All About Care

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. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

The provider consistently treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion, and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff also treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect, supporting effective partnership working.

People and relatives spoke positively of the approach of staff. One person said, “They are polite, kind and lovely carers.” A relative told us, “The carers are brilliant and have good rapport. They are compliant, caring, respectful, polite and chatty. All 4 carers are delightful. They are caring, they chat with us and make sure [relative] is well looked after.”

Staff showed they understood the values of care and gave examples how they promoted dignity and respect and kindness.

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.

Care plans included information about people’s preferred names, background, and daily routines. Care plans also outlined people’s preferences, including where they expressed a preference for the gender of staff delivering personal care, and these were respected. People told us they were cared for by a regular team of carers who understood their routines and personal preferences. One relative stated, “The staff have become part of the family. They know [their relative] very well and what they like. They bring their newspaper and know how they like their poached eggs prepared.”

Staff explained how they adapted their approach to suit individuals. For example, allowing time for people to wake up when they want or offering food in smaller portions to meet their needs. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people as individuals and provided examples of how they delivered care in line with people’s wishes.

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

Care plans clearly outlined what people could do for themselves and where they required support, enabling staff to provide care that built on people’s strengths and abilities.

Staff told us people were actively involved in planning their care and could decide the level of support they wanted. Care packages were based on people’s individual needs, choices and preferences, which supported people to remain in control. One person said, “If I want them to do something I ask them. They usually speak to me and discuss if they want to change anything.”

Staff described how they encouraged people to maintain their independence by supporting them to do as much as possible for themselves, and by respecting their choices in how care was delivered.

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.

Care plans included guidance on people’s emotional wellbeing, including potential triggers and how staff should support people when they felt upset or distressed. Staff took time to provide reassurance and emotional support, for example by sitting with people to talk and offering companionship.

Care was delivered flexibly and adapted to meet people’s day-to-day needs. Where appropriate, staff supported people with additional tasks such as making beds, tidying, laundry, or shopping for essential items. Staff also supported people to maintain relationships with their relatives.

People and relatives gave positive feedback about this approach, describing staff as friendly, approachable and willing to help. One relative told us their [relative] looked forward to staff visits as they enjoyed their company, adding that staff spent time chatting and “nothing is ever too much trouble.”

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

Staff told us they felt valued and respected, and that workloads were manageable, with flexible shifts that supported their work-life balance. The registered manager was described as caring and supportive, particularly during personal or family difficulties. One staff member said, “[Registered manager] listens and actually cares about staff. They supported me during a family emergency and covered my shifts.”

Staff were treated with respect and were given opportunities for development. Confidentiality within the team was promoted, and the provider recognised staff contributions through reward schemes. Regular staff welfare checks were also in place to support staff wellbeing.