Acer House 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 forevidencethat the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key questiongood. At this assessment the rating has remainedgood.This meant peoplewere 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.

Staff treated people with kindness, dignity, and compassion. We observed warm, respectful interactions, with staff using preferred names, listening attentively, and responding calmly and kindly.

Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity by knocking before entering rooms, explaining care, and maintaining privacy during personal support. Leaders monitored practice and addressed issues promptly to maintain standards. Staff supported people’s choices, including positive risk taking, with guidance from leaders. Interactions were tailored to individual needs, such as communicating at eye level, using a whiteboard or offering reassurance.People and relatives praised staff for being caring and welcoming, reflecting leadership that prioritised kindness, dignity, and compassion.Relatives said,“The staff there seem kind, caring and respectful,”“Always kind”and “They are very compassionate”.People told us, “Oh yes they are very kind, nothing is too much for them” and “I can’t fault them, always kind”

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.

Staff treated people with respect. They used people’s preferred names, listened carefully, and respected individual routines and choices. Staff knocked before entering bedrooms, explained care before providing it, and ensured privacy during personal support.

Staff adapted their communication to individual needs, such as speaking calmly, offering reassurance, and giving people time to respond. Leaders set clear expectations and monitored practice through observation and supervision, which helped ensure respectful care was delivered consistently.

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

Staff worked in a person-centred way to enable people to access a wide range of activities which reflected their preferences, wishes and aspirations. People chose activities to take place at the home. We saw evidence of monthly planners for activities. People toldus,“There are a lot of activities here. When we have adriver,they do take us out fortrips.”

People were encouraged to make day to day decisions. Care plans detailed how people liked to dress, how and when they preferred to have their meals. Where people were unable to make these decisions, staff had got to know people well and were able to present informed choices to support people in making those decisions.

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.

Staff had a clear understanding of people’s individual needs anddemonstrated this throughtimelyand appropriate responsesto requests for support. They remained visible and accessible throughout the home, which reassured people that help was readily available when needed.

We observed staff responding promptly to call bells, with no oneleft waiting for assistance. People told us they felt confidentusing the call bell system and knew staff would respond.One person said,“They do answer thebells on time. I have only had to wait a fewtimes and that’s because staff are attending to otherpeople.” Staff explained that they prioritised call bells and regularly checked communal areas to anticipate needs rather than wait for people to ask.The registered manager completed a monthly analysis of call bell response times. The data showed that calls were typically answered within 2.5 minutes of activation. This met the provider’s expected response times for nonemergency situations, as outlined in their policy.

Staff responded flexibly to people’s preferences and daily routines. After lunch, we observed a person ask to return to their roomto rest. Staff immediately acknowledged the request and supported the person back to their room calmly and respectfully, in line with their wishes. Staff ensured the person was comfortable and checked whether they needed anything further before leaving.Aperson said“I have regular staff they are kind, caring and respectful. They know me, they know what I liketheydon’thave to ask. Theyjust know me well.”

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

A member of staff described how senior leaders actively mentored and supported their progression into a more senior role. The registered manager and deputy manager identified the staff member’s potential and provided consistent guidance, encouragement, and hands on development opportunities.

The staff member explained,“There is definitely scope for development. I have done my level 3 and I have been told I can do my level 4. The training person gave an example of how they hadrisen in the ranks from being a carer and now the regional trainer.”

The registered manager and deputy manager modelled effective leadership, created opportunities for learning, and involved the staff members in decision making processes. By offering supervision, trust, and real responsibility, they strengthened the staff member’s confidence, competence, and sense of belonging within the leadership team.