Archived: Squires Mews 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 Squires Mews Care Home since it was registered. 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.

Leaders and staff 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 told us staff treated them with kindness and felt well cared for by staff they liked. A person said, “Staff are lovely, kind and helpful.” People were dressed in clothing of their choice, and had clean trimmed nails and their hair done. Staff knew people well and there was a focus on providing person-centred care. Staff spoke confidently about their approach to maintaining dignity, kindness and promoting people’s quality of life. A staff member described how they maintained a person’s dignity when providing personal care support, and included drawing the curtains, closing the door and putting up the ‘ do not disturb’ sign.

People received person-led care from staff who showed good insight about people’s lifestyles and resected their daily routines. Staff recognised the importance of developing positive and supportive relationships with people. Staff were attentive, calm, and gentle with everyone. We observed staff using people’s preferred names and ensured the individual’s dignity was maintained at all times.

We saw people and their visitors’ enjoying snacks and a choice of beverages whilst seated in the garden and in the bistro area. A relative said, “They are obliging and accommodating; [Person] has made their room into their own home. We have been really delighted with it.” A visiting professional told us staff were respectful and professional in their interactions with them.

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’s care plans contained important information about how they wished to be supported, their preferences and included information about their protected characteristics. The ‘All about Me’ section which should contain information about people's early life hobbies and things that were important to them, was blank. There was no impact on the treatment people received as staff we spoke with had good knowledge and insight about people’s daily routine and what mattered to them. We found paper records for each person containing this information was kept at each care station. We discussed with the registered manager the importance of utilising the electronic care system fully which can also be updated as needed. They assured us action would be taken.

People told us they were treated as an individual and staff respected their wishes. There were daily activities and external entertainment planned. A person said, “I'm a loner, that’s because I used to drive, I like singing, I’ve got a radio in my room and get all my music on my tablet and YouTube. If I wanted to join in activities, I could.” We observed staff were patient, kind and communicated in a respectful way. We observed people participating in individual or group activities.

Staff understood how to support people, for instance, when a staff member recognised a person did not wish to continue with the activity, they asked the person what they would like to do instead and made suggestions. When the person expressed a desire for music the member of staff played their chosen music ensuring the volume was set just right, the person was comfortable and was enjoying the music before they left the room. A relative said, “Staff, I can’t speak more highly about every one of them. They are tolerant, patient, friendly, always smiling and very good. They accommodate all [Person’s] ways, they put up with a lot.” Another said, “When [Person] first moved in they took in personal items; pictures and memento’s, they have been really accommodating. [Person] has their own riser/recliner chair there as well.” People’s personal milestones and occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries and religious holidays, were made special as a way of celebrating each person’s identity.

Leaders and staff promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Management and staff promoted ‘Avery’s Living Life Well’ ethos by supporting and empowering people to maximise their quality of life; staying physically and mentally active, make informed choices and retain control over their care and wellbeing. Staff encouraged people to do as much for themselves as possible, providing respectful assistance only when required. Assistive technology and equipment was used to promote independence.

People knew their rights and chose how they spent their time and staff respected their wishes. A person told us, “I get up, wash and dress myself. After having breakfast I went for a walk. I’ll read or watch the television or see what's happening today. There's always something going on.” Another person said, “I like to walk around the garden, the fresh air is good for me. We're all raising money for a charity; my current record is 40 laps.” People had personalised their bedrooms with photographs and items that were important to them. There was a choice of communal lounges people could use including the bistro area. Visitors were welcomed without any restrictions and spent time with their loved ones.

People told us they enjoyed the activities arranged within the care home and in the community. The wellbeing and activity staff encouraged people to take part in activities and celebrated special events and festivals. There were external entertainers and children from the local nursery and schools visited. A person told us, “[Staff] come in and does chair exercises, sometimes you don’t want to do activities and then staff will say come and have a go and you’re glad you’ve done it. You’re not pushed into doing it you just join in.” A relative said, “Staff encourage [Person] to come out of their room but let them do their own thing; and they listen to them.”

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.

People were supported by staff who were familiar to them, enabling them to anticipate and meet people’s needs quickly and in ways that reduced people’s discomfort and distress. People’s care needs were monitored and kept under review. Relatives comments included, “The home is run like a well-oiled machine, everyone is kind, caring and prioritizes the residents,” and “Staff are friendly, approachable, professional and efficient at what they do.”

Staff told us they were kept up to date through daily handover meetings and escalated concerns when changes to people’s health was of concern. Staff understood people’s individual needs and wishes, which was reflected in the delivery of care. We saw staff respond to call bells and requests for assistance in a timely manner and in a coordinated way. The registered manager monitored the calls bells activation logs and staff response times regularly and any delays were investigated to identify the cause. Staff meetings were used to discuss response times to call bells, and to reinforce call bell response was a priority.

During our visit we observed staff were responsive when a person’s health declined and sought emergency medical support. Records showed clinical observations had been completed and there was regular contact with the GP. A relative told us staff prioritised providing care and comfort for their family member during end-of-life care.

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

Systems were in place and underpinned by policies to support staff wellbeing. Staff told us they enjoyed working for the provider. Staff felt supported by the management team and had opportunities to undertake further training and development. A member of staff told us, “It's challenging and enjoyable. We get lots of training we need.” Staff told us they felt the management team cared about their wellbeing.

Staff described feeling valued in their roles and highlighted open communication as contributing to a positive and inclusive culture Staff had opportunities to give feedback, raise concerns and felt their views were listened to. The registered manager told us they had an open-door policy and gave staff opportunities to share experiences and concerns and develop a supportive environment for staff. They recognised the diverse staff team and had a variety of resources in place to support them. This included access to confidential support, advice, as well as bereavement support services.