Paulton Memorial Hospital

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• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

This means we looked for evidence that the service 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.

We have not awarded this service a score for Caring.

Find out about when we will not publish a key question score and what we look at when we assess Caring.

We always treat people with kindness, empathy and compassion and we respect their privacy and dignity. We treat colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Staff were discreet and responsive when caring for patients. Staff took time to interact with patients and those close to them in a respectful and considerate way.

Staff knew the patients well and could meet their individual needs. Staff also got to know patients’ relatives and visitors and included them in conversations about their care.

We observed staff speaking fondly to patients showing sensitivity.

Patients said staff treated them well and with kindness. We saw staff greeting patients in a friendly manner and explaining what they were about to do in a clear way. For example I’m going to get you up and help you to your chair.

Staff followed policy to keep patient care and treatment confidential.

Staff understood and respected the personal, cultural, social and religious needs of patients and how they may relate to care needs.

We treat people as individuals and make sure their care, support and treatment meets their needs and preferences, taking account of their strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

The service made adjustments for disabled patients – for example, by ensuring disabled people’s access to premises and by meeting patients’ specific communication needs. There were ramps and accessible bathrooms for those with impaired mobility. There were communication aids including pictures of common objects to aid conversations.

Staff ensured that patients could obtain information on treatments, local services, patients’ rights, how to complain.

Staff made information leaflets available in languages spoken by patients. The provider also worked could also get suitable resources from the local NHS Trust. Staff knew how to access additional information in accessible formats.

Managers ensured that staff and patients had easy access to interpreters and/or signers. For example we saw evidence of a person having a care plan including use of British Sign Language BSL as they had a hearing impairment.

Patients had a choice of food that met their dietary, religious and ethnic needs.

Patients said the food was very good with lots of choices and 3 cooked meals a day.

Staff ensured that patients had access to appropriate spiritual support. A chaplain visited the ward.

Staff gave patients and those close to them help, emotional support and advice when they needed it. For example, patients being supported to make decisions about their future living arrangements.

Patients said they valued staff being supportive and listening to them.

Staff undertook training on ‘breaking bad news’ and demonstrated empathy when having difficult conversations. Staff showed sensitivity and compassion to patients.

Staff understood the emotional and social impact that a person’s care, treatment or condition had on their wellbeing and on those close to them.

We promote people’s independence, so they know their rights and have choice and control over their own care, treatment. and wellbeing.
People were supported to make their own decisions about their care.
Staff used communication aids to offer patients options and explain choices.
We saw staff taking time to explain patiently to patients about options.
Patients were involved in everyday choices. For example, would they like to try and walk to the toilet or use a wheelchair.
Therapy staff, for example, physiotherapists and occupational therapists assisted patients with maintaining independence in everyday tasks.

We listen to and understand people’s needs, views and wishes. We respond to these in that moment and will act to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Staff were aware of and dealt with any specific risk issues, such as falls or pressure ulcers and care planned for these accordingly. We saw care plans for managing agitation and confusion.

Staff identified and responded to changing risks to, or posed by, patients. For example changes in a patient’s mobility leading to an increased falls risk.

Staff used de-escalation techniques to reduce the need for physical interventions when patients’ behaviours became heightened. We saw staff using distraction techniques in a discreet way to help calm a distressed patient.

We care about and promote the wellbeing of our staff, and we support and enable them to always deliver person centred care.

Staff felt respected, supported and valued by their peers and immediate line managers. However, they did not always feel supported by senior leaders and described them as remote and unapproachable.

Staff felt positive and proud about working for the provider and their team. Staff said teamwork was key in their role and it added to their wellbeing at work.

Staff had access to support for their own physical and emotional health needs through an occupational health service.

The service’s staff sickness and absence were similar to the average for other similar services run by the provider.

Staff received recognition for their work by senior leadership and the provider, such as through staff award. However, some staff felt a form of long service recognition awards would be appreciated.

Staff appraisals included conversations about career development and how it could be supported. Some staff had been promoted internally and undergone career development in to nursing associate roles.