Friary 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 requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.
 

The service was previously in breach ofthe legal regulationin relation to personcenteredcare. Improvements were found at this assessment, and the service was no longer in breach of this regulation.

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.

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.

We saw people and staff interacting in a friendly way, staff were compassionate and actively listened to people.
For example, during lunch, a staff member discreetly asked a person if they could help them before sitting with them and providing full support. This was done with empathy and throughout the staff member maintained conversation, normalising the situation well.

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.

The provider took time to learn about people’s histories, so they knew who the person had been in their life before admission to Friary House. Care plans were person centred and reflected meeting all needs such as those associated with protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act.

Staff also considered all of people’s needs when supporting them. For example, a relative told us, “A staff member took the time to make up some communication cards for [person] who has little speech so that they can understand each other. They are working really well.”
An activities programme took place and people were encouraged to participate in sessions. There were displays from some activities seen in the service.

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

The provider followed healthcare instructions such as supporting people with prescribed exercises which enabled people to maintain and improve their mobility.

People made choices about day-to-day things including their choice of clothing, meals and whether to join activities or not. Care had been planned to reflect people’s preferences.
The premises had been improved and were now more dementia friendly. For examples, there was signage on rooms such as the dining room and lounge to guide people in the premises.

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.

We observed call bells were promptly answered, and staff were regularly checking to see if people needed anything. Staff knew people well and understood their care needs so were proactive in supporting people as they need it.

A relative told us, “The carers are very responsive to the needs of the residents, but they don’t smother them.”

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.
People received safe, effective and person-centred care as the provider recognised and met the wellbeing needs of staff. These included the necessary resources and facilities for safe working, such as regular breaks and rest, and appropriate scheduling for staff.

People’s experience of a service is driven by a culture that normalises good wellbeing through inclusivity, active listening, and open conversations. This enabled staff to do their job well and to be well.

The registered manager and deputy manager were approachable and made themselves available to the staff team whenever possible. They had an open-door approach so staff could access support when needed.

Regular 1-to-1 supervision sessions took place to provide staff with an opportunity to meet with senior staff for updates, feedback and to raise concerns should they have any. In addition, the provider had contracted an external company to enable staff and their families to receive advice and guidance on a range of concerns such as finances as well as up to 12 weeks counselling should they need it. The provider recognised the importance of the staff team and had taken steps to maintain their wellbeing.