The YOU Trust

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 90 (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.

We saw many examples that demonstrated staff were very kind and provided compassionate care.

Staff insured people lived in homes that met their needs. For example, a person’s bathroom was unsafe and in need of repair, the service contacted the housing association and advocated for the person to have the bathroom refurbished as it was not meeting their needs. The service supported the person to communicate their needs and demonstrate the refurbishment was needed urgently. The housing association agreed and the person is now able to use the bathroom safely.

Staff advocated for people to ensure they had the support they required, for example a person had been in hospital for a considerable amount of time and was declining to complete physiotherapy sessions. The service contacted the hospital and they agreed to allow staff to support the person. The person reacted positively and engaged in their physiotherapy, this increased their mobility and they were able to return home.

People and relatives, we spoke with told us staff were kind and caring. For example, a person told us, “The staff are great, I don’t know where I would be without them”, and a relative said, “They are all gold star”. We observed kind interactions between people and staff.

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.

Staff understood people and their needs, a person said, “I have a very good staff team, they know me very well, if new staff support me, they always shadow a few times before working on their own with me”.

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.

The service worked with people when they were developing personal relationships, they ensured the person developed the relationship at their own pace and worked with the person so they could remain safe.

People’s independence has increased, for example a person was supported to be able to administer their medication independently using assisted technology. The system was introduced gradually and a trial period set up. The staff supported the person to understand how the medication dispenser worked and supported them to remember when they needed their medication. The persons’ anxiety reduced and they are not restricted to be at home to have their medication administered.

A person had free access to their own money and had a bank card. Staff had supported them to explore ways of increasing their financial independence safely. They worked with the local authority and advocated for them to have a bank account. Staff supported them to develop their skills and use the bank card; they are now able to access a set amount each week. The person’s confidence has increased, and they are able to purchase items at their local shop independently.

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.

Staff knew people very well and could anticipate people’s individual needs, we observed staff continuously genuinely engaging with people in a relaxed person first approach.

People were supported proactively to remain well; this included their mental health and emotional wellbeing. For example, staff recognised signs a person maybe becoming unwell and took immediate action to prevent mental health decline, they had robust crisis plans in place and demonstrated a consistent supportive approach. The service had developed strong working relationships with people and developed effective support strategies with them and their medical team. A person said, “I have not needed medical help for self-harming for a very long time, this is down to the amazing support of my staff, I am much more active, have made true friends and look after my appearance and feel I am on an even keel, they are truly my life saver”.

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

Good practice and positive outcomes were recognised, and staff spoke highly of each other and the provider. We saw that people’s experience of the service was driven by a culture that normalised good wellbeing through inclusivity, active listening and open conversations. This enabled staff to do their job well and to be well.

We received positive feedback from staff, where they shared examples that demonstrated the provider had supported them and celebrated success. Examples included, “I feel very valued and supported, my manager appreciates everything I do, I never dread coming into work” and “My Managers have been the most supportive managers I have ever had the pleasure to work with”.

Staff were encouraged to progress their careers, some staff had completed formal qualifications in health and social care. This provided staff the opportunity to move into management and training roles within the company.