Branksome Heights

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

This means we looked for evidence that the service 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.

People and relatives complimented the service for caring in ways that exceeded expectations. For example, a person who used a wheelchair, and was unable to transfer independently, had been looking forward to a trip to the beach with their spouse and needed a wheelchair taxi. Unfortunately, the taxi broke down 15 minutes before the scheduled pick up. So the couple could still enjoy the trip, staff booked an ordinary taxi, and a care worker travelled with them to help the person transfer between taxi and wheelchair. The family wrote: "I hear you moved heaven and earth to get mum and dad to the beach this morning, thank you so much. We are absolutely thrilled and so grateful for all your help."

People and their families received exceptionally compassionate, kind care and support. They appreciated genuine empathy from staff and were highly complimentary of their caring approach. They said, "Staff are well trained and I see an ethos of kindness and respect", "They’re [staff] always interested in [person] and me too", "I (relative) feel I’ve been taken care of as much as [person]", "They’re all very caring and helpful" and "Everybody is lovely from the top to the bottom, cleaners, care staff, cooks, the DIY man and the managers."

The service had received many compliments from people and relatives about its strong, person-centred culture, including how kind and respectful the staff were, and the positive outcomes for people because of this. These included: "What an amazing team you are! [Person] has been with you for just over a year now, and they are so happy. We all feel you are all an extension of our family", "In the time [person] has been there they have perked up tremendously. They seem really happy and engage well with the staff" and "[Staff seeming happy] translates into a good experience for [person]." There were also thanks for making people's birthday and anniversary celebrations so special, and for "warmth and genuine care from the team."

The registered manager was passionate about providing people a peaceful environment for end of life care. with the home had use of a dedicated reflection room, which offered a safe space for relatives and friends to rest and recharge. The registered manager gave us examples of when staff acted with kindness such as purchasing, pens and pencils, and a cushioned lap tray, as they wanted the person who had just moved into the service with few belongings. The registered manager stated the person smiled when they saw these laid out in their new room.

Staff encouraged people to make their goals and aspirations known. They made every effort for people to achieve these. For example, someone wanted to meet a donkey, so staff arranged it.

Staff demonstrated empathy for people and families. For example, they supported one person and family who were making a difficult, delicate decision. The family complemented them on their communication, helping the family feel supported.

The embedded culture of kindness and respect extended to colleagues from other organisations, who were treated likewise. Health and social care professionals had praised the service for the caring and considerate approach to people there. A social worker involved in someone's move from the service had written to the registered manager saying, "I want to take this opportunity to thank you and your staff for everything you have done for [person] and understand that this is not a decision made lightly. I have enjoyed working with you and hope to do so again sometime."

There had also been positive feedback about the kindness and compassion of the registered manager and staff, from the manager of a new resident's previous home. They said, "You [registered manager] are the first person who has ever called me up to ask how one of their former residents is settling in " and, "Everyone treated [person] gently and with kindness, as they have been very anxious about this change."The service received positive feedback from the responses of professionals to a quality assurance survey in March 2024. Comments included, “As a clinician, excellent support given so that I may be able to perform my job to my best ability”, “On behalf of the [team] that come into Branksome Heights we always feel very welcomed into the home by the staff, all helpful and all staff appear to be happy in their work environment.” Staff demonstrated empathy in all their interactions, recognising how people were feeling and what they needed in that moment. For example, during the first day of the assessment a care worker spent a lot of time with a person, who smiled and relaxed during their conversations. The care worker told us they came from the same town as the person, giving them something in common to chat about. Another person had been voicing some worries to a member of staff; they told the staff member, "You make me feel a little bit more stable" and looked relieved.

The person-centred culture was reflected in all aspects of people's life at Branksome Heights, including their care, as well as the way staff interacted with people, their visitors and each other. Staff had a respectful, gentle and compassionate approach to people. For example, they used touch sensitively and effectively to provide reassurance when people expressed worry or confusion.

People and relatives told us how staff made significant efforts to meet individual preferences in relation to all aspects of their care. They said things such as, “They try very hard with everyone's different (food) tastes… If there’s something on the menu you don’t like they will do you something else” and “People are treated as individuals with care and kindness.” A relative described how staff were diligent in arranging their family member’s meal in front of them so they could reach everything easily.

The service had collected feedback from people and their relatives. This included compliments and survey responses that reflected people's and relatives' gratitude for the difference respect for their individual circumstances and preferences had made. Staff knew people using the service well and had a comprehensive understanding of their needs and preferences. This included supporting them with communication needs, such as hearing impairments.

Staff called people by their preferred names. They showed affection, professionally and in line with people's preferences, such as using an affectionate term the person liked or a gentle, respectful touch on their hand or arm. People responded to this with smiles.

Care was tailored to individual people's needs and preferences, which their care plans reflected. There was a holistic approach to this, with consideration of people's backgrounds, strengths, values, and protected characteristics (including race, religion or belief, disability, sex, and sexual orientation). Assessments specifically considered people's communication needs and care plans set out what support the person needed with these.

Health and social care professionals were complimentary about the service. A health and social care professional told us, “During my visits, I have found the staff to be very compassionate, caring towards all the residents, making sure their needs were met and including them in all activities.”

Equality, diversity and human rights underpinned the service's approach to people and their families. The service supported people in maintaining their relationships with friends and families when this presented challenges. An example was, “Thank you for your support and honesty yesterday. Thank you for not leaving us alone to work all this out. Thank you for your brilliance at your job which enables you to see my [relatives] as they really are and the situation as it really is.” Staff promoted people's independence. A person explained how their care had supported them to regain their mobility: “When I came here 2 years ago, I was in a wheelchair, then I progressed to using a rollator and walking frame and now I can walk with just sticks.” People could see their family and friends whenever they wished, who were made to feel welcome. Family and friends told us they were able to join people for meals and eat with them.People and their families and friends were also encouraged to keep in phone or video contact. A relative explained, “I can also phone [person] anytime too. She has a mobile phone but sometimes I phone the main line, and they pass the phone to [person].”

The registered manager and staff had a shared view of the importance of understanding people's preferences, wishes and choices. They also understood the importance of their role in promoting people's independence. This was all reflected in the way they described their work and what they enjoyed about it.

The premises were laid out accessibly and decorated in a way that promoted people's independence. Staff encouraged people to eat and mobilise as independently as possible. They ensured people had their mobility aids close to hand and supported them to use these safely. People who needed it used adapted crockery and cutlery to eat without assistance. There were private areas around the home for people to meet visitors, if they wished, or to sit quietly. Care plans promoted people's independence and choice. Records of staff team and supervision meetings also reflected this, as did the service's quality monitoring records and action plan.

The provider's personal and sexual relationships policy upheld people's human rights and was respectful of protected characteristics under the Equality Act,including people's sexuality. It cited current national guidance on relationships and sexuality in care services. Staff routinely knocked before entering rooms and respected people's preferences for how their privacy would be maintained.This included privacy during visits.

People and relatives told us staff were prompt to assist when they needed. A person who was able to request help said, “When I have [used a call bell] they [staff] have come quickly.” A relative said they had been visiting their family member when they heard someone fall and call out. Staff were there to help them immediately.

Staff were focussed on people’s comfort and wellbeing, ensuring they respected people’s views. This was evident throughout our interactions with staff across the service, as well as our observations. It was reflected in the way staff spoke about their work and about people, with us and with each other.

Staff appreciated and acted on the importance of anticipating people’s needs, to ensure they did not experience preventable discomfort, concern or distress. They were able to anticipate when someone needed urgent care or support and offered this immediately. The registered manager and care staff we spoke with and observed knew people well and had a detailed understanding of the care they required.

People, including people living with dementia, benefited from this sensitive, personalised support that helped them avoid becoming upset or uncomfortable. We observed people were receiving support in line with their care plan which helped them remain calm and content.

There was a strong organisational commitment and effective action to promote and achieve equality and inclusion for all staff. The registered manager recognised staff diversity and ensured equitable treatment. For example, supplying free sanitary protection so staff could "feel confident and happy while on duty".

The organisation empowered staff to work and be well. Facilities included paid breaks, meals on shift, a lounge, a kitchen, and a prayer room. The provider was a Living Wage employer. Provision for new overseas staff included a welcome pack with items for comfort. The organisation had provided for a new colleague’s safety and security, at no cost to the colleague, because no housing was available.

The registered manager knew staff well, understanding individual work-life balance preferences. Some staff had struggled with care shift patterns because of changes in family circumstances. By agreement, they had transferred to other roles that better suited their arrangements, rather than leaving the service. A member of staff told us how this had benefited them.

People and visitors commented on how happy staff were. There were high levels of staff satisfaction, comments included, “A wonderful home to work in and a great team to work with” and "The best home I have ever worked in."

The provider cared about and promoted the well-being of their staff which enabled staff to deliver person-centred care. Wellbeing posters and leaflets were clearly displayed and accessible to staff. The service supported staff if they struggled with anything and offered a wide range of employee focused programs. Staff told us they had access to the registered manager for support and guidance. The registered manager was continually present in the service and would speak to staff individually if needed. Staff told us they felt valued and well supported by the service and the registered manager. This resulted in the service having a low staff turnover.