Birchwood

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.

The provider was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

The provider had effective systems in place to audit staff practice, which focused on assuring the quality of interactions and confirmed that care was delivered in a compassionate and dignified way. These audits were complimentary of staff practice and reflected positive engagement with people.

Throughout the inspection we observed exceptionally warm, respectful and meaningful interactions between staff and the people they supported. Staff knew people well and demonstrated a strong understanding of people’s individual communication needs, including recognising and responding appropriately to people’s non-verbal cues. Interactions were kind, attentive and encouraging, with friendly good-natured communication observed contributing to a relaxed and positive atmosphere.

Staff actively promoted people’s privacy and dignity. We observed staff knocked on people’s bedroom doors, and staff asked us not to continue observing a meal to promote a person’s privacy and dignity. This demonstrated a strong values- based approach to care, where dignity was prioritised.

People spoke positively about staff, describing them as “Fantastic, kind, helpful always available.” Relatives also consistently praised the caring nature of staff describing them as,’ All very caring, chatty and compassionate.’ Relatives commented, “All of the staff know [family members name] so well and that is so reassuring for us as a family. Everyone here wants the best for them,” and “The staff are busy but always chatting to the residents, it is a relaxed, and happy atmosphere”.

Professionals involved with the service provided positive feedback about staff’s caring, kind and compassionate approach. A professionals commented, “I have always found the staff to be caring and responsive towards the residents there. If there are any concerns, then the staff will not hesitate to contact me or a member of my team”. This demonstrated that kindness, compassion and dignity were embedded in everyday practice and consistently informed how care was delivered, supporting positive outcomes for people.

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences with people enabled to make everyday choices in relation to their care. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics when planning care and support.

People’s cultural, social and religious needs were consistently identified, understood and met, and were embedded into the planning and delivery of care. Staff worked in partnership with people to set goals that reflected what mattered most to them, supporting people to work towards their aspirations. Goals were kept under review to ensure they remained relevant, achievable and responsive to people’s changing needs and preferences.

Staff demonstrated a strong understanding of people as individuals and used this knowledge to tailor care and support, taking full account of people’s protected equality characteristics.

People with disabilities were actively supported to access and participate in community life. Their communication needs were clearly identified and met, enabling them to actively engage in decisions about their care, treatment and support. This approach maximised people’s involvement, independence and outcomes, and ensured care was genuinely personalised rather than task focused.

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

People were supported to exercise choice and control over their daily lives in ways that promoted independence, health and wellbeing. People were involved in decisions about how they spent their time, including shopping and meal choices, participation in community groups and attendance at further education. Each person had an individual programme of activities which reflected their interests and showed regular access to community activities. People were also able to take part in on-site activities, including art, music and reflexology, which were arranged in response to people’s preferences.

The service supported people to use their skills and creativity in meaningful ways. Artwork produced during art sessions was developed into calendars and cards, which people chose to display and sell within the local community and at art exhibitions. This work was sold on a not-for-profit basis, with funds reinvested into the service to support further art sessions and resources. This helped people to see the value of their contributions and supported confidence and independence.

People had access to a range of appropriate equipment to support and maximise their independence and outcomes from care and treatment. Staff supported people to use equipment safely and effectively that promoted autonomy and independence.

People were supported to access the community flexibly and in line with their wishes. Staff had access to a range of vehicles, which enabled people to go on outings and holidays of their choosing in the UK and abroad, including a cruise. Visiting arrangements were open and unrestricted, and family members and friends were welcomed, supporting people to maintain important relationships.

The registered managers had effective arrangements in place to gather and respond to feedback in ways that promoted people’s independence. For example, feedback from people showed they did not want relatives to attend residents’ meetings. In response, alternative arrangements were put in place such as developing a QR code to enable relatives to provide feedback, ensuring people’s wishes were respected.

The service promoted people’s abilities and encouraged independence with everyday life skills. People were supported to participate in tasks such as clearing up after meals and folding laundry, and staff supported positive risk-taking in line with people’s wishes. People also had choice and control over their living environment, with bedrooms personalised to reflect individual preferences.

These approaches supported people to develop confidence, self-advocacy and independence and to achieve meaningful personal goals. For example, one person had been supported to complete a university degree and was being supported at the time to undertake a further degree. They had delivered a presentation at the provider’s managers’ conference and returned to the school they had previously attended as a speaker. This demonstrated outcomes that went beyond people’s assessed needs and reflected an outstanding approach to promoting independence, choice and control.

A volunteer commented “The people living here have achieved so much and that is promoted and encouraged”.

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.

People had access to call bells and sensor alarms which enabled staff to be responsive to people’s needs.

Staff knew people well and were able to recognise changes in people’s presentation that may indicate they were unwell. Records showed staff took responsive actions to concerns, and systems were in place to ensure concerns were escalated and medical advice sought when required. This helped ensure people received timely and appropriate support to meet their immediate needs.

People told us staff responded quickly when they required support, During the inspection we observed staff responding promptly to people and appropriately to people’s needs including when people asked for assistance and when staff recognised that people required support, such as when coughing.

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

Staff were supported with their wellbeing and enabled to carry out their roles effectively. Staff had access to a range of benefits, including a 24-hour GP helpline that could be used by immediate family members, an employee assistance programme offering legal, financial and counselling support, opportunities for further education, and access to retail discounts.

The registered manager supported staff’s religious and cultural needs through flexible working arrangements. Flexibility was also offered to staff with family commitments or health needs, with duties adapted or flexible shifts implemented where required to promote staff wellbeing.

Staff received regular wellbeing and mental health meetings with their line manager, which provided opportunities to raise concerns and discuss work–life balance. Records showed these discussions were documented, along with actions agreed and support provided.

Feedback from staff about the registered manager was consistently positive. Staff described the registered manager as supportive, approachable and highly involved in the day‑to‑day running of the service. Comments included, “Whenever I need anything, I ask the manager and they support me”, and “[Registered managers name] always asks how you are and is very supportive”. Staff also told us the registered manager was visible and often worked alongside the team to provide additional help when needed.

A volunteer told us “[Registered manager’s name] is hands on, observant and gets on and does things. [They] always offer help. There is much greater consultation by staff and continuity for [the people who live here]. If you mention something it is acted on. New staff seem to get the right support. It really is a progressive organisation”. This feedback supported a positive and inclusive staff culture.

The service had a stable staff team with low turnover, which supported continuity of care and helped ensure staff knew people well.