Pathways to Independance

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 treated people with kindness, compassion and dignity and respected their privacy. Staff knew people well and developed positive, caring relationships with them.

People told us they felt valued, listened to and supported by staff who took time to understand their needs and preferences. Feedback from people and relatives showed staff treated people warmly and respectfully, protected their dignity during care and support, and helped them feel comfortable and safe. A relative told us, “The staff are kind and caring.”

The provider treated people as individuals and provided care and support that reflected their personal needs, preferences and circumstances.

Staff worked in a person-centred way and understood what was important to people. Care records contained information about people’s backgrounds, interests and goals, which helped staff provide personalised support. People and those important to them were involved in planning and reviewing care. This helped ensure support reflected their wishes and promoted meaningful outcomes. A relative said, “The staff know if [Person] wants to chat, or not chat.”

The provider promoted people’s independence, choice and control over their lives.

People were encouraged to make decisions about their care and support and received information in ways they could understand. Staff respected people’s choices, supported them to maintain their skills and independence where possible, and enabled them to take positive risks. People told us they felt involved in decisions affecting their daily lives and were supported to achieve outcomes that mattered to them. A relative said, “With jobs around the house, staff assist [Person] so they don’t just do everything for them.”

The provider responded promptly and effectively to people’s immediate needs. Staff recognised when people needed additional support and took timely action to ensure they remained safe and comfortable.

People and their relatives told us staff were approachable and responded quickly when help was needed. The provider monitored people’s changing needs, and staff communicated effectively to ensure care remained responsive and person-centred. A relative said, “They’re patient with [Person], and if they don’t want to get up, staff sit on the bed with them and give them a cup of coffee and toast, so they’re not having medication on an empty stomach.”

The provider supported and enabled staff to deliver high-quality care.

Staff felt valued, respected and supported by managers. They had access to training and opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge. Leaders promoted an open and inclusive culture where staff could raise concerns, share feedback and contribute to improvements. However, quality checks identified a small number of supervision and appraisal actions requiring completion. A small number of staff also reported mixed experiences of the timeliness of support received outside normal working hours.