East Cambridgeshire Learning Disability Partnership

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

This means we looked for evidence that the service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

Staff treated people with compassion and kindness. They respected peoples’ privacy and dignity. They understood the individual needs of people and supported people to understand and manage their care, treatment or condition. Staff involved people in care planning and risk assessment and actively sought their feedback on the quality of care provided. Staff informed and involved families and carers appropriately.

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.

We have not awarded this service a score for Caring.

Find out about when we will not publish a key question score and what we look at when we assess Caring.

We always treat people with kindness, empathy and compassion and we respect their privacy and dignity. We treat colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

We scored the service as 4. The evidence showed an exceptional standard. The service 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.

Staff attitudes and behaviours when interacting with people showed that they were discreet, respectful and responsive. Providing people with help, emotional support and advice at the time they needed it. Staff supported people who used services to understand and manage their care, treatment or condition.
In all meetings, we observed how caring and kind staff were. In one meeting, staff discussed a person who was waiting for surgery, the nurse described how they would support them throughout the procedure. Multidisciplinary team meetings (MDT) were person centred and had a full integrated team including social care. Team members worked together to find a solution for each person.

Staff understood the individual needs of people. Staff said they could raise concerns about disrespectful, discriminatory or abusive behaviour or attitudes towards people without fear of the consequences. Staff maintained the confidentiality of information about people.
A carer told us the staff were all very committed.

We treat people as individuals and make sure their care, support and treatment meets their needs and preferences, taking account of their strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service 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.

The service made reasonable adjustments for people with a disability. We observed many examples of staff working in a person-centred way. Staff knew people well and their needs. Staff also worked collaboratively with each other.

Staff told us that prior to meeting people, they received easy-read correspondence and photographs of supporting staff. This helped people become familiar with those who would be supporting them, reducing anxiety and enabling them to feel comfortable. Staff described how they were creative and offered interventions in line with people's interests. Staff got to know the person, what was important to them, likes and dislikes and the people around the person – including family and carers.

Staff ensured that people could obtain information on treatments, local services, people’s rights and how to complain. Staff told us they encouraged people to give feedback during therapy sessions, listened to people about what was going well and their concerns. Staff told us people could also use a feedback form found on their website.

Staff told us they used talking mats, visual aids, and Makaton. Staff discussed communication needs of people using the services with families and carers. Sensory integration assessments were carried out by the occupational therapists who were qualified to do so. Staff described how they used a bespoke visualisation for 1 person, to help them understand the timescale and content of their treatment plan.

We promote people’s independence, so they know their rights and have choice and control over their own care, treatment. and wellbeing.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Staff actively supported people to maintain and develop their independence and to exercise choice and control over their daily lives. People were signposted and referred to other professionals and services where appropriate, and staff worked collaboratively to ensure access to these. For example, people were supported to engage with occupational therapy services to develop practical life skills such as cooking and meal preparation, promoting greater independence in managing in their own homes.

Staff also worked with people to review and consider alternative accommodation options, ensuring their preferences and aspirations were central to decision-making. Additionally, referrals to physiotherapy services enabled people to improve mobility and physical independence.

We listen to and understand people’s needs, views and wishes. We respond to these in that moment and will act to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service 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 were aware of and dealt with any specific risk issues and care planned for these accordingly. Staff identified and responded to changing risks. For a person who used hearing aids, the service created pictorial images of how to clean the hearing aids and helped them set up google alerts as reminders of when they needed to be cleaned.

Staff told us of an example when a person required a blood test but found it difficult to attend the GP surgery. The nurse suggested an alternative venue for the blood tests, which was more suitable and accessible. Staff arranged for the person to visit the location regularly in advance of the appointment, which helped them become familiar with the setting and better supported their needs.

The most recent people feedback survey results were from June – November 2024 and December 2023 – May 2024. The majority (78%) of people and carers were positive about the service offered by the LDP. Positive comments included staffing and good and easier to understand information. Of the negative responses, themes included gaining health advice and rights and choices over their health.

We care about and promote the wellbeing of our staff, and we support and enable them to always deliver person centred care.

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff told us they felt respected, supported and valued. Staff felt positive and proud about working for the provider and their team. Staff had access to support for their own physical and emotional health needs through an occupational health service.

The service’s staff sickness and absence were similar to the average for the provider.

Supervisions took place once a month and staff told us they were well supported by their managers. Nurses told us they had reflective peer supervision. Staff appraisals included conversations about career development and how it could be supported.