Prestige Nursing- Ashby De La Zouch

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 85 (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 was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. People and their relatives told us, “Staff are exceptionally kind and reassuring towards [Name]. [Name] has been learning to do [activity] by themself, it’s really nice to see the staff positivity when [Name’s] finished; they send me photos of it.,” “When I know it’s time for staff to come, I’m looking at the clock, pleased to see them when they come through the door” and “They do everything well, I know I can leave [Name] safely and I can give the rest of my family everything they need. I feel they actually love [Name], not just care for them.” Staff ensured people were treated with respect and their dignity was protected. Staff were sensitive when supporting with personal care and ensured people remained comfortable throughout. A person told us, “When I’m on the bed, staff want to know if I want the curtains drawn, they are very careful.” A relative told us, “Morning and bedtime, [Name] is in the bedroom. Staff close the door. If they change (continence aid), they take [Name] into another room; it’s done properly.” Staff ensured that they did the little things that made a big difference to people’s life and enjoyment. A relative described how staff had taken the time to really get to know their family member, trying different approaches and reviewing what worked best. This helped improve the person’s communication and abilities. Staff told us, “When we first started supporting [Name] there were tears and they were in pain. The [clinical lead nurse] supported the family to get a good pain management plan in place and we kept reviewing approaches to find out what made them comfortable and happy. Now, tears are really rare, and belly laughs are common.” Staff changed their holiday dates to people’s holidays, so they always received support from staff who knew them well. A relative praised how well the service matched people with staff. They told us, “We feel they always find the right person for [Name]. They find staff who are willing to learn about [Name] and with them.”

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 were person-centred. Staff had a sound knowledge of the things that made people unique and were meaningful to them. Communication plans for people were clear. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of what people needed through verbal and non-verbal cues. People were able to thrive and make their needs known because staff understood them well and had clear guidance. Staff advocated on behalf of people with external professionals and providers when required.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff supported people to have control over their lives and care and to understand their rights. A person told us, “Staff ask what I would like, do I need anything different or done differently. I’m very happy with them. Prestige is above average.” Staff recognised that independence was different for different people and tailored their approach accordingly. For example, a person walked with purpose outside their home. The service worked with family and social care professionals and identified this was important to the person and was a long-standing routine. They introduced measures to mitigate risks that did not remove the person’s independence. Care plans contained detailed information about people’s needs and preferences, and these were easily accessible to staff. Staff ensured there was appropriate equipment to support and maximise people’s independence and outcomes from care and treatment.

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 because they knew how to sensitively support people. Staff had the time to observe and communicate meaningfully with people. A relative told us, “Staff know [Name] well, how to treat them. The whole time they are focussed on [Name]. They recognise what each situation is and respond to it. For example, if they are becoming distressed or if they require medicines.” Rotas were well planned and provided consistency to staff and people who used the service. People and relatives confirmed they received weekly schedules and informed of any changes in advance. Managers liaised well with external professionals when people’s needs changed and different levels of support may be needed, for example with social workers or health professionals. The provider ensured there were clear systems in place, such as competency checks and reviews, to identify when people’s care arrangements may need reviewing.

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff told us they felt extremely well supported in their role and that their management team made themselves available and supported their well-being. Employing skilled clinicians enabled staff to become skilled, confident and supported in the care of people, some of whom had complex health conditions. Staff told us, “We have excellent support from [clinical lead nurse] who is always at the end of a phone, and we see a lot of them. They are really on the ball in making sure the care is working, and the care plans are up to date. They never turn us away if we have a query and make sure we can discuss things and understand what is needed and why;,” “[Registered manager] is always willing to listen and acts on concerns. They do a really good job of supporting workers. The [clinical lead nurse] will always go through a care package with us, talk us through it and discuss any problems with us to make sure we understand everything. They regularly come out and call, so we always feel supported.” A staff member described how the registered manager had supported them by ensuring they had enough hours across branches to maintain them and their family. They told us, “The support from all staff and those at the office is amazing. They go out of their way to find out information for us and will always sort out any concerns. [Registered manager] went out of their way to help me. I have a caring heart, and I feel I can give my best with this service due to the support they give me. This makes me feel happy and it’s why I stay with them.” This additional support ensured staff were secure in a culture where they could ask for assistance and be enabled to provide excellent care and support. The provider had an employee assistance programme which supported and promoted staff well being both professionally and personally. Staff were made to feel valued and appreciated through nominations which acknowledged and celebrated excellence and going above and beyond. This supportive approach resulted in good staff retention, many staff told us they stayed at the service because they felt valued and supported.