Cooksons Court

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 good. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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 95 (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.

Feedback from relatives and people was overwhelmingly positive about how caring staff were. Comments included, “They are incredibly caring, they always pop in and out to see that all is well and they always look happy which can’t be easy” and “They are wonderful, they look as if they really like what they are doing and this is where they want to be.” During our visit we observed staff interactions with people they were very kind, compassionate and caring without exception. Staff had established a very trusting relationship with people. We observed people to be very relaxed and comfortable in the company of staff. Health care professionals we spoke with told us staff were compassionate and kind. The provider shared several examples of the impact the team had on people and their relatives. For example, several families had left a significant amount of thanks you card and positive feedback reviews on public forums. All the reviews we read were praising the team for doing such an excellent job. Phrases such as “they are wonderful”, “so compassionate” and “kind and caring in spades." Without exception all the reviews we read the home was rated as excellent. The cards and emails had overwhelmingly praised the team for supporting loved ones at a time when they were most vulnerable. In one example a person had a devastating life event, following this the team rallied around to ensure they had all the things they needed to make life more comfortable. The team went the extra mile to ensure the person was supported emotionally and practically.

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. Staff actively pursued interests and activities that people liked and wanted to do. For example, when people asked about exercising more, the team brought in pedal bike’s which could be used with TV imagery to give people a feeling of being outdoors/indoors. In another example, a person wanted to play darts, and this was added to the activity program. There was a range of activities available for people both indoors and out in the community. One relative told us, “[Relatives name] likes to be in the garden and since they have been there, they have been on a couple of outings, to the coast and the Fleet Air Arm museum.” Another relative told us their relative had been to the local café where they play classical music. Staff told us they wanted to make people happy and find things they like to do. Staff encouraged people to explore hobbies and interests. For example, one person liked to grow vegetables, which they have been able to do at the home, the vegetables were then used in the home. This meant a great deal to the person and gave them purpose.

Visitors were welcomed at any time. The provider also offered family members to stay with their relatives if they were unwell or at the end of their life. A private room was made available to families when needed.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff encouraged people to be as independent as possible. People had choices about what to eat, activities and how to spend their time. Staff also supported people to regain control over their finances when appropriate. People understood their rights and made choices over their lives with support from the staff team. One relative said, “Whenever there is a choice, they ask him what he would like.” Another relative said, “[Name of person] chooses some things and they cajole him to come to activities, sometimes they know he likes Scrabble, and they set it out for him and a chap who is of a similar intellectual level to [person]”.

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 GP spoke very highly of how the team managed any emergencies within the home, they said, “The team are very caring and use resources appropriately. Calls to the surgery were appropriate and people are well cared for in the home.” Care plans reviewed showed when needs changed staff responded quickly and kept up to date records. Daily meetings with the managers and clinical lead focused on people’s care needs and any changes this then led to actions being taken in a timely manner.

The provider shared some examples of how they had responded to people immediately. In one case the clinical lead assessed a person in the community for admission to the home, however, the person was alone and had little or no support overnight, there were on an end-of-life pathway but could not be admitted until the following day.

The team arranged for the person to have additional night support, were not left alone and were made comfortable. The following day they were safely admitted to the home. In another example, the home was contacted to assess a person who had come out of hospital. The family were unsure how to support the person and were very distressed. The team advised the family to escalate their concerns and as a result the person went back into hospital to receive further treatment. Once discharged they would be safely admitted to the home. In both cases outlined above the team and managers went out of their way to ensure that people were made safe and protected from harm. The team’s quick actions helped a family in crisis and prevented a person who may have been left alone and in pain. One of the families remained in contact with the home, they feedback how grateful there were for the advice and how compassionately the team had dealt with their circumstances.

The provider always cared about and promoted the well being of their staff and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff told us they enjoyed working at the home. Staff retention was high; staff worked in the home for a long time. Staff spoke very highly of the registered manager. Staff said they were encouraged to speak up and had time to off load their concerns through their regular 1:1 meetings and team meetings. The registered manager had an open-door policy and found time to listen to staff. They focused on staff well being. For example, staff could work flexible shifts to ensure they had good rest periods and a good work-life balance. There was a staff welfare champion. Staff had access to counselling if required, and the managers promoted healthy eating and exercise. The organisation awarded staff for their hard work at an awards ceremony which was very much appreciated by the team. People were given the opportunity to nominate staff based on their qualities and skills. There were several awards for example, making a difference, or carer of the year. Staff were given the option of having acupuncture as part of their overall well being. Staff who needed or wanted one, had a well being plan including a mental health plan. Following some feedback from the team the registered manager changed the staff room to be more relaxing place to unwind when staff had their breaks. The home also supports student nurses on 6-week placement.