Midlands Supported Living

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 remained Good.

This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 70 (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.

During our visits, we observed people approaching staff freely, sitting with them in offices and chatting comfortably, which showed trusting and respectful relationships. People appeared relaxed and happy with staff and were encouraged to show us their homes and personal spaces. Relatives consistently spoke positively about how staff interacted with their family members, describing staff as kind, respectful and attentive. One relative told us, “The manager and staff are very caring; they know how to communicate with [person] in the kindest most respectful way.” These observations and feedback showed people were supported in a way that upheld their dignity and emotional wellbeing.

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.

Care plans were individualised and reflected people’s preferences, routines and personal histories, which helped staff to know people well and provide personalised support. We saw staff supporting people to personalise their living spaces, including adapting rooms to

meet sensory needs, such as creating calming areas chosen by the person. Relatives told us staff understood people’s likes, dislikes and interests. One relative said, “they understand [person’s] likes and dislikes. They like music and [person] likes dancing.” This personalised approach supported people to feel valued, understood and respected as individuals.

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 and supported them to make everyday choices about their routines, activities and relationships. People were supported to maintain regular contact with family, friends and their wider community, which promoted independence and wellbeing. We saw people accessing community activities, employment, social events and holidays in line with their interests. Any restrictions in place were proportionate, unavoidable and followed Mental Capacity Act guidance. One relative told us, “[Person] rings me every night, this makes my day,” showing how people were supported to maintain meaningful relationships and exercise choice in how they stayed connected.

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.

Positive behaviour support plans were in place, regularly updated and contained clear guidance to help staff recognise and respond to changes in people’s behaviour or emotional state. We reviewed an incident that showed staff were alert to people’s needs and took time to observe, communicate and engage with the person involved to understand what had happened. Staff responded calmly and in a timely way, which reduced distress and helped people feel safe. These approaches ensured people received responsive, compassionate support when they needed it most.

The provider did not always ensure staff wellbeing and enablement, although improvements were being made. Staff told us they felt more valued and confident since the introduction of the new management team, and we saw evidence of staff meetings and supervision records. Leaders encouraged staff to share their views and contribute to discussions about the service. However, staff engagement and development opportunities were still limited, and more time was needed to embed a consistently positive and supportive staff culture across all locations. This meant staff wellbeing arrangements were improving but were not yet fully embedded to consistently support staff and, in turn, people’s care.