The Pines

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.

Staff communicated with people in a respectful and compassionate way. People’s privacy, dignity and independence were promoted and respected. People were treated as individuals and they were involved and consulted in the person-centred care they received.

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.

People told us they liked the staff who supported them, a person listed the staff, who they said were all, “Nice.”. People were clearly comfortable with the staff who supported them and with each other. Interactions from staff showed they knew people well and they were caring and compassionate. Staff listened to people and communicated effectively to ensure they understood what people wanted. There was a homely and welcoming atmosphere in the service. A relative said their family member, “Gets on well with the staff.” Another relative said, “When I visit everyone seems happy there, they [staff and people using the service] were all sitting around the table chatting.”

There were several areas in the service where people could have privacy, be with other people or have visitors. There was a secure garden area where people could use if they chose to. This was fenced off from the car park to reduce the risks of harm.

We saw examples which demonstrated staff understood how to respect people’s dignity and privacy, this included supporting a person with respect and calmness when they had been incontinent. Another person had noticed and staff swiftly diverted them to ensure the person’s dignity and privacy was respected.

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’s care records included information about people’s abilities, plans for the future and goals. Evidence was in place to show how people were supported to achieve their goals, for example using public transport with staff with a view to doing this independently in the future. People were involved in the planning of their care, and a common thread throughout was their choices, goals and abilities. People told us they were in control of their own care and told the staff what they wanted to do and felt they were listened to.

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

We saw staff promoting and respecting people’s independence, in line with their care plans. This included preparing their own meals and drinks for some people, and for others doing a part of their preparation which they were comfortable with.

People were clearly in control of their own care, support and daily lives. Their choices and preferences were sought, listened to and acted on. We observed throughout our visits, how people were asked what they wanted to do and this was respected. People’s care plans identified how people were to be supported to make choices, we saw this in action during lunchtime. Staff used different ways of asking people’s choices which was tailored to each person. For example, a person was asked in writing what they wanted, another verbally and another person was shown the food so they could point to what they wanted. A staff member said, “The service is highly person-centred, and we consistently listen to individuals’ preferences regarding their care. I have seen first-hand how the team supports people in making informed choices about their care plans, ensuring autonomy where possible.”

Meetings attended by people who used the service were held, where their views were sought, relating to, for example, meals and activities. Where suggestions were made, these were valued and acted on. A person told us they always attended the meetings, “We talk about what we want.” They confirmed they felt they were listened to.

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 told us staff were available when they needed them. We saw staff were attentive to people’s needs and any requests for assistance were acted on promptly. A staff member told us, “Personal care is delivered in a timely and respectful manner, and individuals’ preferences and dignity are always considered. We work closely with people to ensure they are comfortable with their care routines.”

Staff clearly knew people well and interacted in a caring and compassionate way. A recent bereavement in the service had been managed sensitively by the staff team, who were observant and aware this could impact on people’s wellbeing. A person told us about how they felt and how the staff were supporting them, “I can talk to them [staff].”

Where a person did not verbally communicate, staff were aware of how to communicate effectively with them and understood when they were indicating they wanted something, such as walking staff to the kettle for a drink.

Positive behaviour plans were in place, which had guidance for staff in place how to reduce distress.

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

Staff were provided with training and support to meet people’s needs. This included training in people’s specific needs and health conditions. One to one supervision meetings provided staff with a forum to receive feedback, raise any concerns and identify any training needs. A staff member said, “I receive regular one-to-one supervision and attend staff meetings. These sessions provide opportunities for support, feedback, and professional development.”

Staff meetings were held where staff were advised of their roles and responsibilities and also had the opportunity to discuss the service provided.

Staff told us they felt supported and were confident any concerns raised to the manager would be listened to and acted on. As well as in house support, staff were provided with an employee assist programme, where they could access a confidential helpline in areas such as financial advice and stress and anxiety.