Ivybank House Care Home

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 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.

One health professional said, ‘I know the staff well and I am always welcomed when I visit. Everyone is friendly and under [manager’s] leadership I have seen real positive change in staff regarding a positive working atmosphere and attitude. Staff are caring and I have not witnessed any negative interactions with residents on my visits.’

The registered manager said they undertook spot checks, day and night to ensure staff were treating people with kindness and dignity. Other leaders said they also checked this during their visits.

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 personalised and included detailed information about people’s preferences, likes and dislikes. One staff member confirmed information this information was documented in care plans. They explained that staff took time to speak with people and families to build a better understanding of each individual, ensuring care was both meaningful and responsive.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. During our visit, one person we spoke with told us they wanted to live independently in their own home. The registered manager explained how the service had helped this person improve their health and maintain their independence so they could achieve this goal. Staff consistently encouraged people to do as much as they could for themselves. One staff member described how they supported a resident recovering from a leg injury, “One resident hurt their leg and doesn’t want to walk any more. I encourage [person’s name] to walk from the dining room to the lift, I have a wheelchair ready, just in case.”

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.

any discomfort, concern or distress.

During our inspection we observed a member of staff respond to a request from a person in a timely way. One staff member said, “If a resident appears to be in pain or distress, I will offer reassurance, assess possible causes, and take appropriate action by informing the nurse, manager, or GP so that timely support can be arranged. I also ensure that the incident is recorded and monitored, especially if there are ongoing or recurring issues.”

Records showed the registered manager audited the call bells on a weekly basis. The registered manager said they had not identified any issues with the length of time in which call bells were answered. However, one relative said they had experienced a wait when they had used the call bell. During our visit, we observed that one person became distressed while in their room. Due to the noise from ongoing refurbishment works, staff were initially unaware of the situation. Managers responded promptly by increasing the frequency of welfare checks for the individual, who had chosen to remain in their room during the refurbishment. This action helped ensure the person’s comfort and safety were maintained, despite the temporary disruption.

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

The provider has a staff wellbeing policy and procedure in place.

Staff told us they felt supported by the registered manager and could speak with the registered manager whenever they needed to. One staff member said, “The manager is approachable, supportive, and very involved in the daily running of the home. He provides clear guidance and is always available to answer questions or offer advice. He values good communication and ensures that staff have what they need to perform their duties effectively.”

Leaders told us about initiatives in place to promote team morale and staff wellbeing. For example, the registered manager hosted staff meals and had a budget to pay for additional items to enhance staff wellbeing and morale. The registered manager told us, “I would use this card to get staff what they needed to do their job well.”

Leaders told us, “As a provider, to enable our teams to get some special treats for themselves and their families for Christmas, we send each colleague a shopping voucher. These are sent to each home every December for the registered manager to distribute to their teams.”

Leaders also said, “We also have a colleague of the month in each home. Staff can vote for their colleagues. The team member with the most nominations each month will receive a reward.”