Rathside Rest Home

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• 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.Staff consistently demonstrated kindness and compassion, and people and relatives repeatedly described them as friendly, patient and respectful. One relative told us, “All the girls are fantastic with [Person]; happy, friendly, patient.” People were seen being supported in a calm, unhurried way during lunch, and staff took time to gain consent and ensure comfort. Relatives told us staff took care to maintain people’s dignity and personal appearance, and that people’s dignity was maintained, even when providing full personal care. Staff were described as welcoming and warm, with one person saying their relative “loves being here” because staff “treat them like family.”

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.People and relatives told us staff knew them well, including their personal histories, preferences and routines, and they felt genuinely treated as individuals. Relatives described personalised care such as accommodating food preferences, supporting cultural or personal needs, and adapting activities for people who were unable to join group sessions. Staff demonstrated a clear understanding of how to tailor care, using accessible information, picture cards and individual communication approaches. One relative described how staff “include [Person] in what’s going on as much as possible,” reflecting an individualised approach.

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 make day‑to‑day choices about when to get up, what to eat and how they wished to spend their time, with one relative saying their family member “gets a choice of when they get up and go to bed.” Staff encouraged people to do as much as they could for themselves and used equipment or therapy input where appropriate to maintain their mobility and independence. People were able to receive visitors freely and were supported to keep in touch with family, with relatives confirming they could “visit any time” and felt involved in decisions. Activities were adapted so that even those who preferred not to join group sessions could still participate or receive one‑to‑one time such as nail care and conversation.

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.People and relatives described staff as responsive, saying staff “are on to it straight away” and always informed them when people’s needs changed or when incidents occurred. Staff recognised when people needed assistance, including those unable to communicate verbally, and examples included staff quickly supporting people with toileting needs or repositioning to prevent discomfort. Observations during a mealtime showed staff responded promptly to requests, supported people who required help and offered alternatives if needed. Relatives reported they never felt concerns were ignored, with one stating, “If I was ever worried about anything, I know they would sort it out.”

The provider 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 valued, listened to and well supported by managers, saying they could “talk to them about anything” and always received help when needed. They reported good teamwork, a positive culture and support during difficult situations, which contributed to their wellbeing and confidence at work. Staff said training, supervision and opportunities for development were accessible, and that leaders were approachable and visible. Staff commented they would be happy for their own relatives to live in the service, reflecting their confidence in standards of care and the supportive working environment.