L'Arche Bognor Regis

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 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People were treated with kindness compassion and dignity. We observed positive and respectful interactions throughout the assessment. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff were mindful of working in people’s homes, showing respect for personal space, belongings, and privacy. Consent was sought before providing care, and people’s decisions were upheld. Records kept about people were written in a respectful and personalised way. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

People consistently told us they were supported by staff who were kind. A person told us, “My staff are kind and nice.” Another said, “They are all right. I like [name] she is all right and helps me buy nice clothes and things.”

People were treated as individuals. Staff considered people’s strengths, abilities, culture, protected characteristics, and unique backgrounds when providing support. People’s lives reflected their personalities and interests. For example, one person told us about their pets and how important it was to them to care for them. They appreciated staff support in arranging veterinary appointments when their pets were unwell.

People were supported to make choices and decisions about their lives, including how to spend their time and their care preferences. They were able to participate in local events and social gatherings. One person told us they travelled independently on buses to visit friends and go shopping.

The provider promoted people’s independence, ensuring they understood their rights and had choice and control over their care, treatment, and wellbeing. This included respecting decisions when people chose not to engage with health and social care professionals or accept available advice and treatment.

During the assessment, we observed people exercising autonomy in their daily lives. One person made a shopping list and walked to the local shop to purchase the items. Staff provided prompts and encouragement to support their independence with road safety, navigating the shop, and selecting items from their list. In the person’s home, staff were respectful of their wishes and personal belongings. Support was measured, discreet, and led by the person’s preferences.

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. People told us that staff supported them to make appointments, including arranging emergency medical care when required. We observed staff following support strategies to reduce a person’s anxiety and provide reassurance.

People lived independently in their own homes, with support tailored to their assessed needs. This typically consisted of a few hours a day for help with personal care and aspects of daily living. An on-call system was in place for emergencies, and records evidenced staff responses to out-of-hours situations. This included occasions when staff responded in person, signposted people to other organisations or professionals for more appropriate support and contacted emergency services on people’s behalf to ensure timely assistance.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, supporting and enabling them to deliver person-centred care consistently. Staff told us they felt valued, well-supported, and considered it a good place to work. Managers were described as supportive and considerate of staff wellbeing.

Staff had access to comprehensive training and support. Processes were in place to support staff, including a supervision policy that centred on open dialogue between the staff member and their supervisor. Supervision also provided opportunities for personal development and learning. Additional processes were in place to support staff from overseas working on immigration visas.

The provider’s grievance procedure enabled staff to raise concerns formally and appropriately. Staff were aware of this policy and felt confident to use it if needed.