also described how staff supported people to recognise risks and talk through how these could be managed. Staff worked alongside people to help them understand potential risks and agree together on the safest way to approach situations while promoting people’s independence.

The service provided and arranged a range of activities to engage people. Regular events were organised, including visits from entertainers, bingo sessions, and arts and crafts groups. People also took part in themed activities and celebrations linked to holidays and special occasions.

People also benefited from specific activities and wellbeing staff and had access to communal facilities, including shared lounges and an on site café. Staff supported people to use these spaces in line with their preferences, helping to promote social engagement while maintaining independence.

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. The provider took time to get to know people, which meant staff were able to recognise changes in people’s presentation and respond promptly. People told us they felt staff were attentive and available when needed.

People had access to a call system, allowing them to request help at any time. People confirmed this worked well, with one person telling us, “I don’t have to wait long at all.”

People also told us they felt confident staff would seek further medical assistance when required. One person said, “They do call a doctor if I need one and if I need to see a paramedic, they get one for me.” A person’s relative also shared a positive experience, explaining, “[relative] had a couple of falls and [relative] called the buzzer and they got to her quickly.”

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff told us they felt valued in their roles and described a positive workplace culture. The provider celebrated staff and their achievements, and management explained they aimed to foster a strong sense of appreciation across the team.

Staff described a supportive environment. One member of staff told us, “We have parties together, staff appreciation awards, and we have lunch together. We are a team, and we work really well together.” Another said, “I see my friends, colleagues and management, and the people I support every day and I enjoy coming here. It doesn’t feel like work.” A member of staff also praised the team culture, describing it as “an amazing team.”

As part of the provider’s commitment to recognising good practice, staff were encouraged to nominate and vote for one another through the internal awards scheme. This initiative allowed staff to recognise good practice and highlight positive contributions within their team. Staff also had access to additional incentives such as discount schemes.

Staff felt they had sufficient time to support people safely. They told us they were comfortable raising concerns if workloads increased or additional time was needed. One member of staff said, “We are given enough time to spend with people and to support them. If we haven’t had enough time, we just tell them and they look into it.”