Priors 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 inspection for this service under this newly registered provider. 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. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

People felt content living at Priors House and described positive, caring relationships with the staff who supported them. One person told us, “I really can’t fault this place at all, it’s the next best place to being in my own home. The staff are all charming without exception.” Another person said, “More than anything I enjoy the carers here. I don’t know them all, but I can chat with them, and they are all very good.” A third person commented, “There is always a very positive attitude here, staff are always cheerful and pleasant.”

Relatives were equally complimentary about the respect and care their family members received, and the consideration shown to them when they visited the home. One relative told us their family member had recently returned from a hospital admission and said, “She was so happy to see their faces, they gave her extra care when needed. I can't fault it, every member of staff is so friendly, it is a vocation to most of them." Another relative told us of a recent time when they had visited, and their family member was unwell causing them some anxiety. They explained, “Before I had even got back home there was an email for me from [staff member] telling me that [Name] was ‘laughing now’ and not to worry.” Another relative told us, “We are always welcomed warmly when we visit the home. Every time that we come, we are always asked if we want a drink.”

During our inspection we saw that staff were welcoming and friendly. When staff engaged with people, they did so in a caring and respectful manner and took time to communicate with people effectively. For example, during lunchtime medicines administration, 1 person expressed uncertainty about whether a medicine being offered had been prescribed for them. The staff member responded patiently and sought to reassure the person by asking, “Would it help if I show you the box with the tablets in?” When the person agreed, the staff member returned with the original packaging, knelt beside them, and read the person’s name and prescribing instructions from the label. This approach provided the reassurance the person was seeking, and they responded positively, saying, “In that case I’d best take them.” However, we did identify some occasions when staff missed opportunities to meaningfully engage with people, particularly when passing through communal areas or during meal service at lunch time.

Staff spoke about people in a thoughtful and positive way and acted in ways that promoted people’s sense of wellbeing. When 1 person repositioned, themselves leaving their underwear visible a staff member discreetly rearranged the person’s clothing to protect their privacy and maintain their dignity. One staff member explained, “We create an environment to become an extended family or a substitute family, and we care for and love the residents. We want them to feel the love by the way we speak, the things we do and say.” Another staff member commented, “There is 1 priority and that is our residents.”

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 we spoke with clearly felt confident to express their personalities and opinions, demonstrating they felt valued as individuals.

Relatives described how staff took time to get to know people so they could understand their individual responses and behaviours. One relative told us, “They’re all excellent in terms of knowing the residents’ names and what they do and like, it’s not just 1 or 2 either, I think it’s a core thing.” Another relative explained, “They’ve been very good with [Name], they understand her and they’ve taken time to understand her. She’s not always easiest towards people, but they’re (staff) always absolutely fair. Even the admin staff have got to know her, all the staff take an interest.”

Staff recognised the importance of understanding people’s histories, interests and what mattered to them. One staff member explained, “Each of our residents is unique, special in their own way. What 1 resident likes another doesn’t. We have learnt about each 1 and we do things how they want it.” Another staff member told us, “Because you see them individually you get to know them individually. You get to know them, and you get to know who they are as a person. It is also nice for their family, as they build trust in you because you know their mum or dad and their likes and dislikes.”

Significant dates and occasions in people’s lives were celebrated with them. One relative told us, “Her birthdays are prime examples because I know the nurse and manager have gone in and opened a big box of balloons and all the staff have gone in and sung happy birthday. They pay her lots of attention which she loves, so they are amazing at doing things like that.”

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 keep their independence and maintain as much control as possible about how they lived their day. One person explained they found walking a hard task but was determined to keep trying. They told us they were not discouraged from displaying this independence and had not experienced any falls since moving to the home.

Managers and staff recognised the importance of enabling people to maintain their preferred routines and independence to give them a sense of purpose and wellbeing. One person told us, “I’m very positive about living here” and during the afternoon we saw them sitting in the garden under the shade of a tree reading their book. The person had got there independently using their wheeled frame and commented, “There are plenty of things for me to enjoy living here, I like coming to the garden.” Another person described how their preferences were respected and told us, “I can choose when I get up in the mornings and when I go to bed.” A staff member explained the importance of independence and said, “It gives them a sense of dignity, it allows them to feel they have some control and are still able to do things. It also builds confidence and allows them to live in their best way."

Time was taken to get to know people’s lifestyle choices and hobbies to support them to enjoy meaningful moments with experiences and activities that reflected their interests. Each day people were offered opportunities to engage in a range of activities from gentle exercise to music sessions, arts and crafts, gardening and visits from local entertainers. People were encouraged to develop new friendships through social activities such as cocktail evenings, pub nights and meeting others for coffee and cakes in the café. If people wanted to maintain links to groups in the local community, where possible, this was facilitated.

Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

People told us staff were generally responsive when they requested support or assistance. One person told us, “I wear a hearing aid, and I can usually manage to put it in myself but yesterday it was playing up so I rang them to ask for help. Someone arrived in about 10 minutes and sorted it all out for me.” Another person explained when they used their call bell, “They always come along quite quickly.” A third person said, “The response times are always very good.” However, 1 person shared that response times could take longer at night.

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.

Staff told us they felt very valued and gave numerous examples of how their wellbeing had been prioritised and supported by managers at Priors House. One staff member described receiving compassionate and practical support from the registered manager following an illness. They told us the registered manager contacted them to discuss their wellbeing, provided advice regarding financial support and assisted them in accessing it. This staff member told us, “I don’t know how I can ever thank her enough.”

Another staff member described how the registered manager had changed the unit they worked on to accommodate them whilst they continued to recover from a health issue. They said, “[Registered manager] checks with me all the time. She is genuinely interested in my recovery and is doing everything she can to support me.” A third staff member described how their preference for privacy around a recent health issue had been respected. They commented, “They (managers) gave me all the support I needed and if they needed to check up on me, they always checked up on me privately."

We were also given examples where the management team had created opportunities for staff to gain further qualifications and progress in their career. Without exception staff described the registered manager as approachable and committed to their personal and professional wellbeing.

The provider had processes to support staff's physical, mental and financial health. Staff had access to an employee assistance programme which gave them financial information, health support and other benefits to support their well-being. This included mini health checks and 4-week wellbeing plans.

Staff were supported if they were struggling at work. They had access to a mental health first aider and a confidential counselling helpline. One staff member told us,“Our mental health first aider has done laughing yoga to make us feel good at the start of the day. If anyone needs to speak to her, she makes time for a cup of tea and a nice chat.” Information was also available signposting staff to other mental health resources and charities they could reach out to for emotional or bereavement support when they needed it.

Staff achievements were recognised and GEM (Going that extra mile) awards held monthly for staff who had been recognised by people, relatives and other staff for going ‘the extra mile.” One staff member explained the importance of the award and told us, “We have GEM of the month. So, I can write a card perhaps it could be a staff member who has been really, really helpful, and you put it in the box. The manager counts them up and the staff member with the most or a staff member who has done something exceptional or simply very kind gets a gift. It could be flowers or chocolates. It really does make you feel good.”

The commitment of longstanding staff to the home was recognised and celebrated.