Blythe House

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 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 treated people with kindness and respect and promoted their dignity in day-to-day support. Staff demonstrated warm and positive interactions with people. Staff spoke to people in a respectful way, adapted their communication to meet individual needs and gave people time to make choices. There was a relaxed atmosphere within the home and people appeared comfortable approaching staff and spending time in shared areas.

People's privacy and dignity were respected. Staff told us they knocked on bedroom doors before entering. One person said, "I am happy living here and the staff are good." Other people used Makaton to tell us they were “Feeling good.”

Feedback from relatives was positive about the caring nature of staff. One relative told us, "I am very happy with the care [my family member] has and I have a good working relationship with the staff, any queries they will let me know and visa versa. If there are any issues that crop up we try and work it out together and that seems to work quite well.”

Some language used within care records could be improved. Terms such as 'behaviours that challenge' and 'sensory toys' did not always reflect the person-centred approach seen in practice. The registered manager was aware of this and planned to review terminology used within records.

The provider treated people as individuals and delivered support that reflected their needs, preferences and personal circumstances. Care records contained detailed information about what was important to people, their preferred routines, communication methods and the support they needed. People's backgrounds and interests. Staff adapted their approach to meet individual needs and recognised that people experienced the world in different ways.

Support focused on helping people live meaningful lives, develop independence and take part in activities that mattered to them. People were encouraged to make choices and were supported to pursue interests such as horse riding, shopping, swimming, music and community events.

The provider took account of people's communication needs and used personalised approaches to help people express themselves. Information was adapted to meet individual needs to support understanding and reduce anxiety.

People's strengths and abilities were recognised and promoted. People were encouraged to take part in art and laundry doing things at their own pace. One person proudly helped prepare a meal and another was supported to understand their spending and make decisions about managing their money.

Relatives told us support was tailored to each person's individual needs. One relative told us, "The important thing to us is the individuality of attention."

The provider promoted people's independence and supported them to have choice and control over their lives. People were encouraged to make decisions about their daily routines, activities and future plans. One person used Makaton to let us know they had, “Eaten breakfast and it was nice.” People were supported to develop and maintain independent living skills. This included being involved in preparing meals, making choices about food, managing personal finances and taking part in household tasks where appropriate. Staff provided support at a level which met people's needs while encouraging them to do as much as possible for themselves.

One person returned from doing the food shop and proudly showed off all they had bought. Another person clapped and smiled and gestured for us to look when expressing their pride after helping to prepare a meal.

People had control over their personal space and surroundings. Bedrooms were personalised to reflect individual interests, hobbies and preferences, decorated in very different ways, reflecting people's personalities and choices. One person had recently chosen the colour scheme for their bedroom and was proud of the changes made.

People were supported to pursue interests and activities that mattered to them. This included accessing community events, holidays, horse riding, sailing, shopping and other opportunities.

Relatives told us people were supported to live as independently as possible. One relative told us, "[My family member] is an independent person and is leading the most independent life they could have and is really happy. The one thing you want for your child is to be happy and I couldn't be better pleased."

The provider responded to people's needs in a timely and person-centred way. People were supported by staff who paid attention to changes in their presentation, routines and personality changes. Staff recognised that some people communicated without speech and understood the importance of responding to their body languages and other cues.

Staff responded promptly when people sought support, reassurance or interaction. Staff gave people time to process information and make decisions. Where people became anxious, staff used approaches known to be effective for that person, such as offering a quiet space, distraction or preferred routines.

Relatives provided positive examples of staff responding to people's needs. One relative told us, "Staff have got to know [my family member] and they have got to know the staff and nothing is too much trouble when I call."

Staff provided clear step by step guidance to support people with routines and tasks, helping to reduce anxiety and increase participation.

The provider promoted staff wellbeing and provided support to help staff deliver person centred care. Staff spoke positively about working at the service and described a supportive culture. They told us they felt able to approach the registered manager and senior staff for advice and guidance. Staff received regular supervision and annual appraisals which provided opportunities to discuss their wellbeing, performance and development.

The provider invested in training and development. Existing staff received training relevant to the needs of people using the service and were encouraged to develop their skills further.

The provider supported staff to reflect on their practice and learn from experiences. Debrief sessions were held following significant incidents and gave staff opportunities to discuss what had happened, how they felt and whether any changes were needed. Staff also had access to support from senior leaders and specialist teams within the organisation.

Feedback from staff was positive. Staff described the registered manager as supportive of their development and career aspirations.

Staff worked collaboratively and spoke positively about recent changes which had helped strengthen team working. Staff appeared confident in their roles and were comfortable seeking advice and support from colleagues when needed.