Brailsford House

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

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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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.

Leaders and staff treated people with kindness and compassion and ensured their right to privacy and dignity was respected. People told us staff were kind and caring. They commented, “They are very kind and helpful. They are respectful and they talk nicely to me” and “All the staff are brilliant. They are nice and caring, it’s really good. We have a laugh and a joke. I think it’s very important to have a laugh.” A relative told us, “They [staff] treat people with respect and dignity. It’s the way they talk to people; they are lovely.”

We observed staff supporting people in a caring and compassionate way, offering support, guidance and emotional support when needed. One community professional told us staff demonstrated a high level of empathy and kindness to people living at the service.

Management and staff treated people as individuals. People and relatives told us the care and support provided by staff reflected their needs, risks and what mattered to them. One person commented, “It’s a bit like my own home. I can go where I like and sit and be quiet when I want to.”

People’s care documentation included information about their needs, preferences, what they needed support with and how staff should provide that support. Information about people’s backgrounds, including their protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, was available, such as their race, religion, gender identity and sexual orientation. This helped staff to understand what was important to them and to treat them as individuals. Staff and leaders supported people to practice their religion, by accompanying them to places of worship or arranging for local religious leaders to visit them at the service.

Staff encouraged people to be independent and to have choice and control over their care and everyday lives. People told us staff encouraged them to do what they could and respected their decisions. One person commented, “I like to be independent. I like to wash myself and they are happy for me to do that myself.”

We observed staff encouraging people to be as independent as possible and to make decisions about their care when they could, such as choosing their meals and whether they took part in activities. Care documentation described what people could do independently and what they needed support with. This helped ensure staff respected their abilities and people had as much choice and control over their lives as possible. People told us, “I can go where I want. I can go to my own room, or I can go into the garden” and “I can go to bed when I like. The time varies, it just depends on if I want to stay up late.”

A range of activities took place at the service. People and relatives told us they were happy with what was available. They told us, “They have activities like throwing a ball to each other, painting and baking. They have a singer in or play games” and “They do lots of fund raising. They had a summer fete with a bouncy castle. They have a singer, do armchair exercises and have trips out.” Two staff felt activities could be improved, including the availability of one-to-one activities for people who were unable to participate in group activities. We shared this with the registered manager and provider.

Staff and management responded to people’s immediate needs. They knew people well and were able to identify any changes in their presentation. They contacted the GP or emergency services when people became unwell and needed urgent support. They contacted community agencies when there were changes in people’s care needs and they needed additional support, such as reduced mobility or a change in their skin condition. They provided people with emotional support and reassurance when they were distressed or confused and pain relief medicines when they were experiencing pain or discomfort. People and relatives told us staff provided support when it was needed. One person told us, “They are very nice. If you get upset about anything, they will come and see you and help you.” A relative commented, “They look after [family member] well. We don’t have any concerns. They check on her and talk to her.”

The provider and registered manager promoted staff wellbeing and supported staff to deliver care which reflected people’s needs, risks and preferences. Staff told us they were supported well and treated with respect. They found the registered manager and deputy approachable and supportive and felt able to raise any concerns with them. A staff member told us, “[Registered manager] and [deputy manager] are very approachable and supportive. We can raise any concerns.”

Staff understood their roles and responsibilities, which were made clear in their contract of employment and the provider’s staff handbook. They were provided with regular supervision, when their performance and any support needs were discussed and attended regular staff meetings when they could raise concerns and make suggestions.