Jesmund Nursing 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 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 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 provider always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity.

A relative told us, “All of the staff go out of their way to help you. They are really good and kind.” Another relative said, “I like the way that they are with my [family member]. They interact with her even though she is unable to speak. They are respectful and nice to me too.” Healthcare partners were complimentary about the staff team and the care they provided people. A healthcare partner told us, “The staff treat people well. I am very encouraged by the way they talk to people and treat people.”

People appeared comfortable and at ease with staff, and interactions were kind, respectful, and positive. Staff were attentive and responsive, taking time to listen, offer reassurance, and encouraging people to express themselves. Staff provided care and support discreetly whilst maintaining people’s dignity. If people chose to spend time in their room, staff made sure their privacy was maintained, by ensuring people’s doors remained closed if they wanted this.

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.

People’s care and support was tailored to meet their individual needs. People’s care plans instructed staff on how their individual needs and preferences should be met. Staff understood how to treat people as individuals and provide care and support in line with their needs and preferences. A relative told us, “My [family member] needs a lot of support and all I can say is that they are attentive to her needs. She is being fully supported.”

Senior staff undertook regular monitoring and reviews of people’s care and support needs, to make sure care plans reflected people’s individual needs and preferences.

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

Staff sought people’s consent, offered choice, and supported people to do as much as they could and wanted to do for themselves. A person told us, “It’s my choice to stay here in my room. It’s not my scene to go downstairs. I’ve got the TV. I like to watch wrestling.” A staff member said, “We communicate to people about what we want to do and talk this through and make sure people’s dignity is protected…we show people options and ask them what they would prefer to wear when getting dressed for the day. Same with the food, we tell people options and help people make a choice about what they want. If they don’t want these I will speak to the kitchen and get them to make something people would like.”

Senior staff regularly reviewed people’s records to make sure these remained up to date and current about people’s choices, needs, and preferences for care and support.

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 understood people’s needs and how to minimise risk of any concern or discomfort people might experience. They responded quickly and appropriately to prevent incidents occurring which may lead to people becoming upset and distressed.

When people required support, staff responded promptly. This included people who chose to spend time in their own rooms. Call bells were answered promptly, so people did not have to wait long for assistance from staff.

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

Staff were well supported in their roles. They received regular training and supervision to support them in their day to day work. They told us managers were approachable, supportive and willing to listen to any concerns they had about their work. A staff member said, “If there is anything we need, we ask the manager and she provides it.”

The registered manager understood the importance of supporting staff with their wellbeing. They told us, “I am always open to staff, and I always listen to them. One staff member is unwell, and I have given them time to manage treatments alongside attending work. I have a responsibility to ensure they are healthy but still able to support people in a high quality way.”