Bridge House

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 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 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 looked happy, comfortable and relaxed around managers and staff. Interactions were warm, compassionate, friendly and kind. Staff were always attentive, reassured people and listened to what they had to say. We observed staff frequently sitting and engaging with people in the main lounge. People were supported to express themselves as individuals, which showed staff had built trusting relationships with them.

We observed staff using humour with people, always ensuring their communication style was professional and appropriate.

Staff always adapted routines around individual preferences, such as supporting people with their chosen activities around their favourite TV programmes and encouraging people to have bedtime routines to ensure they got enough rest. Staff and people formed professional, yet close relationships.

One person told us, “The staff are kind and help us”.

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 had a good understanding of people’s individual needs and communication needs. This enabled people to communicate preferences to ensure their support plans were accurate and up to date.

People’s individual goals and aspirations were well understood by staff, and they continually supported people to meet these, for example by attending college regularly to learn work skills and volunteering in local shops. People’s backgrounds, life history, and preferences were documented clearly in support plans to guide staff to provide them with individualised care and support. People were encouraged to be uniquely themselves. We observed people’s bedrooms reflected people as individuals in decoration and personal possessions.

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

Staff supported people to be as independent as possible with the tasks of daily living such as preparing their own meals, cleaning their own rooms and doing their laundry. One staff member told us, “I know [person] can make pasta but sometimes they ask me to make it. I encourage them to do it themself”.

People moved freely around the care home and spent their time as they wished, with no unnecessary restrictions. People accessed the community flexibly, in line with their own wishes and staff had access to a vehicle to support recreational activities off site.

Positive risk taking was encouraged to support progression to full independence and was supported by appropriate risk assessments.

Visiting arrangements were open and unrestricted, and family members and friends were welcomed, supporting people to maintain important relationships.

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, were aware of potential triggers that may induce anxiety or distress and were able to recognise changes in people’s presentation that may indicate they were unwell. Evidence showed staff knew how to escalate any immediate concerns appropriately and sought medical advice when required. This ensured people received timely and appropriate support to meet their immediate needs.

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

Staff completed an ‘About Me’ form when they started their employment with the service, which enabled the registered manager to identify any areas where reasonable adjustments or alternative work hours may need to be put into place.

All staff we spoke with provided positive feedback and said they felt supported by the registered manager and provider. A staff member told us, “It's one the best places I've ever worked. It just feels well run and staff are happy”.