SeeAbility Buckinghamshire Support Service

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 85 (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 felt safe and at ease with the care staff, with one person commenting, “The staff are very good; they look after me. Another person told us “I am getting to know the staff and I am getting the privacy.”

People told us they were treated with dignity, respect and their privacy was not compromised. Comments included “I need help but I do get privacy” and “Yes I have privacy”. One relative told us, “I am not there all the time my relative would let me know if they are not happy.” Care plans clearly stated people’s preferences regarding when they wanted their privacy respected, and situations where they may want or need support. These plans also clearly stated how these needs may be communicated.

People were assured information about them was treated confidentially and they knew staff respect their privacy. There was a culture of kindness and respect between colleagues both within the service and from other organisations.

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Comments from people and their relatives included, “They [staff] understand what is important to me”, I am given the right staff to work with” and “For most part they [staff] treat relative with kindness and respect and they know my relative well.”

Staff encouraged people to engage in activities and hobbies of their choice. People were encouraged to be part of the community and to take part in meaningful activities. For instance, people were supported to vote in local and national elections.

People were supported to be themselves; any protected equality characteristics were truly respected by staff. Staff were aware of potential discrimination and were proactive in identifying and supporting people who faced it.

The provider followed best practice standards which ensured people received privacy, dignity, choice and independence in their tenancy.

People’s personal, cultural, social and religious needs were understood and met.

Staff saw people as their equal and created a warm and inclusive atmosphere.

People were well matched with their designated support worker and as a result, people were at ease, happy, engaged and stimulated. We saw many examples of how staff worked with people to maximise their quality of life.

People received kind and compassionate care from staff who used positive, respectful language which people understood and responded well to.

Staff were patient and used appropriate styles of interaction with people. Staff understood each person’s individual communication style.

Staff were calm, focussed and attentive to people’s emotions and support needs such as sensory sensitivities.

Staff were mindful of individual’s sensory perception and processing difficulties.

Staff ensured people were protected from exposure to any environmental factors they would find stressful.

People felt valued by staff who showed genuine interest in their well-being and quality of life.

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Support plans set out the needs and promoted strategies to enhance independence for people. The plans demonstrated evidence of planning and consideration of the longer-term aspirations of each person. One person told us “I have help to make food choices”. A relative told us “[family member] needs help with every part of their life but is independent in spirit and is well supported with that”. A further relative told us “Some staff are amazing”.

People had the opportunity to try new experiences, develop new skills and gain independence.

People were supported to have choice and control over their own care and to make decisions about their care, treatment and wellbeing.

People were supported to understand their rights by using different ways to communicate. Their understanding was reviewed throughout their care and treatment.

People were supported to maintain relationships and networks which were important to them.

People were given time to listen, process information and respond to staff and other professionals. Where required and needed, staff were able to advocate for people or get them the right support to maximise their understanding.

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’s needs, views, wishes and comfort were a priority and staff quickly anticipated these to avoid any preventable discomfort, concern or distress.

Staff were alert to people’s needs and took time to observe, communicate and engage people in discussions about their immediate needs. Staff found out how to respond in the most appropriate way to respect people’s wishes.

Staff quickly recognised when people needed urgent help or support and use appropriate tools and technology to assist.

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

Staff were supported if they were struggling at work. This had a positive impact on the care they delivered to people.

Staff had easy access to personalised support that recognised the diversity of a workforce with proactive and reactive measures.

People were supported by staff who felt valued by their leaders and their colleagues. People had a sense of belonging and the ability to contribute to decision making. Staff with recognised disabilities told us they had been supported at work. It was clear the support was appreciated by staff.