Moorville 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.

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 100 (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.

There was an exceptionally strong and visible person-centred culture. Every staff member we spoke with showed a passion for providing outstanding outcomes for the people they supported and were proud of the difference they made to people's lives. Feedback from staff, relatives and visiting professionals emphasised this was an extremely caring service. Comments included, “The staff are perfect. The staff listen to me.” Another person said,” The staff are kind.”

The actions of staff at the service gave relatives peace of mind knowing their family members were cared for. One relative said, "I couldn’t be happier; I am blessed [Name] lives at Moorville House. We are like one big family. I would struggle without their support. I would be very stressed, but they keep me calm, and that is good for [family member].” Another said, “[Name] is well looked after, and they [relative] are always happy to go back after they visit me. What more can you ask for.”

Partners gave positive feedback about the care and support given by staff. Partners commented on the good relationships the service had built with people; they acknowledged the hard work and commitment of the staff team. Comments included, “The communication with family has been great, offering support to them when needed and allowing them to feel comfortable and happy with the adult moving away from home.” Another said, “Communicative staff, very organised, have a great in-depth relationship with service users and it is evident they know the people well and have a good understanding of their specific needs.”

Care plans included detailed information about how individuals wished to be supported, including cultural, religious, and personal preferences.

Staff were passionate about striving to build good relationships based on good communication, active listening and empathy. They told us how they worked hard to build open and honest relationships with people they support as well as their families and friends. Staff aimed to help people lead fulfilling lives and achieve their goals and dreams for the future.

From our observations it was evident the providers vision and values had been fully embedded into the way the service was managed and put people at the heart of the service. People were empowered to be in control of their care. Relationships with staff were seen to be strong, caring, respectful and supportive. Staff interacted with people positively and used people's preferred names. Staff saw people as their equals and created a warm and inclusive atmosphere where they understood people's unique and complex needs and identities. We spent some time in the communal areas during the assessment. We saw staff were consistently reassuring and showed kindness towards people when they were providing support, and in day-to-day conversations and activities. The interaction between staff and people they supported was inclusive and it was clear from how people approached staff they were happy and confident in their company.

People’s privacy and dignity were consistently upheld and embedded across all aspects of care and support. Staff worked hard to ensure people's bedrooms were their own private space and had helped people to personalise them to reflect their interests and history, so they truly felt at home. Staff were discreet and sensitive when providing personal care and always sought consent before carrying out any tasks.

Staff showed exceptional skills at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s dignity.

Staff performance was monitored not just on tasks completed, but on how they made people feel. This was evidenced in regular reviews and catch-up meetings with people, just to see how they were and how their support was suiting them.

There was a dignity champion, this meant they promoted dignity within the home and checked people's dignity was being maintained. Monthly audits were completed by the management team to monitor how staff were actively listening to people’s preferences and wishes around dignity and respect. Posters promoting dignity were seen in the reception area and the staff at the service were committed to treating all people with kindness and promoting respect and dignity.

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.

The provider worked hard to instil a culture of care in which staff truly valued and promoted people's individuality, protected their rights and enabled them to develop and flourish. There was a commitment to valuing people as individuals, supporting them to meet their full potential and achieve their individual aspirations. Staff and managers emphasised the importance of treating individuals with dignity and recognising their strengths to help build confidence and promote independence. They respected each person’s choices and supported them in leading a life that reflected their personal values.

Staff we spoke with could tell us about those they supported and what was important to them. Staff knew about people’s background, likes, hopes and needs. This included people's individual preferences, any health and welfare issues and promoting their independence. They talked about the intensive support people needed to improve their independence. We observed relationships with staff to be strong, respectful and supportive. Staff gave people opportunities and options and people were encouraged to make their own choices and express their views. Staff were excellent at recognising when people were distressed and provided extremely sensitive and respectful support to help manage this. The approach staff took helped create a calm and relaxed environment which helped to reduce the anxieties people experienced. The provider prioritised continuity of care, ensuring people were supported by familiar staff who knew them well. This helped build trusting relationships and allowed staff to respond sensitively to changing needs and preferences. Each person was matched with a key worker whose role was to develop a positive, trusting relationship with them. The development of these relationships supported staff to deliver highly supportive, person-centred care which promoted people’s well-being. One person, who had been anxious about moving to Moorville House, had developed a trusting relationship with their key worker. This enabled the service to identify the person's starting point and open experiences which were meaningful for them. Their participation in community events had increased as a result, and they had recently been on their first holiday.

Support plans were extremely personalised and regularly reviewed with input from the individual, their families, and relevant professionals. Support Plans reflected people’s health needs but also personal goals, cultural preferences, and lifestyle choices. Staff respected each person’s individual identity and culture. People were actively involved in decisions about their care. Staff supported individuals to make choices about their daily routines, meals, and activities. This approach fostered a true sense of independence and dignity.

The promotion of equality and diversity was thoroughly embedded in the service. This approach supported staff to truly respect people as individuals and protect people from any discrimination which may occur, because of a person's sexuality, race or religion. For example, where an individual expressed an interest in Buddhism, the person was supported to explore the faith as part of a person-centred approach to spiritual wellbeing.

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People were supported to take positive risks towards independence using a creative and comprehensive approach to risk taking.

Staff completely understood how people with a learning disability and autistic people can succeed and have a fulfilled life with a high standard of support and care, based on understanding people's individual likes, dislikes and needs. Staff consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication by going above and beyond in supporting people to manage the challenges they faced in accessing activities and go out and people were the focus of their support. For example, staff successfully supported one person to go on a two-night holiday. Although this may not seem significant, it marked a major step forward for the individual. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the person went through a very difficult period during which they refused to leave their bedroom and remained indoors at all times. Staff actively supported the person, first by encouraging them to go downstairs and eventually to leave the house for coffee. They also helped the person try new activities, which led to a newfound passion for cooking, gardening, and engaging in activities with others living at the service.

Another person, an avid football fan, received regular support from staff who gave up their time to take them to football matches. Other staff members volunteered their time to take people on day trips and holidays. For example, one person told us how they had enjoyed sightseeing in London and another told us about their holiday to Skegness.

Staff continued to provide support even after people had moved on from the service. For instance, one person who had transitioned from Moorville House into supported living booked a long-distance holiday without informing anyone. Unfortunately, the lengthy journey and lack of sleep heightened the person’s anxiety. They contacted staff at Moorville House, who immediately reached out to the Foreign Office for advice. Staff also provided ongoing reassurance and support through calls and emails throughout the holiday. Their efforts helped reduce the person’s distress until they returned home safely.

Staff were trained to support people in ways that maximised their independence. This included enabling people to manage their own medicines, prepare meals, and maintain their homes where possible. For example, we saw how a person with a complex health condition was supported by staff to manage part of their condition even though they faced challenges, staff supported the person to come up with a way they could remain in control. Staff worked with people to build confidence and develop life skills. This included supporting people to access the community, attend appointments independently, and pursue hobbies or employment.

People had the opportunity to contribute ideas for days out, day to day activities and entertainment in the home. Encouragement was offered to people to take part in activities that may be of interest, where people preferred peace and quiet or one to one support this was accommodated. The environment offered both larger sociable areas and quieter areas.

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.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. The service worked with people to plan for when they experienced periods of distress, so their freedoms were restricted only if there was no alternative.

People were supported by staff who knew them well and could respond to their immediate needs. This included understanding their individual communication needs and recognising quickly if they were becoming distressed.

There was a strong commitment to reducing restrictive interventions which were used as a last resort and infrequently. There was a clear focus on prevention and de-escalation to avoid the need for physical restraint as far as possible.

Staff knew people very well which meant they recognised potential early warning signs of distress and how to distract a person, how to remove sensory triggers and how to keep them safe. Staff could talk in detail about people’s care and support needs. Staff made every attempt to avoid restraining people and did so only when de-escalation techniques had failed and when necessary to keep the person or others safe. Record of incidents and behaviours were completed each time there was an incident, detailing what happened before, during and afterwards, who was there, and any action taken. Each month these were evaluated to look at any themes or trends and assessed to see if any further action needed to be taken. Staff were involved in debriefing sessions following incidents of distress, to reflect upon what went well, what could be done better and if any changes were needed to the staff’s approach. One visiting professional said, “Behavioural support and recognition is an amazing part of the service, identifying needs and potential triggers to reduce further behaviour [distress]. Communication with family has been great, offering support to them when needed and allowing them to feel comfortable and happy with the person moving away from home.”

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.

The provider consistently prioritised staff wellbeing and created a culture that empowered and supported staff to deliver person-centred care. Staff spoke highly of the management team’s commitment to continuous improvement and their shared vision of enhancing people’s quality of life. It was evident staff were extremely proud to work for the service and felt valued, appreciated, and enthusiastic about their roles.

Staff described a workplace culture that fostered creativity, openness to change, and collaborative problem-solving. They felt confident seeking support and praised the management team’s skills, knowledge, and dedication to service development. Regular supervision, including one-to-one sessions, appraisals, peer support, and team meetings, provided opportunities for reflection, learning, and sharing best practice. These meetings also enabled staff to explore topics relevant to their roles and the needs of people using the service. Staff told us this made them feel supported, respected, and involved in the direction of the service.

The provider demonstrated a strong commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, with policies in place to uphold these values and ensure the service remained responsive to diverse needs.