SSA Quality Care

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 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.

People felt safe and at ease with the care staff, with one person commenting, “I do feel very safe with the carers.” Most people told us they were treated with dignity and respect. Staff were described as “professional,” “respectful,” and “supportive,” and many people said staff carried out tasks without complaint.

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 and their relatives told us staff were kind, compassionate and respectful in their approach. Comments included, “They are very good, compassionate and caring. There are all sorts of little things they do that are over and above,” and “They are all kind and caring.” Another person told us, “They treat me as a person and everything they do for me is what I need.” A relative told us, “They (staff) have been an absolute Godsend. Genuinely, I am really impressed and happy with the service as a whole.”

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

People supported by SSA Quality Care were encouraged to do as much as they could for themselves, with staff supporting them in a way that maintained their independence. For example, one person told us, “Whatever I ask the carers to do it’s no trouble for them… but they (staff) always ask if I want to try first. That makes me feel capable.” Another person told us “They (staff) treat me like a person, not just someone they have to look after. If I want to make my own tea or have a go at dressing, they support me and never take over unless I ask.”

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.

The service actively monitored and responded to changes in people’s needs through assessments, observations, and surveys.

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

The registered manager was able to provide lots of examples of how they supported staff. These included, offering compassionate leave, phased return to work following unplanned absences, and additional on-the-job support. There was also consideration for staff’s cultural needs with additional support during religious holidays by adjusting shifts and breaks.

Staff told us they felt valued and appreciated by the organisation, citing positive feedback from managers and people. Well-being was supported through flexible working, mental health adjustments, and recognition of hard work, fostering job satisfaction and motivation.