Loxley Park Assisted Living Residency

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 outstanding. At this assessment the rating has remained 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 95 (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. People, relatives and professionals consistently praised the staff team and management for their strong caring and compassionate approach. Without exception, feedback highlighted the positive impact staff had on people’s lives and wellbeing. One person told us, “I love staff to pieces, I don't know what I'd do without them, they brighten each day for me.” A relative said, “The best care in Sheffield, head and shoulders above the rest.” A professional told us, “Staff are unbelievably kind and caring, the care standards at Loxley Park are excellent.”

People and their relatives consistently told us they were treated with dignity and respect. Staff received training on maintaining privacy and dignity, and this was clearly embedded within people’s care plans and everyday practice. Staff we spoke with confidently described how they upheld people’s privacy and dignity and demonstrated a clear understanding of their responsibilities. People shared examples of this respectful care, including, “When I'm using the commode at night, staff give me the privacy and then knock to see how I am doing.” A relative said, “Loxley is exceptional. I can’t think of anything they could do better. They are open and honest and have clear integrity. All the staff including cleaning and maintenance staff are focussed and treat everybody with dignity.”

We observed people to have warm, positive relationships with staff. People appeared relaxed, comfortable and happy in staff presence and were seen laughing and engaging openly with staff in communal areas, which reflected the strong, trusting relationships that had developed.

The service demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting the emotional needs of people, families and staff, particularly during times of anxiety, illness or bereavement. Acts of kindness, compassion and empathy towards families were embedded within the culture of the service. One person told us, “When my [spouse] died, staff attended [spouse’s] funeral which I thought was really kind. They helped me through that time.”

Staff responded promptly and sensitively when people showed signs of distress or anxiety. They took time to understand the cause and worked alongside people to reduce their distress and provide reassurance until they felt settled. One person told us, “I had a [serious illness] and 1 of the carers sat with me the whole time until the ambulance came and knew exactly what they were doing, I can’t praise [staff] enough.”

We saw clear evidence that people had made meaningful and sustained improvements since receiving support from the service. Care was delivered in a way that built confidence, promoted independence and supported long term wellbeing. A family member told us, “My [relatives] trialled the care here and fell in love. They receive excellent care and support, I can sleep very well at night now knowing how well they are looked after.”

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. People and relatives consistently expressed high levels of satisfaction with the individualised care and support provided by the service. The provider, staff and people shared numerous examples of how protected characteristics, such as age, disability and religion, were not only recognised but actively embraced as part of everyday care. This demonstrated a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, which was embedded within the culture of the service.

Care plans were effectively person-centred and went beyond people’s care needs to capture their life experiences, interests and what was most important to them. Information relating to people’s protected characteristics and diverse backgrounds was recorded sensitively and respectfully, supporting staff to deliver inclusive and meaningful care. People told us staff took time to get to know them well, and activities were planned around individual interests and strengths.

Staff actively encouraged people to share their knowledge, skills and passions with others, helping people to feel valued and purposeful. A staff member told us, “People have such interesting lives, and they arrange talks about what they are interested in to other people it gives them a purpose.” For example, prior to our assessment, a person delivered a talk about their passion for classical music. They told us the talk went well and they were pleased with how interested others had been. Another person had designed their own ‘dice game’, which they regularly played with other people at Loxley Park, supporting social connection and inclusion.

The service also contributed to a community magazine, which included a dedicated section where people shared their personal histories, career achievements and the opportunities available to them since living at Loxley Park. This initiative celebrated people’s life stories and achievements and provided a strong sense of pride, identity and accomplishment. The magazine highlighted the interesting and diverse lives of people and had a significantly positive impact on wellbeing by reinforcing people’s value as individuals.

Feedback from people and relatives consistently demonstrated that care was genuinely centred on who people were as individuals, reflecting their wishes, backgrounds and life experiences, rather than focusing solely on care tasks.

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 had very good access to a wide range of activities and opportunities within the local community, which supported their independence, health and overall well-being. A dedicated well-being team was responsible for developing personalised activity timetables, providing support to reduce any barriers to participation and leading meaningful activities based on people’s interests and abilities. People’s enjoyment of activities was routinely discussed during regular members’ meetings, which helped ensure activities remained relevant and responsive to people’s wishes.

People and relatives consistently confirmed that the service actively promoted independence, choice and control. One person told us, “They [staff] let me do what I can for myself. I want to remain independent for as long as possible and the care staff help me with this.” A relative said, “[Relative] has more of a social life than me! The change in their happiness since living here, is un-matched. They are all part of a community here, people are encouraged to join in, but the activities team are fantastic at knowing people’s needs and what they want to do that’s important to them.”

People were supported to live independently and remain connected to the wider community. Staff were available on reception 24 hours a day, which enabled people to sign in and out freely and maintain control over their daily routines. We found the registered manager was effective in ensuring people’s choices were respected and prioritised. People spoke highly of the registered manager’s responsiveness to their ideas and requests. One person told us, “We asked for some trees to be removed so the gardening club could use the area to plant what we want, [registered manager] did this very quickly.” Another person said, “We asked for a boules area on the grounds, and we have been told this has been requested.”

At Loxley Park, people had meaningful opportunities to make choices about all aspects of daily life, including food options, activities, whether to spend time communally and how they chose to be involved in Loxley Park. Choice and independence were promoted continuously throughout the service. People lived in their own flats and had tenancy agreements in place, and staff supported them to understand and exercise their rights as tenants. This approach enabled people to live independent lives within a supportive and empowering environment.

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. The provider demonstrated an exceptionally proactive approach to preventing people from becoming distressed or experiencing discomfort. Systems were in place to provide reassurance and rapid support, and people were confident in contacting the service when they needed help. Everyone had access to pendant alarms, telephones and emergency pull cords within their flats, enabling them to request support at any time, day or night.

Where people’s needs changed, the provider responded flexibly to reduce risks and promote safety. For example, a person whose mobility had declined was offered on call support with transfers throughout the night to reduce the risk of falls. This support was clearly explained to the person, understood by them and documented within their care plan.

People and relatives consistently told us staff were quick to recognise changes in people’s wellbeing and acted promptly to provide reassurance, comfort and appropriate support. A relative told us, “There is always staff around to speak to. They all know my [relative’s] needs and update me of any changes.” Another relative said, “My relative is tricky, anxious and can get very distressed and angry and will refuse help. The staff know my relative well. For the care and support [staff] have a can-do attitude.” People also described how well staff knew them on an individual level. A person told us, “Staff always notice If I’m not feeling myself and it’s heart-warming that they know me so well.”

The provider also demonstrated a strong commitment to removing barriers that could cause frustration or distress. For 1 person who required staff assistance to open their patio door, the registered manager agreed to partially fund an automatic door so the person could independently access their outdoors. This enabled the person to move freely and safely in and out of their flat. The person told us, “This will make a world of a difference, I can see the places that I visited when I was a child, like the lake.”

People and relatives consistently described communication from the service as highly effective. One person told us, “[Registered manager] is a very good manager and is always around. We discuss any concerns I may have. Recently when my relative was feeling unwell the registered manager and I went back to see them. [Registered manager] was very good with my relative and helped them to get back into bed and called me a day later to update me on how they were doing.” This demonstrated strong leadership visibility and a commitment to reassurance and follow-up.

Care staff were dedicated specifically to supporting people with care and support needs at Loxley Park. This ensured care calls were delivered on time and, wherever possible, by familiar staff. This continuity enabled staff to anticipate people’s needs, recognise early signs of distress or discomfort and escalate concerns quickly. This highly responsive and personalised approach ensured people were protected from avoidable distress and received timely, compassionate support.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. The provider promoted a positive and supportive culture that placed a clear focus on staff wellbeing. Leaders demonstrated an understanding of the importance of staff wellbeing and the impact this had on the quality of care people received. Staff told us they felt valued, supported and listened to, which helped them to consistently deliver caring and personalised support.

People and relatives spoke very positively about the staff team and provided examples of staff going above and beyond to deliver thoughtful and individualised care. This reflected a culture where staff felt motivated and supported to provide high quality care. Without exception, staff reported that they felt respected, listened to and supported by the leadership team. Staff told us they were encouraged to share any concerns openly and felt well supported when experiencing personal or professional challenges. This open and supportive approach helped staff to feel confident and empowered in their roles.

One staff member told us, “Both our managers at Loxley are very supportive and approachable. I feel comfortable talking to them about any concerns I may have, and they always do the best they can. During my time at Loxley I have completed 2 degrees, the manager was very supportive both professionally and personally during this time. [Registered manager] has a very positive persona and is always encouraging our carers, creating a really nice working environment.”