Acer Lodge

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 registered 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 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 were treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. Staff consistently demonstrated a caring and person-centred approach, ensuring people felt valued, respected and supported. Throughout our observations, staff interacted with people in a warm and compassionate manner, taking time to understand their individual needs, preferences and emotional wellbeing. Staff also treated colleagues and professionals from other organisations with kindness and respect, promoting positive relationships that supported people’s care. We saw documentation from external health professionals which commended staff for their compassion and the way in which they strived to support people to achieve best outcomes.

People spoke positively about the caring nature of staff. One person told us, “I think she really loves me because I know she is always here for me.” Another person said, “I feel special. I am cared for by the staff. They are my friends and family.” Another person spoke passionately about their experience of staff support. They said, “I get very down sometimes but the girls just put their arms round me and I feel better. I need a lot of care and I get it here from everyone. They are always smiling and happy and that helps me to stay positive. The staff, my family, all care for me together. The girls include my family in everything”. These comments reflected the positive and meaningful relationships people had developed with staff.

People’s privacy and dignity were respected. Staff were observed knocking on bedroom doors and waiting for a response before entering. Sensitive conversations about people’s care and support needs were conducted discreetly and in private settings, ensuring confidentiality was maintained. These practices demonstrated a culture where people’s rights, dignity and individuality were consistently upheld.

People were supported to maintain their dignity, privacy and independence through thoughtful practices. Each person had access to a discreet ‘dignity wardrobe’ within their private room, providing a dedicated space to store personal and sensitive items such as medical devices and continence products. This ensured these items were kept out of sight, helping to create a warm, homely environment while protecting people’s privacy and dignity. This approach demonstrated compassion and respect for individual needs, allowing people to feel comfortable, valued and confident in their own personal space, even when receiving visitors.

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.

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of the people they supported and delivered care that reflected what mattered most to each person.

Staff communicated with people in ways which reflected their individual communication needs and preferences. This helped people to express their views, make choices and remain involved in decisions about their care and support. For example, we observed staff placing people at the centre of their care and supporting them in ways that promoted their individual rights and independence. For example, one person required support to change their clothing following a meal. Staff adapted their communication and approach in response to the person’s changing emotions and responses, providing reassurance and encouragement while allowing the person time and space to make decisions. Staff demonstrated patience, kindness and respect throughout the interaction, enabling the person to lead their own care as much as possible and maintain their independence.

Interactions were warm, respectful and personalised, demonstrating staff knew people well. People were supported to practise their faith and maintain their spiritual wellbeing, in line with their wishes and beliefs.

People were encouraged to personalise their bedrooms with photographs, possessions and items of personal significance. This helped create familiar and meaningful environments which reflected people's personalities, life histories and interests, promoting a sense of identity, comfort and belonging.

Staff had access to comprehensive, person-centred care records which provided clear guidance on people's needs, preferences and treatment requirements. Records were regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changes in people's circumstances. Where minor inconsistencies were identified during the assessment, the provider acted immediately to update records, demonstrating a commitment to ensuring staff always had access to accurate information to deliver individualised care and support.

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

People were supported to have choice and control over their lives and to maintain relationships important to them. Staff recognised the importance of family connections and worked proactively to support people to remain in contact with their loved ones in ways that reflected their individual needs and preferences.

Care records demonstrated a person-centred approach to maintaining relationships. We reviewed a care plan which contained detailed guidance on how a person could be supported to sustain a positive and meaningful relationship with a family member. The plan included strategies to support both the person and their relative during periods of stress or distress, helping to reduce anxiety and promote positive interactions. This ensured the person's emotional wellbeing was considered while enabling them to continue important relationships.

Staff respected people's choices and responded appropriately when people expressed their wishes. During our observations, a person was being supported by a staff member to mobilise. The person became distressed and asked the staff member to leave. The staff member respected the person's decision and withdrew, allowing another staff member to provide support. This demonstrated staff listened to people, respected their preferences and promoted their right to make decisions about their care and support.

A dedicated staff member known as a 'customer experience lead' supported people to access a wide range of meaningful opportunities. A daily programme of group activities was available, including movement to music, singing, arts and crafts, and memory quizzes. In addition, staff within each household facilitated personalised activities based on people's interests and choices. During the inspection, we observed people participating in a variety of activities and appearing engaged and motivated. The service also organised themed events, such as a ‘Picnic Party’ to celebrate National Picnic Month, providing additional opportunities for people to socialise and enjoy new experiences. One person said, “I like all the activities. The singing and the exercises. We have a lot of entertainment everyday apart from weekends. We have good local outings in the summer; we went to Blackpool.”

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.

Staff knew people well and were attentive to their individual needs. They discreetly observed people and provided reassurance and support at the right time, helping people to feel comfortable and understood while maintaining their dignity and independence.

During our visit, we observed staff responding quickly and compassionately when people required support, ensuring their needs were met without delay.

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.

The provider demonstrated a strong commitment to workforce wellbeing and creating a positive, inclusive culture where staff felt valued, listened to and supported. Leaders actively promoted open conversations, inclusivity and a culture of wellbeing, recognising supporting staff to be well enabled them to provide high-quality care and support to people. This created a positive working environment where staff wellbeing was normalised and prioritised.

Staff were supported with a range of initiatives that promoted their health, wellbeing and work-life balance. For example, staff could celebrate their birthday by taking a half day of annual leave and were given time to take their children to their first day of nursery or school. In addition, the provider paid individual memberships for staff to access the ‘Blue Light Scheme’. This enabled staff to benefit from discounts across a range of retail and hospitality providers. Staff also had access to earned wages before their usual pay day, helping them manage unexpected financial pressures. Staff told us they valued these initiatives and one said, “It was such a huge help last month. I was able to take some of my wages and the pressure disappeared.”

These initiatives demonstrated the provider's recognition of the factors that can impact wellbeing and their commitment to supporting staff both professionally and personally.

The provider had developed a shared positive language framework to promote inclusivity, respect and dignity within the workplace. A dedicated dictionary of positive language supported staff to understand terminology which reflected the organisation’s values and reduced the use of language that could be perceived as labelling or derogatory. Staff were encouraged to respectfully and constructively challenge one another where needed, helping to embed a culture of mutual respect and inclusion.

Staff were well supported from the beginning of their employment. The provider recognised starting a new role could be an anxious experience and had implemented a comprehensive induction programme. New staff were allocated a dedicated ‘buddy’ who worked alongside them, providing guidance, reassurance and practical support until they felt confident in their role. The provider also encouraged staff reflection and development through a structured review after their first year in post. This enabled staff to consider their achievements, reflect on their journey within the organisation and identify future aspirations in supporting people.

Staff consistently spoke positively about the leadership team and told us they felt comfortable approaching managers for support, advice or guidance. One staff member said, “I can speak to anyone, they’re all really helpful.” This demonstrated leaders were visible, approachable and fostered a culture where staff felt heard and valued.