CSL Alford

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 70 (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. People were respected and their privacy and dignity were always protected. Staff listened to people and spoke to them in ways they could understand. People felt that staff knew them well, including their wishes and personal history. Staff responded quickly when people were in pain, discomfort or distress. One person told us, “Staff help calm me down. I am a lot happier now.”

Information about people was kept private and handled carefully. People felt confident that staff respected their privacy. People were supported to make their own choices about privacy and how much professionals and relatives were involved in their care. Everyone worked together in a caring and respectful way.

Staff treated people as individuals. They made sure that care, support and treatment matched each person’s needs and preferences. Staff understood what was important to each person, including their strengths, abilities, culture, and background. They also respected people’s protected characteristics, such as age, disability, religion or belief, and sexual orientation.

People were supported in a way that made sense to them. Their personal, cultural, and religious needs were met. A person told us, “It’s alright here as there is no park so no kids hanging around.” Staff helped people to be involved in their care by meeting their communication needs. This enabled people to feel respected, listened to, and in control of their care. The provider helped people stay connected with family, friends, and their community

The provider supported people to be independent. People were helped to understand their rights and were given choice and control over their care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff used different ways to help people understand information, including using pictures and simple words. People were involved in making decisions about their care and were asked regularly if they wanted to change anything.

People were supported to keep in touch with their family and friends. One person told us how they enjoyed going to the pub to meet friends or out for the day with their relative. Staff helped people to stay connected with people who were important to them. People were able to take part in daily routines and go out into the local community. This helped them stay healthy and feel part of everyday life.

Staff used electronic apps and artificial intelligence in the right way to help people stay safe and independent. The service helped people live the way they wanted and supported their well-being.

The provider listened carefully to what people needed, wanted and felt. Staff understood people’s views and wishes and made sure they were respected. They responded quickly when people needed help and acted straight away to reduce any discomfort, worry or distress.

Staff were alert and noticed when someone needed support. They took time to talk with people and find out what was important to them. They used this information to give care in a kind and respectful way.

People felt supported because staff acted in the moment and didn’t delay. This helped people feel comfortable and reassured.

The provider cared about staff wellbeing and had different initiatives in place. These included actions to help staff stay well and feel supported in their roles. Staff had access to well-being resources such as free counselling services and literature, and the provider promoted a positive culture around staff health and happiness.

Although the provider had good intentions and systems to support staff, the experience was not the same for everyone. Some staff told us they did not always feel supported or listened to. They said their ideas for improving care or developing their roles were not always taken seriously or acted upon. This made the staff members feel undervalued and less confident about sharing their views. It also meant some staff felt their well-being needs were not fully met, and this could impact how they delivered care.