Sagecare (Chesil Lodge)

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 inspection this key question was rated good. At this assessment the rating remains 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.

People told us staff supported them to maintain a good standard of hygiene, appearance and dress that promoted their dignity. They said staff were respectful of their homes and treated them with kindness and respect. Comments included, “I am very happy with what all the staff do. They are kind caring and very respectful towards me.”

Staff approached supporting people with patience and empathy. They worked to understand individuals, especially those new to the service who were reluctant to accept care. By building rapport and trust, staff developed positive working relationships that led people accepting care and support. Staff were motivated in their role and took pride in promoting independence, dignity, and well-being.

Staff supported people during times of emotional distress and challenging life circumstances. For example, they provided emotional support to one person during a bereavement. The person had isolated themselves and was declining support to attend community activities. Staff provided empathetic, patient and intuitive support to the person, giving them time to grieve, whilst providing encouragement, support and reassurance. This helped the person adjust to life going forward after the passing of their loved one.

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.

People told us staff treated them with respect. They said they valued the support and companionship they received. They said that they appreciated the sense of community at the service and the efforts the provider made to enhance their experience living there.

People’s communication needs were documented in their care plans. This included where they needed adjustments to promote effective communication with staff. For example, if people needed support to maintain their hearing aids. Details around people’s cultural, spiritual and religious needs were documented in their care plans. One person told us how a church service was organised in the communal area, which helped them keep connected with their faith.

Staff told us they actively promoted equality and diversity. They said staff adapted their approach depending on the person and what was most effective when working with them. One staff member told us, “Everyone has their own story to tell, I am here to listen and respect that story.” Staff told us information about people’s needs was accessible via the electronic care planning system.

The provider demonstrated a strong commitment to helping people regain independence, confidence, and reduce reliance on structured support. Staff worked flexibly and creatively with individuals, tailoring care to their strengths and goals. This approach consistently delivered positive outcomes in health, wellbeing, and social inclusion. Staff told us they felt proud to support people to live independently, describing a strong sense of achievement in making a positive difference.

For example, one person arrived with severe weight loss and isolation following repeated placement breakdowns. Staff worked intensively to rebuild confidence, encourage personal care, support healthy eating, and promote social engagement. As a result, the person regained weight, improved wellbeing, and became less reliant on structured support.

People and relatives consistently praised staff for helping them regain independence. For example, by supporting recovery after hospital discharge, encouraging self-care, and promoting active lifestyles. Care plans clearly reflected people’s abilities, ensuring staff only provided necessary support. For instance, one person who had experienced prolonged self-neglect received a short-term, focused package of care. This led to engagement with personal care and health services, significantly improving their skin condition. Once agreed outcomes were achieved, support was gradually reduced as the person became more independent.

The provider created a strong sense of community at the service. They supported the formation of a tenants’ committee, which worked with staff to plan and deliver a wide range of activities tailored to diverse needs and abilities. This included supporting people who were unable to attend or take part in activities without assistance, or people who were reluctant to join in due to previous social isolation. People told us staff were highly accommodating and committed to making activities inclusive and meaningful. There were many examples where people’s wellbeing had significantly improved as they were supported to develop a social network which they did not have before.

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 said staff knew them well and could tell when they were struggling, unwell, or needed extra support. For example, one person explained how staff responded promptly to calls for assistance via the call bell system. This gave them reassurance that support would be available if they had a fall or were unwell.

The provider organised care flexibly to meet people’s changing needs, adjusting visit times and frequency as required. For example, one person initially received one visit per day, but when staff and the manager identified more significant care needs, they quickly increased the number of visits to help keep the person safe at home.
The provider used electronic care records and call bell data to monitor, and evidence changes in people’s needs. This approach helped demonstrate to external partners when additional support was required.

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 supported, fairly treated and valued in their role. They told us that management staff were approachable and fair, meaning they felt comfortable raising issues or concerns. Staff felt there was a positive working environment at the service, in which their good practice was championed.

The provider ran an internal staff recognition and awards programme. This championed where staff had displayed behaviour and values aligned with the provider’s ethos. The provider had systems to promote staff safety and wellbeing. For example, staff had lone working risk assessments, which helped to ensure they were safe at work.