Firtree House 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.

Staff treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. One person said, “The place is nice. I feel comfortable. Staff look after me very nicely.” Another told us, “It’s fantastic. So friendly.”

Throughout the day we observed staff being attentive to people and spending time with them. There was regular conversation and interaction by all staff members and we did not observe anyone waiting to be attended to. Interactions were warm and respectful and when 1 person attempted to remove their clothing, staff responded appropriately and respectfully to their needs.

We observed staff interacting with 1 person in a very kind way when they were becoming agitated due to our presence. We saw the staff member laughing with them and distracting them. They seemed to know the person’s triggers well and we saw them several times from a distance reassuring the person by getting down to eye level and saying something to them.

Staff were seen knocking on people’s doors and heard addressing people by their first names.

At lunchtime we observed a staff member approach 1 person with gentleness, carefully adjusting their chair and speaking softly to explain each action, helping her eat with dignified and patient support.

Staff 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.

We received positive feedback on how staff recognised people as individuals. A professional told us, “The care provider is deeply committed to creating a safe and nurturing environment where residents feel valued.” Another said, “Overall their care is excellent, competent, kind, compassionate….. they treat them (people) as individuals with respect.”

Some people living at the service had individual interests and hobbies and as such they were supported to pursue these as staff provided 1 person with equipment to enjoy their music and another person personalised storage for their items. A further person had told us they liked tactile things and used to be an engineer. We saw staff had provided them with a cloth with ropes and rings on it which they were utilising. Staff told us of 1 person who was a Muslim and they gave them the choice of Halal meat and 1 person told us staff let them use the landline in the office when speak on the phone to relatives who lived abroad.

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

Staff respected people's rights to choice and autonomy while continuing to offer guidance and support. For example, there were instances where people were making choices that carried certain risks, but staff supported them to help ensure the risks were considered and reduced where possible.

One person was independently eating their meal at lunchtime and staff saw they had their spoon upside down. They offered to support the person to eat, but they declined wishing to continue to feed themselves. They rested and then started to eat again independently with the spoon the right way up. Where 1 person did not like the sandwich that was given to them for lunch, staff supported them to choose something they would prefer. Staff told us, “We let them do whatever they can by themselves. I’ll be there to assist but I will let them do it by themselves and promote their independence.”

Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. A staff member said, “We listen what they want to say and you have to help them quickly, not to wait.” A professional told us, “I have always seen their team to be kind, caring, compassionate, and consistently attentive to individual needs.” Another said, “The resident that I work with is always happy and relaxed, (they) is given a drink after the exercise and promptly taken back to the lounge by the carers or a nurse.”

We observed during busy periods, such as lunchtime, ancillary staff helped to ensure support and assistance was provided to people. This enabled everyone to receive their meal at the same time and therefore eat together. One person said, “Everything I need they give to me.” Staff were also seen consistently checking whether people had drinks or if they needed anything.

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

Without exception, staff spoke highly of management, telling us they had a genuine commitment to staff well-being. Staff said, “It’s manageable. We have three different areas with different people. If we do need extra staff then we always tell them (management) and they listen.”

The provider said, “A room had been established for staff so they had their own private space and we have introduced coffee facilities, an ice machine and water stations for staff as well as providing them with free meals.”

There was information available to staff around wellbeing and support should they need it.