Highfield House Residential Care 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 good. At this assessment the rating has changed to outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 90 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Managers were exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

People and their relatives spoke about staff in exceptional terms, consistently praising their warmth, compassion and dedication. One person told us, “They [staff] go above and beyond.” One relative told us, "I think they [staff] are very caring, so patient, and always so cheerful." Staff extended their kindness and compassion beyond those using the service to include relatives particularly during emotionally challenging times. One relative told us that staff remained in contact with them following bereavement, which provided comfort and emotional support they said, "They [staff] were so kind to me."

We observed staff interacting with people in a warm, positive and respectful manner, taking time to engage with them in a meaningful way. When people appeared distressed or anxious, staff responded promptly respecting their emotional needs. During our visit 1 person appeared visibly upset, staff were quick to reassure the person, doing this discreetly and respectfully preventing further distress.

Staff spoke about people with genuine respect and demonstrated a deep commitment to always preserving their privacy and dignity. One staff member told us, “We ensure people don't overhear conversations, especially about health." Staff discussed ways in which they always upheld people’s dignity, for example they used “do not disturb” signs on doors when providing personal care to ensure people would not be disturbed.

Staff knew people extremely well and had opportunities to spend meaningful time with them. Staff listened to people and were enthusiastic with their approach. One staff member told us, "I like listening to residents’ stories."

Visiting professionals told us they felt welcomed, respected and valued by staff and described a positive and collaborative working environment. One professional told us they have, “Always found the home very friendly and helpful.” This meant people were supported in a way that upheld their individuality and rights, while relatives and professionals felt included and confident in the quality of care provided.

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

Staff demonstrated an exceptional commitment to recognising and valuing people as individuals, ensuring care and support were tailored to reflect their unique histories, preferences and beliefs. Staff consistently spoke about people as individuals, one staff member told us, “We call people by their preferred names.” We observed conversations between staff and people which reflected genuine knowledge of people and their life experiences.

People were actively encouraged and supported to express their religious and cultural beliefs. The provider had very close links with a member of the local clergy who visited the home regularly and spent time with people. One person regularly received Holy Communion within the home are they were unable to attend church in person. Staff also supported people to watch religious services on television if this was their choice and better suited their needs. This meant staff had considered people’s religious beliefs and supported creative ways for people to continue to practice their faith.

Staff went above and beyond to celebrate people’s life experiences and personal achievements. For example, people had been supported to share and publish their war stories in a book, which was available for the public to purchase. This was so significant it was featured on both BBC national news and local news outlets. This project was so successful, 2 other local care homes helped their people complete their own books. This demonstrated an exceptional culture that truly valued people’s life history and their sense of identity.

Staff used people’s life histories to shape meaningful activities. One person was supported to revisit their childhood community enabling them to reconnect with familiar places. One relative told us their loved one had been a farmer and greatly enjoyed activities relating to farming. They said, “They [staff] bring in animals and [person] loves that."

People were consistently supported to take part in activities that mattered to them. People were supported to write down their wishes and staff did their best to meet them. For example, 1 person wanted to try to ski so staff organised a virtual skiing experience for them.

Care plans were developed in partnership with people and their relatives, ensuring their voices were central to how care was delivered. These plans contained detailed and personalised information about the individuals. This meant people were supported to live meaningful lives, with opportunities to continue their hobbies, explore interests and maintain a strong sense of identity.

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

People and their relatives were always involved in the development and review of their care plans and spoke positively about the home. One relative told us, "[Person] is included in everything" and "When my mum was having her room redecorated, they made sure she was involved. She was given a colour chart to pick what colour she wanted her walls." We observed people being offered choices throughout the day including decisions about meals and activities. Some people had adaptive cutlery enabling them to eat more independently.

Staff demonstrated excellent knowledge of how to promote independence and autonomy for individual needs. One staff member told us that they "Work with the person rather than doing things for them.” One person told us that as a result of staff support, they were able to regain their skills and independence in the garden. They said, “I haven’t been able to garden in years, so the idea of a raised bed is amazing. I can just go out there; it was that freedom I wanted.”

People were supported to spend their time as they chose, moving around the home freely. One person was supported to maintain their autonomy by being able to regularly go out independently into the local community. One person told us “I love it here, this is my new home, I love everything about it, I can go out and I enjoy the activities. The food is lovely.”

This meant people were supported to make their own decisions wherever possible and to remain in control over their daily lives.

Managers 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.

We received positive feedback about staff acting promptly to seek medical assistance when required, ensuring that people’s health needs were met without delay. One relative told us, “Recently my mother was unwell, the response by the staff was swift and accurate and we were kept updated at all times”. One person told us, “If there’s a problem a doctor will come and see you.” Staff ensured that people were involved in decisions about their needs and were kept informed of visiting professionals.

Systems were in place to enable people to quickly request support when needed. For example, sensor mats (pressure sensitive devices alerting staff when someone moves) and call bells were available. During our visits we observed staff reacting promptly to people’s needs and requests. Staff told us that in emergency situations such as when someone falls, colleagues worked well together and responded quickly to provide assistance.

One staff member told us that they recently helped a person clear and organise their room as they started struggling with clutter. This had a positive impact on their wellbeing.

Managers actively listened to feedback. One staff member told us, "Recently I noticed that [person’s] wheelchair doesn't seem to support her as it should, so we have reported back to the Physiotherapist and awaiting their return to reassess". This meant that people received timely support that promoted their safety and wellbeing.

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

Staff feedback reflected a positive and open culture. Staff described managers as approachable with an open-door policy, which encouraged communication. Staff told us that they felt able to provide feedback and were confident it would be acted upon. One staff member told us, "I feel valued here” and "all staff get on very well." Staff felt safe and supported by both leaders and colleagues. All staff spoken with would recommend Highfield House as a positive place to work, and to live in.

Staff had up to date policies and training to support them in their roles, and managers recognised strengths by enabling staff to have additional responsibilities as ‘key workers’ and ‘champions’ (champions were specialised staff responsible for specific areas of care such as continence). Staff spoke positively about their regular supervisions and their annual appraisals.

Managers described a range of ongoing support mechanisms available to staff, including access to mental health support, consideration of reasonable adjustments and a flexible approach to rota planning. An on-call management system ensured that staff could access support at any time. This meant that staff were well supported, confident and empowered in their roles, promoting a positive workplace culture enabling them to deliver person centred care.