Alexandra Court Residential 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 that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question Outstanding. At this assessment the rating has changed to Good.

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.

Throughout the assessment, we observed positive interactions between staff and people using the service. These interactions were characterised by meaningful engagement, reassurance, and a clear understanding of individual needs. For example, three people with significant mobility needs required support from staff to move safely and comfortably. Staff responded promptly and compassionately, carrying out regular checks to ensure their comfort and wellbeing while providing reassurance and emotional support.

Feedback from people and their relatives was also very positive and consistently reflected the service’s caring culture. People told us that staff were not only kind but genuinely committed to their wellbeing. One person said, “[Staff] treat [people] as you would wish to be treated yourself,” while another commented, “It’s a really friendly atmosphere here.”

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 their relatives told us staff treated people as individuals and were responsive to their specific needs. One advocate told us, “Staff have done all they can to manage and meet [person’s] individual needs.” People spoke positively about the kindness and understanding shown by staff and told us staff knew them well. Staff demonstrated a good knowledge of the people they supported, and care plans contained detailed information about people’s individual needs, helping to ensure care was personalised and person-centred.

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

People and their relatives told us staff supported them to be as independent as possible. One relative described how staff had supported a person to move to a different room, enabling them to interact more easily with others without requiring staff assistance. Another relative told us their family member had been moved to a room with an ensuite toilet, which helped to better meet their personal care needs and promoted their independence.

Care plans clearly outlined what people were able to do independently and identified the support staff should provide to maximise and maintain their independence. One relative of a person who had recently moved into the home said, “We were involved in [person’s] assessment and the development of the care plans. Staff listened to us and took account of their needs and preferences from the start.”

People and their relatives told us staff treated people as individuals and were responsive to their specific needs. One relative told us, “Staff have done all they can to manage and meet [person’s] individual needs.”

We saw examples of people being supported to maintain their independence through the use of appropriate assistive equipment and involvement in decisions about their daily lives. Care records demonstrated people’s preferences, wishes and choices were considered when planning and delivering care. Daily notes and activity records showed people were encouraged to participate in meaningful activities and remain involved in day-to-day life, promoting their independence, wellbeing and quality of life.

The registered manager told us they believed that person-centred care means recognising what matters most to each individual. Whether supporting residents to maintain lifelong hobbies and interests, keeping beloved pets with their owners, preserving important relationships and routines, or personally contributing to items that improved comfort and wellbeing when delays could not be justified.

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 told us staff responded promptly when assistance was needed. During our inspection, we observed staff providing timely support and recognising when people required help, including responding to changes in behaviour that indicated a need for assistance. Systems were in place to monitor the quality and timeliness of care, with the management team regularly reviewing care records and carrying out observations to ensure people received support when they needed it.

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

Staff spoke positively about the support they received from the management team. They told us managers were approachable, listened to their views and made them feel valued. Staff said they had good relationships with their line managers and, where possible, requests for flexible working arrangements were accommodated. An open-door culture encouraged staff to seek advice, guidance and support when needed. We saw staff examples of initiatives such as employee of the Month where staff received a financial reward; free staff pamper sessions; privately funded NVQ Level 3 qualifications. All staff members also received an annual Christmas bonus.