Pear Tree Court

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 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 in treating people with kindness, compassion and respect. People's privacy and dignity were consistently promoted, and staff extended the same respect to colleagues and professionals.

A strong person-centred culture, led by the registered manager, was embedded throughout the service. This supported staff to provide genuinely caring and compassionate support. One person told us, "They treat me with respect and dignity and always explain what they can do for me and make sure I am happy with the support they provide."

This caring approach extended to relatives, who were welcomed and encouraged to spend meaningful time with their loved ones. Relatives consistently described staff as caring, supportive and approachable. One person told us, "I love the staff, they are wonderful. They know all about my past and talk to me about my loved one who has passed away and support me with that."

Our observations supported these views. Staff interactions were warm, respectful and person-centred. Staff knew people exceptionally well and used this knowledge to support meaningful engagement and enhance emotional wellbeing. Interactions consistently promoted dignity, choice, independence and respect. We observed 1 person who was at a heightened state of anxiety, 1 staff member approached the person using their preferred communication method. The staff member who knew the person well was able to reassure the person who was soon seen to be laughing with the staff member.

A senior social care professional praised the quality of support and told us, "From my observations during visits, staff consistently provided caring and compassionate support. They adapted their approaches to meet individual needs and promoted residents' comfort, safety and wellbeing."

The provider was exceptional in ensuring care and support reflected people's individual needs, preferences, aspirations and protected characteristics. People's strengths, life experiences, culture and personal interests were recognised and valued.

Care plans were detailed, accurate and person-centred. They included information about preferred communication methods, interests, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and physical health needs. People were supported by key workers, and staff used their knowledge of individuals to provide personalised support that helped people feel valued and understood. One person told us, "I enjoyed my time in the Merchant Navy and staff will chat about it with me, which makes a difference to my day and how I feel."

Care was highly personalised. For example, 1 person identified they enjoyed a particular card game which no one else in the home played. Staff arranged for friends from the person's previous social network to visit regularly so they could continue enjoying their hobby. Over time, other people became interested, staff learned the game and a regular card club was established, benefiting many people's wellbeing.

Another person was passionate about gardening and was supported to continue this interest after moving into the service. They joined other residents in forming a gardening committee, which influenced decisions about planting, garden design and seasonal projects. People grew fruit and vegetables and took pride in maintaining the garden spaces, promoting wellbeing, purpose and social engagement.

People's spiritual and religious needs were recognised and respected. When 1 person requested visits from a vicar, arrangements were made promptly. Regular pastoral visits and faith services subsequently became a valued activity for a number of people living in the home. Another person expressed a wish to be baptised following a renewed interest in their faith, which staff supported and celebrated. Staff also ensured people's end-of-life spiritual wishes were clearly documented, including requests for faith leaders and specific religious practices.

Staff went to exceptional lengths to ensure people could maintain important relationships and interests. For example, people were supported to remain connected to family events, attend community groups and continue hobbies that were important to their identity. This helped people retain a sense of purpose and continuity following their move into the home.

Personal histories were routinely used to shape meaningful engagement. Staff demonstrated detailed knowledge of people's lives, careers, families and achievements and used this information to initiate conversations, activities and reminiscence opportunities that were meaningful to individuals. This helped people feel understood, valued and respected as individuals.

During the inspection, people were observed making meaningful choices about their daily lives, including what they wore, where they spent their time and what they ate. People and relatives confirmed they were actively involved in care planning and decision-making, ensuring care remained personalised and responsive to changing needs.

The provider promoted people's independence and ensured they had choice and control over their care, treatment and wellbeing.

Staff encouraged people to remain as independent as possible and celebrated their achievements. They demonstrated a good understanding of people's preferences, routines and personal goals, which was reflected in care plans and daily practice. People were supported to make decisions about all aspects of their lives and were encouraged to maintain skills and abilities wherever possible.

The registered manager described how they had worked with a person living with dementia who wished to go out independently. Through collaboration with the person, their family and relevant professionals, robust risk assessments and support plans were developed to enable them to do so safely while maintaining their independence and freedom of choice.

Throughout the inspection, we observed staff offering people meaningful choices using their preferred methods of communication. Staff listened carefully to people's wishes, respected their decisions and adapted support accordingly.

The provider responded promptly and effectively to people's changing and immediate needs, ensuring support remained person-centred and responsive.

During the inspection, we observed numerous positive interactions between staff and people. Staff knew people well and recognised verbal and non-verbal signs indicating when additional reassurance, support or intervention may be required.

Staff responded calmly and compassionately to people experiencing periods of anxiety or distress. We observed staff using a personalised approach to successfully reassure individuals and de-escalate situations, helping people feel safe, understood and supported.

People and relatives told us staff were attentive and quick to respond when assistance was required. Call bells were answered promptly, and staff were visible throughout the home, providing reassurance and support as needed.

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Regular staff surveys were undertaken, and feedback was reviewed and used to inform service improvements. The registered manager maintained an open-door policy and encouraged staff to raise concerns, share ideas and seek support whenever required.

Staff told us they received regular supervision, felt valued in their roles and were supported by the management team. They also had access to mental health first aiders and other wellbeing initiatives.

Staff described managers as responsive and approachable. One staff member told us, "They will always take quick action if we say we need anything." Another member of staff explained managers routinely checked in with the team throughout shifts to ensure staffing levels and support arrangements remained appropriate.Staff were supported with meaningful professional development, career progression and individualised support during significant life events.

The positive and supportive culture enabled staff to feel confident, valued and equipped to provide person-centred care.