Ambleside

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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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 did treat people with kindness, empathy and compassion.

People and relatives praised staff and how staff looked after them. Comments included, “I have seen the staff calm residents; they know what they are doing” and “I think that the staff are very caring. [Person] is always clean, tidy and well-presented when I visit.”

Staff told us how they respected people wishes and choices and how their cared that people had positive experiences. Two staff told us how they had bought people items they wanted from the shops in their own time, because they wanted to do this for people. One staff member said, “I see them like my family.” In other examples, staff supported people to pursue their activities and interests, again sometimes in their own time through their choice. There was desire to care for people well and staff were committed and valued for doing that. Staff supported people to maintain their privacy and dignity. One staff member told us, “I always make sure curtains are drawn. I pull the door too when in the shower.” People’s comments showed us when staff supported them, they were involved in what happened and what they wanted to do for themselves to maintain their dignity and independence.

The provider did treat people as individuals and make 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 individual needs and wishes that were important to them, were considered. People’s care records contained information that directed staff to support people in line with their individual preferences. For example, if people needed specialist equipment or support from staff with certain tasks. One person shared their story about being treated as an individual. They said, “I was upstairs and didn’t like it, so they moved me downstairs it helps me to be independent. I like it better.” A relative told us how staff had made a difference to their family member. This relative said, “[Person] was in his shell when he came to the home, he is now much more independent and outgoing.”

Staff knew people’s needs and interests which supported them to provide person centred care. The activities manager told us, “Our staff volunteer to come in on their days off. All 3 staff who went to Weston Super Mare came in on their days off.” This was because they wanted people to have positive experiences, but staff told us they were not pressured to do this. The activities manager told us how one person wanted to attend a wedding and how staff supported this person to do this.

The provider did promote people’s independence, so people did know their rights and have choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People and relatives were complimentary about being supported to be as independent as possible. A typical comment from 1 person was, “I do my own personal care, but staff assist me with my showers. I choose when I go to bed and when I get up and I choose what I wear. I am encouraged to be independent.”

Staff recognised the importance of supporting people to remain independent. Care plans indicated where people could do some tasks independently for example, one person could reposition themselves in bed, but they were not able to turn themselves over. Staff supported this person to do this. Staff recognised some people could manage some aspects of their personal care themselves. For example, 1 staff member told us, “I try to encourage them to do things for themselves. Like wash their hands and face, some do it quite well, other miss areas so I do that for them.” Our observations showed staff offered people choices and let people do things for themselves, where safe to do so.

Staff did respond to people’s needs in the moment or act to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

We saw staff responded to call bells in a timely manner where people needed support. When 1 person needed to use the toilet during lunchtime, staff took their meal to keep it warm until they came back. Staff recognised when people needed immediate support. For example, 1 staff member told us if 1 person became distressed, they would talk about Elvis which helped to reduce this person’s anxiety. Another staff member told us when a person became anxious, they would offer them a cup of tea which helped to calm them. One staff member said, “There is 1 person who gets down and upset and they cry, if you chat to them and rub their hand and say, ‘you are alright’ they seem to settle then, it’s just that reassurance.”

The provider did care about and promote the wellbeing of their staff. They did support or enable staff to deliver person-centred care.

Staff told us since the manager had been in post their wellbeing had increased. Staff told us they felt well supported by the management team. Staff received supervisions and training, relevant to their roles and responsibilities. Staff said the provider was good at recognising if staff wanted to learn, progress or seek opportunities to develop. Staff told us about times when they received support with personal circumstances and how the provider was understanding. The regional director told us the provider had support mechanisms to help staff, such as access to mental health support or confidential telephone lines to share their concerns and seek support.

Staff gave us examples of adjustments to their ways of working to support their needs. For example, 1 staff member told us how the provider had supplied them with a large screen to help support their needs. Another told us how they were supported to work within units on the ground floor as opposed to all units in the home to help them. Staff felt that they could approach the manager with any concerns and they would be acted upon.