The Dunes

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 service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.At our last inspection we rated this key question good. At this inspection 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.

The service always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.Relatives told us people were treated with dignity and their individuality respected. A relative said, “I think the staff are very kind and patient. My loved one seems happy and comfortable around them.” We observed staff to be kind and caring when interacting with people. Staff were polite and engaged well with people. Staff had training in dignity and respect and told us how important it was to ensure people were cared for and felt happy. There was a relaxed atmosphere in the service. Health and social care professionals were complimentary about the service.

The service 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 individuality, such as their culture, their physical needs and their passions were considered. Staff knew people and their routines well. Staff told us they enjoyed working at the service. Relatives spoke positively about staff. One relative told us, “My loved one is unique and likes things in a certain way, the staff team understand my loved one well and they are very well looked after.” Another relative said, “The staff are always trying new things, and my loved one is doing more than they used to.” We observed many occasions where people’s choices and preferences were sought and carried out. This included how people wanted to spend their time, what they would like to eat, drink and wear and how they would like to be supported. One staff member said, “Whatever the person wants, chooses or requires I will respect this and support as much as I can.” Another staff member told us, “All of us are different and have specific ways to do things, we need to know how a person likes something done and do it to their preference.”

The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. The promotion of independence was a focus for the service, supporting people to maintain and regain their abilities was important. Staff told us they prioritised helping people retain and gain their independence. A staff member said, “We try to promote independence as much as possible and get people to do as much as they can. We guide and assist them.” A relative agreed and said, “The staff are always giving as much choice as they can, even in areas we wouldn’t think of.” People were supported to maintain relationships which were important to them. People had access to activities and the local community to promote and support their independence, health and wellbeing.

The service listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff respond to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. Systems were in place to ensure all relevant information was shared with the right people. The service sought feedback through monthly resident’s reviews. People’s needs and comfort were a priority. Staff provided people with emotional support when needed. We observed staff responding to people's needs in a timely manner. A relative said, “The staff understand my loved one’s emotional needs and know how to support with this, these can arise without warning and they are always responsive.” Care plans and assessments included information about how people displayed signs of anxiety or pain, enabling staff to identify when people needed additional support.

The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. There was a commitment to the wellbeing of staff. Staff told us they enjoyed working at the service. The provider had a confidential employee assistance program that was accessible to all staff. Records showed staff had regular supervisions and team meetings, where wellbeing was a focus. The registered manager told us about the annual colleague survey and the positive culture pledge. A staff member said, “We discuss my goals and aspirations, and how I can progress, my wellbeing is important to the management team.” Staff told us they felt supported and appreciated by the registered manager and provider.