Business Hub, Simms Cross

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 always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.
We observed kind, caring and compassionate support being provided to people and staff demonstrated a good understanding of people’s individual needs. Some staff had supported people for many years, and continued working with them through life changes, including house moves. They were able to describe how people’s needs had changed over time and how support had been adapted to reflect these changes, showing genuine compassion towards people’s histories and the difficulties they have faced in the past.

Staff completed an annual “Dignity in Values” quiz to assess their understanding of how dignity and respect are promoted in everyday practice. They also demonstrated a good awareness of people's individual preferences and interests and actively sought opportunities to support meaningful engagement. For example, one staff member described arranging visits to the local library to nurture a person's interest in history.

The provider treated people as individuals and took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. Person-centred support plans contained detailed information about what was important to people and how they wished to be supported. People's homes and bedrooms were personalised in line with their choices, helping to create environments that felt meaningful and familiar to them. Staff demonstrated a commitment to supporting people to achieve goals that mattered to them. For example, one person, whose passion was Disney, was supported to go on a holiday to Disneyland. A family member told us they never thought their relative would be able to achieve something like this and credited the dedicated, long-standing staff team for making it possible. This was not an isolated example; staff also supported other people to take holidays of their choosing, demonstrating a consistent commitment to helping people pursue their interests, achieve personal aspirations and experience meaningful opportunities. The provider actively celebrated people's individuality through its Humans of PossAbilities photography project. People were supported to share their interests, achievements and passions through a professional photography exhibition, promoting pride, self-expression and identity. The project challenged assumptions about people with learning disabilities and highlighted the meaningful, independent and fulfilling lives people led, ensuring they were seen and recognised for who they were as individuals.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. People were supported to be independent as much as they were able to, for example, one person was learning how to cook. Another person was supported to independently take his medication, with staff only using basic prompts, which suited the person. People were supported to maintain relationships with family by staff ensuring arrangements were made. We observed people made daily decisions around their clothes, activities and meal preferences and these were recorded in care plans to ensure staff could reference them. Some people were involved in planning the staff rota so they could make a choice about who supported them on certain activities. For one person, there was a measurable impact on their levels of independence resulting from a move to a property with additional staffing enabling them to build confidence, and reliance on mobility aids. The person told us, “I’m doing well here, aren’t I?”, demonstrating their increased feelings of wellbeing.

The provider had developed a quarterly meeting, called PossAbilities Together, which brought people together and gave them an opportunity to listen to updates from around the organisation, as well as share their stories and contribute to agenda items. At one session, people were invited to share what the FREDA principles (Fairness, Respect, Equality, Dignity and Autonomy) meant to them personally and how they wanted these rights to be reflected in their everyday lives. Their views, expectations and lived experiences were captured and shared with staff, helping them understand human rights through the perspective of the people they supported.

The provider supported people to increase their independence and reduce future care needs. For example, some people were supported through a move-on service designed to develop independent living skills before moving into longer-term accommodation, while others had planned reductions in support as they gained confidence and capability.

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 described how they supported people when they experienced distress and demonstrated a good understanding of the training they had received to do this effectively. Staff knew people well, enabling them to recognise changes in presentation and respond appropriately. We observed people seeking reassurance and support from staff, who responded promptly and positively to their requests.

The provider ensured sufficient staffing arrangements were in place, including overnight support to meet people's needs, such as health-related incidents. Care plans contained detailed information about signs a person may be becoming anxious or distressed, including potential triggers and how they might communicate unmet needs. Plans also provided clear guidance for staff on how to respond in a reassuring and person-centred way.Some people’s care plans included communication grab sheets, providing staff with a quick overview of communication, hearing and vision needs to help them deliver personalised and responsive support.

The provider had multiple and consistent ways of showing their appreciation towards the wellbeing of their staff, and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.
The provider demonstrated a strong commitment to workforce wellbeing and had developed a wide range of initiatives to support staff to feel valued, supported and able to thrive in their roles. Their approach recognised the importance of staff wellbeing in maintaining a stable, motivated workforce and delivering high-quality care. Registered managers were trained as Mental Health First Aiders and offered monthly drop-in sessions, providing staff with accessible emotional support. Staff also had access to an employee assistance programme, which offered financial advice, wellbeing resources and retail discounts.

The provider actively recognised and celebrated staff contributions. Monthly staff recognition awards provided opportunities for colleagues to nominate one another, while an annual awards ceremony celebrated achievements across a range of categories, including leadership, innovation and teamwork. Additional initiatives, such as Christmas appreciation vouchers, prize draws and access to a discounted holiday lodge, further demonstrated the provider's commitment to recognising staff efforts. Staff told us, “I really love my job!” and “I have a very supportive manager.”
Staff development was encouraged through initiatives such as Learning at Work Week, where staff could apply for funded learning opportunities that reflected their personal interests and aspirations. Previous successful applicants had undertaken courses including driving lessons, deaf awareness training and baking classes. These opportunities promoted lifelong learning and demonstrated the provider's investment in staff beyond their immediate job role. The provider told us, “We encourage this, because it makes them well rounded interesting people. The kind of people who bring that little extra to their work in supporting people.” The provider engaged with a local apprenticeship training provider to support young care leavers into work.

Staff were encouraged to influence the organisation through a staff advisory group, where they could share experiences, suggest improvements and contribute to decision-making. Staff consistently told us they were encouraged to share ideas for improvements, they felt supported by their manager and if they needed to raise concerns, they knew they would be acted upon. The provider's commitment to workforce wellbeing was further evidenced through its participation in an accredited Workplace Wellbeing Charter and the implementation of a People and Culture Plan. Additional benefits, including funded Blue Light Cards, an employee appreciation day and a holiday club supporting working parents during school holidays, reflected a holistic approach to staff wellbeing.

The impact of this approach was reflected in positive staff engagement, with the provider being recognised in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work list for the Health and Social Care sector following feedback from staff in a recent survey. The provider could evidence how these initiatives had positively impacted staff turnover and low sickness absence rates.