Paramount Options Ltd

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 as good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 65 (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. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.
People and relatives also told us they felt staff were kind, considerate and caring when they provided support. A person told us, “I was a bit worried when I thought they were not going to send the same person, but they are all kind and caring.”
People and relatives were asked if they felt staff treated them with dignity and respect. They told us they felt staff provided care in a respectful manner and were respectful. Their feedback included, “They are very polite, when they come in, they say, “good morning” and ask how I am. They always ask for my opinion on things”, and “They will make my lunch and wash up after me. It is all done very nicely and respectfully.”
Staff demonstrated they understood the importance of maintaining a person’s dignity and treating them with respect. A staff member told us, “I treat everyone with dignity and respect and always maintain their privacy during personal care.

The provider did not always treat people as individuals or make sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They did not always take account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.
People told us they felt staff treated them as individuals. A person told us, “They help me by being professional and do their job, without them I couldn’t manage.”
People’s care plans did not always include information on how the person wanted their care provided or it did not reflect their current support needs. Some care plans were task focused and did not always reflect the person’s individual preferences as to how they wanted their care provided. Staff told us they regularly read people’s care plans and understood how to support the people they visited. Staff said they felt confident when supporting people with their individual care needs. They commented, “I am confident in supporting people safely and respectfully while following their care plans” and “I feel very confident through the trainings provided.”

The provider did not always promote people’s independence, so people did not always know their rights and have choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.
People’s care plans did not always include detail about people’s preferences for their care. The care plans identified the person’s support needs but did not always indicate how the person wanted this care provided. Where information was provided the care plan identified which aspects of the person’s care, they were able to undertake themselves and where staff needed to provide support. For example, care plans identified if the person required support when walking, with medicines, preparing meals and with personal care.
A person told us a staff member always encouraged them to walk as they were worried after experiencing a fall and they assisted with personal care. Other people commented. “I do up to what I can” and “I am an independent person. A walk is the best I can do with a walker but they try and get me to walk up and down without it.”
People told us they had regular staff visit them, so staff got to know them and how to support them to be as independence as possible.

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 demonstrated they understood what to do if they had any concerns about a person of if they felt their care needs had changed. Staff feedback included, “I record any concern in the daily notes and report them immediately to my manager or follow safeguarding procedure”, and “I compare with their usual condition and care plan, record clear, factual information, what happened, when, what signs I observe and action I took. Then escalate urgent concerns immediately.” People’s care plans and risk assessments did not always provide staff with information on people’s preferences on care and possible risks.
People told us they felt staff listened to them when they received care. Staff completed records of the care they had provided during each visit which could be accessed by other staff members visiting the person. People said they felt staff would contact their family or healthcare professionals if they had any concerns about their health and wellbeing. People and relatives told us staff provided support with attending appointments if required.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care but some staff did not always feel supported
Staff gave a range of feedback in relation to them feeling supported by senior management. Staff felt supported by senior staff in relation to when they had specific questions about their job, but some staff did not feel supported in relation to other aspects of their job.
The nominated individual told us they identified training which would enable staff to develop their skills. Staff were supported to complete formal qualifications in health and social care. The nominated individual said staff had access to support with mental health, managing stress and through team meetings.