The Brambles Apartments

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 service. This key question has been rated Outstanding.

This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.
 

This service scored 90 (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, one health professional told us, “Staff are always very welcoming and happy to joint work.”
There was a strong and visible culture of kindness, compassion, and respect embedded throughout the service and demonstrated consistently by staff in all roles. Every interaction we observed was characterised by genuine warmth, dignity, and empathy. People appeared relaxed, comfortable, and at ease in the presence of staff, reflecting the positive relationships that had been developed over time. It was clear that staff knew people exceptionally well and had built trusting, meaningful connections with them. A health professional told us, “Staff are very kind and caring.
Without exception, the entire staff team spoke about people with warmth, affection, and a genuine commitment to supporting their wellbeing. Staffing arrangements ensured staff had sufficient time to provide personalised support, whether offering reassurance during periods of distress, engaging people in conversation, or supporting them to participate in activities both within the service and the wider community.
People were consistently supported by at least two members of staff to ensure their needs were met safely and effectively in line with their care plan. We observed staff working seamlessly together, engaging positively with people in a way that was supportive and respectful, without being intrusive. We observed people smiling and laughing with staff while being supported to participate in activities they enjoyed.
Relatives spoke positively about the caring approach of staff. One relative told us, "Staff are definitely caring, they know [person] really well and are very good with [them]." Another said, "Staff interact well, are very kind, they listen to what [they] want and know how to support [them] during difficult times." A further relative commented, "[Person] is really happy, they laugh with and trust the staff," adding that staff were "kind and caring."
Staff also spoke warmly about their roles and the people they supported. One staff member told us, "I love working here. The staff are very kind and caring, and we have a strong bond with the people we support."
 

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.
Great emphasis was placed on gathering information to best understand the individuality and uniqueness of each person, including their family background, social interests and personal stories. The assessment also identified common words or signs people used, by recording “What I say, what I mean.” Families were encouraged to be involved in the assessment by writing the person’s biography and sharing what their family member enjoyed doing. This information was shared with staff to enable them to have a deeper understanding of people’s lives and experiences. Staff used this knowledge to tailor their approach, create positive moments and support people in ways that felt familiar and comforting.

People’s bedrooms were tailored to their specific needs and reflected personal tastes; this included two apartments having a sensory room to meet their sensory needs.
Celebrations were tailored to each person, with birthdays and special occasions marked in line with people’s wishes, for example one person had a birthday coming up and had been supported to create invites for a party and was planning to have a day out in Blackpool.

Monthly photos and summaries of activities captured what mattered most to people, ensuring their likes, dislikes and feelings were heard and acted upon. For example, one person liked Dr Who and the provider had supported the person with building a tardis in the gardens, another person who liked arts and crafts had been supported to do some artwork on the garden’s fences. The information was shared with respective families and commissioners so progress could be monitored and families felt involved still. This proactive and person-centred practice empowered staff to tailor care that promoted autonomy, dignity and emotional security, ensuring people received individualised care.
Staff demonstrated a detailed understanding of each person's individual characteristics, preferences, and interests, and used this knowledge to engage people in meaningful conversations and activities and provided care and support in ways that enhanced their wellbeing and quality of life. For example, one person enjoyed football and the provider had installed football nets so they could play with staff and would be taken to watch football matches.

Relatives told us, “Staff treat [person] with respect, they ask if they can use their air fryer for example when cooking,” and “Staff ask the [person] what activities they want to do and ask permission before they do things.” Another relative told us, “They create social stories to help them be prepared for different activities, or for health appointments.”
Staff told us, “A lot of attention is given to ensure the right support is in place for people,” and “We respect the people we support and ask for their consent before doing anything.” Another staff member told us, “When working with people we make sure they have choices, if they are non-verbal, we would use pictures, or Makaton signs, we would also put two options out like clothes for them to choose or pictures of menu choices.”

Makaton is a unique language program that combines signs, symbols and speech to help people with learning or communication difficulties express themselves.
 

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.
The promotion of independence was a focus for the service. People had visitors as and when they wished. People with families were encouraged and supported to keep in touch. The service regularly put on events for families and people to get involved with. The importance maintaining relationships was a priority for the service.
As already referenced activities and events both within the service and community were a key part in supporting people to maintain their independence and enjoy their life to the full, taking on new challenges. People’s family and friends were encouraged to participate in activities organised by the service, share a meal with a loved one and celebrate events, including religious activities such as Eid and Christmas.
A relative told us, “An Eid party was arranged and all the family attended.”
Care plans reflected people's wishes and promoted their independence. They included the activities people enjoyed and wanted to take part in.
People’s birthdays were celebrated and we saw lots of photos around the apartments of people participating in different activities laughing and smiling with their families and staff. These events demonstrated how equality and diversity were embedded into everyday practice and contributed positively to people’s experiences of care.
A relative told us, “[Person] picks which staff they want to support them.”
The registered manager met with individuals and families regularly which included weekly if this was preferred or needed.

The provider was exceptional in how they 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.

The service was highly responsive to people’s individual needs, preferences, and changing circumstances. Staff were consistently available to support people and were able to instantly provide person centred care. The ways in which staff responded to people’s immediate needs was exceptional. Staff were knowledgeable and fully aware of how to support people in any situation at a moment’s notice. For example, one person being supported in their garden, staff noticed a change in their mood as they knew what signs to look for and was able to immediately implement diversionary techniques to help settle the person and maintain their safety whilst continuing to do the things they enjoyed. In another example, we observed one person who was supported with 2 staff members undertaking activities within the garden, staff recognised the early signs of the person becoming distressed and quickly changed the lead staff member which had an immediate response and the person settled without the need for any other support. As a result, people had been fully supported to increase the amount of time they spent going out in the community and were also able to do what they wanted and live a fulfilled life.
Health and social care professionals were complimentary about the service and staff. One professional said, “The team have an excellent understanding on risk, sensory and behavioral needs.”
Each staff member was provided with an alarm, keys and fobs at the start of their shift and used if they needed assistance and would receive an immediate response. The registered manager and deputy would attend all incidents, ensuring people and staff were supported emotionally aswell as physically. “Floating staff” were available to relieve staff to take regular breaks and to attend any incident, this ensured there was always enough staff to support individuals.
Staff told us, “There is always enough staff, the seniors allocate the people we support so we know who we are supporting, there is a core team for each person but we also can work with other people if needed,”
Relatives told us, “There is always plenty of staff on duty,” and “There is enough staff,… if people need additional support more staff will come to help.”
Another relative told us, “They give [person] structure, without it they would deteriorate,” and “I am really happy with the care [person] receives, it gives me “heart peace” seeing them well looked after and thriving.”

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.
Members of staff were well supported by the management team and the provider. The provider completed health checks for all staff and reasonable adjustments and flexible working contracts where needed were put in place. This enabled staff to continue to provide support to people and recognised their personal diverse needs and to stay well. Staff had access to a helpline for support from a psychologist or a counsellor, and staff could take short breaks every hour to support their emotional wellbeing if needed. The registered manager told us that welfare checks and debriefs were held following any incident to ensure people were emotionally as well as physically alright. A member of staff told us, “The Manager supported me when I was hurt at work and needed to go to AE. The Registered Manager was there for me and checked on me, this is the bridge values.” The Bridge is the provider of The Bramble Apartments.
Staff praised the management team for respecting their diversity, treating them kindly and fairly. The service was proactive in their approach to staff team morale and ensuring the staff felt appreciated.
A member of staff told us, “The Bridge supports staff well and want to ensure staff are in a good place,” and "The Bridge is more like a family, everyone is treated fairly.”
Staff described having access to regular supervision, meetings and informal support, which helped them reflect on their practice and develop their skills. A staff member told us, “We are asked about our welfare, if anything is bothering us, if we have any issues they would be sorted. We are able to ask questions and put things on the agenda it’s like having a shoulder to lean on,” and “In supervision we are asked how we are, if we have any complaints.”
Staff told us they felt valued, and were supported, and worked well as a team. Staff said there were sufficient breaks and rest periods. A member of staff told us, “The manager has an open-door policy for any work or personal issues, if we have any family issues they will try and help with flexible working,” and "I step through the gate and feel enthused and valued, they appreciate the effort you make and will train you, I love it here.”
Staff also had access to a QR code that they could use to report anything. We saw a “you said, we did” notice board in the staff area, which reflected how the service had listened to what staff were saying and the actions they had taken in response. Staff felt listened to and told us, “We always get feedback,” and “We are listened to.”
Staff had access to training opportunities which were useful in helping them carry out their roles effectively, one staff member told us, “I am currently undertaking a diploma, which has been fully funded by the company. This has been a fantastic opportunity and has helped me develop both professionally and personally.”