The Gardens

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 newly 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 80 (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.

The person had positive relationships with staff. We observed they were treated in a caring way by the staff who supported them. The interactions we observed were positive. A relative spoke positively about all members of the management and staff team and raised no concerns. All staff spoke about the person respectfully.

Staff were able to share with us examples of how they promoted the person’s privacy and dignity and the environment had been adapted for this. One staff member said, “We give space where we can and where it is safe to do so.” There was a privacy window in the person’s bedroom where staff could observe the person whilst maintaining their personal space.

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

The person’s individual needs and preferences were always considered, and this was reflected in how all aspects of their care was delivered.

The care home and environment had been purpose built to meet the needs of the individual living there, the provider had worked with the person, professionals and their family to ensure it met their needs as part of their transition into the home. The home had been personalised and adapted to meet the needs of the individual. This included adaptations so some areas were larger and wider to ensure free movement for the person. Sensory lighting has been installed in the ceiling, along with lighting strips around the edges, giving the space a calming and adjustable feel depending on the mood and needs of the person. The environment had a significant impact on reducing the persons anxiety, the environment offered a safe and reassuring space for the person to relax and feel at ease.

The home had been decorated to the individual preference of the person. There were spray-painted artworks of the persons favourite artists on the walls, creating a welcoming and familiar environment. In the bedroom, basketball-themed artwork has been added to reflect their other strong interest, making the space truly personal and meaningful to them.

The garden included a dignity fence to ensure the person’s privacy and dignity was maintained when outside. The garden also included equipment which was individual to the person. This included a rubber court that was integrated to allow the person to safely play sports like football and basketball, minimising the risk of hard falls and providing the protection required for their health needs.

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 encouraged to be independent and were involved with all aspect of their care. Care plans detailed how the person should remain independent and the level of support they may need with tasks. When the person had developed new skills, these were incorporated into their daily routines. The registered manager and staff knew the person well and were able to tell us how they were involved with their care and made choices. Relatives were encouraged to be part of this process and helped support the person to make key choices and decision in their life. Staff spent time with the person monitoring and observing their reaction to tasks to ensure the person was in control of their life.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes.

No concerns were raised to how the person’s needs were responded to.

The person’s needs were responded to promptly. They had regular reviews of their care and regular discussion took place between staff, their family and professionals who knew them well. When changes occurred to how the person’s care was being delivered, care plans and risk assessments were updated with the person to ensure staff had the most up to date information to offer support. Staff felt they had the most up to date information about the person, to enable them to support them.

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 focused on developing a positive culture for staff which was based on open communication and transparency. Staff played a pivotal role in the delivery of care for the person and spoke positively about how they were involved and valued. Without exception staff spoke positively about the registered manager and leadership team and the support they received. One staff member told us, “It’s great, supportive, fair, listen to us, involve us, just all part of a really good hard-working team.”

The provider embedded a positive culture where staff felt valued and good work was recognised. They offered an extensive range of support programmes for staff which included employee assistance schemes. Staff also benefited from a rewards scheme which included, team building exercises, awards and events, such as Christmas parties.

Staff were actively encouraged to progress within their role and many of the staff team had developed from care staff into management roles within the service.

The provider lead by the registered manager empowered staff to do their jobs and do their jobs well. They embedded the providers ethos of, ‘The difference that defines us’ into their service. Staff wellbeing was a priority for the registered manager, and this was evidenced by the low turnover of staff in the home. Many of the staff employed at the service were part of the person’s transition into the home when it opened and had remained part of the staff team since.

Staff also had access to relevant policies and procedures which supported their well-being. This included the workplace bullying and harassment policy which included information about staff support and discrimination they may face in the workplace.