Abbot Care 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 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 requires improvement.

This meant people did not always feel well supported, cared for or treated with dignity and respect,

This service scored 55 (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 treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. However, there were periods during the inspection where some people spent extended periods in some communal areas with limited meaningful interaction from staff. Although staff responded appropriately when people required assistance, opportunities to engage people in conversations, activities and social stimulation were not always consistently maximised.

However, most people and relatives spoke positively about staff and the care they received. Feedback described staff as kind, caring and attentive. A person told us, “It’s quite nice actually. It’s very clean and tidy. It’s nice and quiet, and they all look after me so nicely. They are lovely girls.” A relative said, “I feel she is loved there very much.” Another relative told us, “They are very kind and supportive, and they care for me too and ask how I am.”

In other communal areas, staff interacted with people in a respectful and compassionate manner and demonstrated knowledge of individuals' preferences, routines and support needs. Staff promoted people's dignity and wellbeing and encouraged choice where possible.

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. However, records viewed did not always support this.

Staff knew people well; however, some care plans and risk assessments were not always up to date or reflective of people's current needs and circumstances. This meant written records did not always fully reflect the personalised support people were receiving. The provider responded positively to feedback and advised they were reviewing care records to ensure they accurately reflected people's current preferences, risks and support needs.

Staff were respectful of people's culture, diversity and individual beliefs. One staff member told us, “We have residents and staff from diverse cultural backgrounds. We respect individual preferences, diets and cultural values, fostering an environment that truly embodies unity in diversity.” Another staff member said, “We ensure the team is aware of residents' preferences, so they receive person-centred care that reflects their religious beliefs and cultural backgrounds. Where activities within the home promote these preferences and beliefs, residents are supported and encouraged to take part, helping them maintain their identity and beliefs.”

The provider promoted people's independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their care, treatment and wellbeing. However, improvements were needed to increase these opportunities.

People were encouraged to make decisions about their day-to-day lives, including how they spent their time, their routines and their personal preferences. However, opportunities for meaningful occupation and engagement were not always consistently available. The provider acknowledged activity provision required improvement and advised recruitment was underway for 2 additional staff members to increase the range and frequency of meaningful activities and social engagement opportunities available to people.

People and relatives also commented on opportunities to spend time outside. A person told us, “I would like to go outside more often, but there have to be enough staff to take me, which doesn’t happen often enough.” Others were positive about the activities available and said, “They do activities twice a day and it helps with their day. They go to the coast and take my [family member], paintings and knitting and lots of things.”

During the inspection, we observed a music activity which was well attended and engaging. People actively participated by singing along, tapping their feet and interacting with staff and one another. The activity created opportunities for social interaction and enjoyment, and staff encouraged people to take part at their own pace. People appeared familiar with the songs being played and were supported to make choices about their involvement in the session.

Staff understood the importance of promoting independence while balancing risks to people's health and wellbeing. Risk assessments generally aimed to support people to remain as independent as possible and encouraged them to maintain skills and abilities where appropriate. People were supported to make choices about their care and treatment, and staff respected their wishes and decisions. A person told us, “All the staff are helpful here; they let me do the washing up.”

The provider did not always listen to and understand people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff did not always respond to people’s needs in the moment or act to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

During the inspection, we observed call bells were responded to in a timely fashion, however, we observed periods where some people spent extended periods of time in communal areas with limited meaningful interaction from staff. Whilst staff responded when people requested assistance, opportunities to engage people in conversation, social interaction and meaningful occupation were not always maximised. This meant people's emotional and social wellbeing needs were not always responded to proactively.

Records showed appropriate referrals had been made to external services when specialist input was required. 

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

Staff told us they felt supported by the management team and spoke positively about teamwork within the service. Staff described improvements in consistency and communication and felt able to seek advice and guidance when required. One staff member told us, “I do feel that I am supported. There have been a couple of occasions where I have contacted the home manager due to personal issues and needed some time off, and I have felt fully supported.” Another staff member said, “I feel supported as a team member. I work alongside other carers and a nurse, and there is support available when we need it.”

Staff received training, supervision and opportunities for professional development relevant to their roles.

The provider had implemented a range of wellbeing initiatives to support staff, including employee milestone awards, Employee of the Month recognition, a wish box scheme, an employee assistance programme and team appreciation weeks. These initiatives helped recognise staff contributions, promote wellbeing and encourage a positive working culture.

Overall, staff spoke positively about working at the service and described a supportive team environment. Staff felt valued by the provider and were equipped with the training, support and resources needed to deliver person-centred care.