West 1 Reablement Service Also known as Guildford Borough Council

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.

Staff treated people with exceptional kindness, empathy and compassion and always respected their privacy and dignity.

People spoke extremely highly of the caring approach of staff. They said staff consistently helped them feel positive, valued and well cared for. One person told us, “They are cheerful and positive, which is good for lifting the spirits.” Another person said, “They are all lovely and really make me feel positive and cared for.”

People told us the kindness and compassion of the staff who supported them had contributed to the positive outcomes they achieved and improvements in their overall wellbeing. We heard examples of people who had previously experienced low mood and reduced motivation regaining confidence, purpose and enthusiasm for daily life as a direct result of the encouragement and support provided by staff.

People had developed positive, trusting relationships with staff and enjoyed their company, which contributed to their overall experience of the service. One person told us, “I get along with all of them without exception; a super bunch of carers.” Another person said, “They are all wonderful and I feel extremely fortunate to have them visit.”

Relatives confirmed that their family members valued the companionship of staff. They described staff as being exceptionally kind while maintaining a professional approach. One relative told us, “All the carers have been amazing. They are polite and professional whilst being very friendly.” Another relative said of staff, “They have all been very kind and caring. Having different people has helped because [family member] is very sociable and likes to talk to people.”

Staff were described as consistently kind and respectful. People told us staff treated them with respect and ensured their dignity was maintained. One person said, “The girls are very friendly and kind. They have been very gentle and caring when helping me.” Another person told us, “I have not had any concerns about my privacy and my dignity has always been maintained. They show respect for us and our home.”

Staff respected people as individuals and made sure people’s care and support met their needs and preferences. Staff took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, and unique backgrounds.

Staff demonstrated a strong understanding of the importance of delivering care and support that was tailored to each person’s individual needs, goals and aspirations. They ensured they demonstrated this in their day-to-day practice.

A member of staff told us, “It is essential to treat each person as an individual. Everyone has different needs, abilities, and pace of progress. Understanding a person’s background and personal history helps to provide more meaningful and person-centred care.”

Another member of staff told us, “We take into account each person’s emotional situation, including factors such as loss, loneliness, or past experiences, which can affect how they engage with care. Situations can change quickly, so it is important to remain flexible, responsive, and sensitive to each person’s needs.”

Staff recognised the value of ensuring people’s support plans were developed in collaboration with them and that people were central to, and actively involved in, all decision making. This meant people were genuinely in control of the support they received and motivated to achieve their individual goals. A member of staff told us, “People’s care and reablement plans are built around their own priorities and reviewed with them regularly so they stay in control and can see their progress. This helps make sure the person stays at the centre of decision making, and the support they receive is welcome and meaningful to them. We listen to people when they want to make choices about their care that we can accommodate.”

The service was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people had choice and control over their own care, support and wellbeing.

We heard consistently positive feedback from people using the service, who told us that the support they received had exceeded their expectations in helping them regain independence and confidence in their daily lives. For example, one person said, “Their positive support and advice have been paramount in helping me gain confidence and make the progress I have.” Another person told us, “I don’t think I would be this independent already if it hadn’t been for their encouragement and consistent care.”

All the relatives we spoke to told us their family members had become more independent since using the service, which had made a significant positive impact in their lives. One relative said, “All the carers have been amazing. The fact that they are so well trained and supportive has been a very positive aspect of helping [family member] regain his confidence.” Another relative told us, “They have been brilliant in encouraging [family member] to do things for herself and become more independent.”

Staff actively promoted choice and control by working in partnership with people to co-produce their support plans and set reablement goals. This approach ensured support was highly personalised, strengths-based and aligned to each person’s individual needs, enabling them to make consistent progress and achieve positive outcomes.

Staff explained how they planned and delivered support to maximise people’s independence and regain confidence in their abilities. One member of staff told us, “We support people step by step, setting small, achievable goals to help them regain confidence and independence. We always involve people in decisions, ask about their preferences, and adapt our approach accordingly.” Another member of staff said, “We see real progress in the people we support – how they regain confidence, achieve their goals, and improve their independence. This brings a great sense of satisfaction and motivates us to continue doing our best.”

The outcomes of reablement packages consistently met, and often exceeded, people’s initial ambitions and expectations relating to independence, which had had a demonstrably positive impact on their quality of life.

For example, one person expressed a clear wish to develop their independence around meal preparation and managing household tasks. As the person had a visual impairment, the reablement team worked collaboratively with Sight for Surrey to identify and obtain specialist equipment to support the person. Sight for Surrey is a charity providing support to people in Surrey who have a sensory impairment.

Staff also needed to ensure they used consistent, structured communication strategies to support the person to safely position equipment and ingredients while cooking. This approach improved the person’s spatial awareness in the kitchen environment and enabled greater consistency and independence when completing tasks.

The person was supported to develop effective strategies by using their non‑visual senses to support safe cooking practices, such as learning to listen for timers, alarms, and changes in cooking sounds, their sense of smell to recognise ingredients and to monitor food while cooking, and their sense of touch to detect heat and the positioning of equipment.

The outcomes were significant for the person, as they not only achieved their goal of increased independence in meal preparation, but also developed new skills, which further supported their confidence and personal autonomy.

Staff and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs and acted to minimise any risks, which ensured people felt safe and secure.

People told us staff listened to any concerns they raised and took appropriate action to ensure their environment remained safe. One person said, “They are very responsible and raise my bed up to give me care, making sure to lower it again so I can safely get out of it.” Another person told us, “Everything is left close at hand for me and they prepare my chair ready for me to get into.”

The reablement team had an out-of-hours service, which ensured people had access to support outside usual operational hours. Staff ensured the out-of-hours team were appropriately briefed and had access to all relevant information to maintain continuity of care. A member of staff told us, “We keep people safe across daytime and nighttime by handing over to the out of hours team. We case note all important events and updates so the out of hours staff can access any important and relevant information.”

People were offered the opportunity to install telecare in their homes. Telecare provides personal alarms to enable people to contact a 24-hour monitoring centre to call for assistance in an emergency.

The provider demonstrated a proactive commitment to staff wellbeing, ensuring staff had timely access to both practical and emotional support whenever required. All staff had access to the provider’s Workforce Wellbeing Programme, which was designed to support the mental, emotional, and physical health of staff. In addition, the provider had trained 13 staff as debriefers, ensuring staff could access peer-led emotional support following challenging situations.

Leaders understood the importance of prioritising staff wellbeing through open and effective communication and fostered a culture in which staff felt listened to and valued. A manager told us, “We are a team that keeps our service users’ and staff’s health and wellbeing at the heart of all we do. We communicate effectively and share information well, making staff feel informed, heard and supported especially in the isolated context of lone working.”

The provider actively monitored staff safety and had established protocols in place to ensure management support was available at all times. A manager told us, “We have clear protocols for lone working and incident escalation, and support is to hand through team leaders and out of hours teams who check staff are safe and fully supported in the community and are logged out and safe after all shifts.”

Staff told us the service provided a safe and supportive working environment which enabled them to focus on delivering high-quality, person-centred care. One member of staff said, “Since moving from [another employer] to this service, I have noticed a significant difference. There is a clear structure, procedures, and a sense of security, knowing that there is a wider system in place to support both staff and the people we care for. This creates a more positive and stable working environment, where staff feel supported and able to focus on providing good care.”

Staff reported high levels of job satisfaction and valued the provider’s commitment to supporting work–life balance. A member of staff told us, “From my personal experience of working in different care settings, I can say that this is the best place I have worked. I have never regretted my decision to join the service. Here, I have been able to find a better balance between work and personal life, which is very important.”