Shottermill 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 85 (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 was 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 unanimously praised the consistently caring and kind approach of staff as best reflecting the overall care provided to people in the home. People were addressed as ‘family members’ and staff supported them in a gentle, respectful and warm way. People’s relatives commented what was best about the home, “Their (staff’s) patience is amazing”, “I would have said the staff are very sensitive and caring. They are always discreet and gentle”, “All the staff seem really sweet, caring and kind”, “What makes it special - everybody is genuine, helps each other and want it to be a really happy place, so people are safe and content. Hummingbirds (staff providing additional one to one support to people) are wonderful”, “[Staff] are unfailingly nice, very warm and helpful towards [my relative] and me, caring side is extremely good”, “Nothing is too much trouble (for staff).” All the people we spoke with were very complimentary about staff’s attitudes, values and approach. One person said, “[Staff] are ever so nice to us, always kind.” We observed staff engaged with people when supporting them directly, but also when meeting them around the home. Staff called people by their preferred name, and used phrases such as, “You're doing really well”, “Everything will be fine, don't you worry”, “I'll help you along when you are ready”, “Take your time, there is no need to hurry.” Staff helped people to enjoy visits from their relatives and friends and were very attentive to their needs. We saw very positive, kind and patient interactions between people and staff, including joking, smiling, exchanging views, asking for people’s input and views. Staff knew people well as they were able to start a conversation with people on topics they enjoyed and valued. Volunteers visiting the home told us they always felt welcomed, supported and listened to by staff who were caring and kind to everyone. One relative told us how the person commented on their life in the home, “[Staff] communicate well with [person]. She says to me, “I am the heavenly human, I am very happy.” People’s relatives and representatives told us they felt like a part of the home’s family, could visit at any time and were always greeted with kindness and warmth. The management team organised discussions and support events for relatives. A relative said, “They are very good at putting things on for relatives. There are regular get togethers, just for us with a specialist speaker on dementia, we share ideas and can support one another, it is very useful.” A staff member summarised the approach we had seen during our visit, saying, “For me, it is important to treat people like a family member and as a human being. I treat people as if they were my family. I comfort them and try to make them happy. Treat them with dignity and manners.”

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. A relative said, “They go out of their way to understand the individual.” Multiple people told us how the home ensured their religious needs and lifestyle preferences were supported by staff. Staff also helped people to follow their hobbies and be as independent as possible. For example, one person maintained and designed their own garden on the home’s grounds. This person was proud of how others supported them in taking care of plants and how they could enjoy the space together. Another person was supported to contact their lifelong friend who shared the same values as them but lived far away. The management team facilitated regular phone calls for the two individuals. Their representative commented, “It is really lovely. They are going an extra mile, it is wonderful, and they go beyond the call of duty.” Staff supported people living with dementia to create memory boxes, individualised photo albums and other aids which enabled them to reminiscence and communicate better with their loved ones. A relative said, “I find [the memory box] really helpful to go through with [person] when I visit. The laminated photographs on a ring help us talk though the milestones in his life. It is very soothing for both of us.” The staff team included ‘Hummingbird’ staff who were specifically providing one to one support to people, both by spending time together, and by providing fully individualised care. People and their relatives were exceptionally happy with how these staff members in collaboration with the rest of the care staff team ensured people felt valued and comfortable. This enabled people to build stronger, positive caring relationships with staff. Hence, people were more likely to accept support and care, and their distress was reduced. The service welcomed, encouraged and worked very well with a vast range of volunteers who shared the same values and religious beliefs as people living in the home. Hence, people told us they felt a part of the local community and could live lives that aligned with their personal beliefs and supported their spiritual and social wellbeing. The provider implemented The Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT) tool which is a research tool helping social care providers to enquire about not only health and physical outcomes of people’s care, but their individual experiences of that care. The registered manager examined people’s feedback and shaped the service to better meet their individual needs based on outcomes.

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. People and their relatives told us they were in control of their support. One person said, “Sometimes I like to get up and join in (with others), and other times I like to stay here (in my room). I can choose.” Another person said, “They do know me here and know what I like and what I don’t like”. A relative said, “Despite the fact that [my relative’s] awareness and communication has been affected by his dementia, I feel he is known and cared for in a personal way by the care staff. The team have taken the initiative to make efforts to promote his wellbeing and engage him.” We observed staff engaged people in their care, asked for their choices and preferences and supported their independence. People’s care plans included personalised information on what people wanted and could do on their own, what support they needed and how they were involved in their care. People’s relatives who represented and advocated on behalf of their loved ones told us they were regularly involved in care reviews.

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. We saw staff were attentive and responded to people’s needs quickly and respectfully. Staff told us how they recognised people may be distressed and how they offered support. People’s care plans were clear about their most important needs and individual risks and what assistance was required to ensure they were well and safe.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff told us the management team supported them in their individual roles. Staff were supported to build their knowledge and skills and around their wellbeing. The provider’s policies and systems supported this. The management and senior staff were observed to be caring and attentive towards staff.