The Beeches

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 80 (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. During our inspection we observed staff engaging with people in positive and person-centred ways. Staff were seen to encourage, support and re-assure people if they felt anxious or sad. At mealtimes, everyone was encouraged to eat meals communally. A staff member told us, “We want to make people’s mealtimes as inclusive and enjoyable as we can.” For people with mobility challenges, specialised chairs had been purchased, which were designed to support posture and relieve pressure for people with healthcare needs. Most of all, this equipment enhanced people’s ability to eat communally, if they chose to. There was a positive atmosphere during the dining service and members of staff facilitated engaging conversation with people. We observed humour and kindness throughout. One person was noticed by the staff not to be eating their chosen main course. This was dealt with promptly and an alternative main course was provided, which they ate well.

The service also had a music therapist who attended the service to carry to music-based interventions to help people communicate and express their emotions. The registered manager told us about a person at the service who, due to grief, had become withdrawn but through the “multidisciplinary approach of nourishing the mind, body and spirit, with medical intervention, music therapy and chaplaincy” their presentation was much improved. People told us staff were kind and caring, a person commented, “The care is faultless. We think the carers are absolutely wonderful.” A relative echoed this, “The staff are good. They do a difficult job really well. They have time to talk to you and respond to anything I query.”

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 provided information for staff about people’s lives before they moved to the service. Records included information about how people liked to spend their time and their preferred music and food choices. People’s rooms were personalised to their own taste and decorated nicely. Staff valued people’s individuality, with a staff member commenting, “Each individual has their own choices, and this is recorded in their person-centred care plans. We always support independence as safely as possible, giving people time for each task and we don’t rush them.”

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Guidance was available to staff on how to provide positive reassurance, such as “Greet with your name, a big smile and give [person] a compliment. Speak slowly, being on their right side is also more comforting and calming.” We observed there was a calm and relaxed environment where people appeared to be at ease. Incident reports showed how staff acted kindly to help people feel calm and safe if they were feeling anxious or upset. Within people’s personal care plans, their choices and preferences around personal care and what they could do for themselves was recorded.

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 and relatives told us that the manager and staff were approachable and responded positively to their needs and requests. Resident meetings occurred regularly, issues discussed included forthcoming events, new staff being introduced, food and dining arrangements, activities, the environment of the home, maintenance and how to raise concerns. A relative commented, “Anything I raise with the manager receives a constructive response.” We also observed people’s call bells were answered in a timely manner and for some people at the service who were at risk of falls, regular well-being checks were in place to ensure they were consistently safe and well. A person told us, “The care staff are very good and they respond quickly if we press the call button.”

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Most staff told us they felt well supported by the provider and management team. A member of staff told us, “Yes, I feel comfortable speaking to the registered manager, they are approachable and listen to us, they are fair.” However, in staff surveys the responses were mixed. The registered manager told us they were working towards a more positive and supportive workplace for staff, by creating a feedback box for staff to input anonymous feedback. One staff member also commented how the service was flexible with working patterns when they required them. Staff were supported with supervisions and staff meetings to discuss any issues and share ideas on making improvements for the service.