Barclay Services

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 rated inspection (publication date 24 May 224) we rated this key question Good. At this inspection 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.

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.

Overall relatives were positive about the approach of staff. All relatives agreed that staff treated their loved ones with dignity and respect. A relative said, “Yes they [staff] are amazing, very caring. It’s not just their jobs. You can tell they genuinely care and want to be there.”

Staff spoke professionally and politely about the people they supported. They demonstrated a good awareness and understanding of people’s individual care and support needs. A staff member said, “I treat the person I'm supporting as I would want to be treated or my family member. It's important to ensure the person is provided with options, choices and explanation.”

People’s daily records were well completed by staff. This included a respectful and professional reflection on the person’s health and wellbeing needs and activities they had participated in.

We observed staff to be polite, caring and respectful towards people in their care. People appeared relaxed within the company of their care staff and there was a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. There was much laughter and appropriate jovial exchanges.

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.

Relatives were confident their loved ones were treated as individuals. A relative said, “Some days are easier for [name]. They [staff] know the difference and they will encourage them and take them where they ask. On their not good days, staff give them space because they know what to expect. They manage all of their behaviours.”

Individual needs were respected and promoted. Information about the person’s equality and diversity needs and unique backgrounds, had been assessed and used to develop support plans. People’s support plans reflected their individual communication needs and preferences, routines, and what was important to them. This included any cultural and religious needs. Daily care records confirmed staff supported people in line with support plan guidance.

People had daily activity plans based on activities they were known to enjoy and or had requested. People’s daily records confirmed people received opportunities to participate in the activities that were important to them.

Staff told us they found support plans were supportive and gave examples of how they provided individualised care and support. A staff member told us about how they had supported a person to live a more meaningful life, following the breakdown of their previous placement. They said, “[Name] is happy, well and thriving. They access the community daily, and very rarely requires PRN [as needed] medication for their behaviour. Our role is to improve people's lives, and I feel confident we've done this for [name].”

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

Overall relatives were positive about how staff promoted independence, choice and control. A relative said, “Yes everything is led by [name]. They are encouraged and supported with their personal care, they help with meals. They [staff] always encourage them to be involved no matter what.”

Independence, choice and control were embedded within people’s support plans. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of the importance of promoting independence. A staff member said, “Staff offer choices, explain options, and respect final decisions. Support plans reflect each person's goals and preferences. Independence is encouraged daily, and risk taking is supported safely to build confidence and control.”

Our observations confirmed staff had a positive, consistent and natural approach in promoting independence. We saw examples of staff offering people a choice of drinks, snacks and activities. Staff were attentive and respected people’s choice making.

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 staff were attentive, supportive and responsive to people’s individual needs. We observed how staff were able to easily pick up on people’s emotional and wellbeing needs and provide distraction, support and reassurance.

The provider had policies and procedures to support staff in responding to people’s immediate needs such as falls, incidents and accidents. Staff demonstrated and understanding of their responsibilities in responding to any incidents.

Staffing requirements were assessed and planned so enough staff with the right skills were available. The provider was responsive to people’s changing needs. Care records provided examples of when staffing had increased to minimise people’s distress. This was also confirmed by an external professional.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff were positive about working for the provider and the support they received from the management team. They raised no concerns about their safety. A staff member said, “There is an employee assistance programme and an open door policy for raising concerns. Supervision provides a chance to discuss well-being.”

The management team told us, “We have an open door policy. Staff have direct contact details for the registered and regional managers, the staff rota is monitored to ensure staff are not working excessive hours that may impact their well-being. Regular staff meetings and supervision give staff opportunities to raise any concerns.”

The provider recognised staff’s contribution by having an employee of the month award.