Witnesham Nursing Home

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 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.

People, relatives, staff and professionals described staff as caring, respectful and committed to supporting people to live well. A person’s relative told us, “Staff show my [family member] kindness and respect as if it was their own grandma. I can’t speak highly enough of the care.”

People and relatives spoke positively about the caring and compassionate relationships they had with staff. People consistently described staff as kind, patient and supportive, and many told us they felt safe and well cared for.

We observed several positive examples of compassionate care. Staff often spoke respectfully to people, provided reassurance during care and support, and took time to explain what they were doing. People appeared comfortable in the presence of staff, and some interactions demonstrated genuine warmth, kindness and understanding of people's individual needs.

The provider mostly treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences.

The provider treated people as individuals and respected their preferences, choices and personal histories. People and their relatives described staff as knowing them well and understanding their routines, wishes and the things that mattered to them. A relative told us, “I can’t fault them, they are brilliant. They have got to know [family member] who thinks the world of them. The care that [family member] gets is brilliant.” However, further work was needed to ensure information was always presented in a way that was accessible and meaningful to people. For example, menus were not always clearly written or available in formats that met people's individual communication and cognitive needs. This meant the provider could not be assured that everyone was able to make fully informed choices about the food and drink available to them. The registered manager was receptive to this feedback and acknowledged the improvements needed.

People were supported to maintain their independence and make choices about their day-to-day lives. We observed people taking part in armchair aerobics facilitated by an external trainer, which provided opportunities for engagement, activity and social interaction.

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of balancing people's right to make choices with the need to keep them safe. A staff member told us, “People are encouraged to have real choices about their care and daily routines. This includes choices about what to eat and drink, when to get up and go to bed, what clothes to wear, and how they would like their care delivered. Staff try to respect people's preferences and routines rather than expecting everyone to follow the same schedule. Care plans are used to record people's individual wishes and preferences.”

While care records did not always consistently reflect people's preferences and choices, people and their relatives described staff as knowing them well and respecting their wishes. This provided assurance that people were supported in accordance with their preferences and individual routines.

Activities were provided by a dedicated activities staff member who was employed by the service. During the inspection, we observed a pamper session that included foot spas and massages. People appeared relaxed and engaged throughout the activity and spoke positively about the experience, which supported people's wellbeing and provided opportunities for social interaction and meaningful occupation. One person told us, “[Activities staff] is great. We have regular games; we played dominoes yesterday. We have visitors come in like the mini donkeys and a singer; I really enjoy it.”

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.

Staff responded promptly to people’s immediate needs. During the inspection, call bells were answered without delay and staff responded to people in a timely and reassuring manner. Handover discussions demonstrated that information was shared when people's needs changed, helping to ensure staff had up-to-date information about the people they supported.

Records showed appropriate referrals had been made to external services when specialist input was required. Staff responded to people's needs as they arose and took action to minimise discomfort, distress and concern. This helped to ensure people received timely support and reduced the risk of their needs escalating without appropriate intervention.

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

Staff spoke positively about working at the service and described colleagues and leaders as approachable and supportive. One staff member said, “In my opinion we are a very good team and support each other as much as we can. I always feel management and the nursing team are very approachable and supportive. Especially if personal issues arise, by getting time off or flexible working times.”

Staff also told us they were given opportunities to share their views about the service. One staff member commented, “The provider offered an anonymous survey when they took over, which we had a chance to express our concerns and developmental plans about the home.”

These arrangements helped to create a supportive working environment where staff felt listened to and valued. In turn, this supported staff retention, morale and their ability to provide person-centred care to people using the service.