Hilltop

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 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.

Throughout our visits, staff treated people kindly, respectfully and compassionately, upholding their dignity. They consistently respected people’s privacy. Relatives and professionals confirmed they observed staff to be kind and respectful, towards people living at Hilltop and to themselves.

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.

Staff understood people’s individual needs and preferences, which were reflected in how they provided care. We observed staff supporting people, offering choices in a way that people understood and doing what was agreed; they honoured the preferences set out in people’s care plans. Relatives told us staff liaised with them in planning and reviewing care, as well as keeping them informed about what was happening from day to day for their family member. People’s rooms were decorated and furnished in accordance with people’s preferences.

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

Staff supported people to have choice and control over their care, so far as they were able, and to be involved in decisions about their care, treatment and wellbeing. They routinely used people’s preferred communication methods. Throughout our visits we observed staff offering and respecting people’s choices. Where appropriate, relatives were involved in decisions about care. If a person had no relatives to involve and consult, the service ensured the person received support from an independent advocate to represent their interests.

People were encouraged and supported to keep in touch with friends and family, and to build friendships if they wished. People visited their families during the inspection. The service supported them to receive visitors, without unnecessary restrictions.

Whilst people required support from staff in many aspects of their lives, they were encouraged to develop skills and become more independent. Care plans emphasised people’s strengths and what they could do for themselves. Staff recognised that this was important and could lead to people having a better quality of life.

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.

People’s needs, views, wishes and comfort were a priority. Staff followed people’s positive behaviour support plans, anticipating preventable discomfort or concerns and addressing these so people avoided becoming distressed. They were alert to indications that someone was becoming upset and promptly did what the person needed to help resolve this, stopping the distress escalating.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff felt their wellbeing was a priority for the provider and all staff we spoke with told us Hilltop was a very good place to work. Regular supervision meetings provided staff with an opportunity to discuss their mental and emotional wellbeing, professional development andwork-life balance. We heard examples of how staff had been supported to manage personal challenges and how the support had enabled them to remain effective at work.