Lady Dane Farmhouse

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 service was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity.

Staff knew people's interests, preferences and what mattered to them exceptionally well. Keyworkers developed strong trusting relationships with people enabling them to provide compassionate and individualised support.

A community professional told us, "Overall I would say that in my opinion Lady Dane Farmhouse seems like a very safe, happy and caring place to live with staff that really care about the residents and work hard to give them the care and attention they need."

Staff were observed having meaningful conversations with people about things that were important to them such as their family or interests. Staff enjoyed working at the home and described it as more than just a job. One Staff member told us, “The home is perfect and if I had a relative needing this type of care, I would want them to be at Lady Dane.”

People’s dignity was paramount and staff worked hard to ensure that people felt valued and belonged. Staff had an in depth understanding of how to support people's individual and complex needs. For example, one person occasionally required emotional support, and staff were highly knowledgeable about their potential triggers which could cause them harm and the most effective ways to respond to them to keep safe and reassured.

Staff told us, prior to this job they had not worked with people with learning disabilities before and this job has taught them a lot about themselves and went on to say the role is very rewarding.

Relatives told us, “[My relative] is very happy there so that is the main thing."

Another relative told us, "[My relative] loves being around people. They come home every other weekend and when they go back, they are always welcomed back, they love the interaction, over time people have got to know them well."

Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. Healthcare professionals gave positive feedback about always feeling welcomed when they visited. One healthcare professional gave a personal example of how the management team went beyond their usual responsibilities to uphold their dignity by offering a private space when they needed it, this reflected the team's compassionate approach and their commitment to treating everyone with kindness and consideration.

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. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. There was a sensory room at the home and in there was a dedicated area featuring buttons with people's photographs on, each button played a personalised recording which reflected what was meaningful to that individual. For example, their favourite music or animal noises. For one person, whose first language was not English, if their family were away, they would record a message on there in their native language. The home was exceptional at ensuring people’s cultural identity and communication needs well recognised and respected at all times.

The Management team ensured that all care and support was designed and tailored around people’s unique needs and preferences.

For example, on one person’s door there was a sign requesting people to not knock loudly and to be patient, remembering that people’s preferences were unique.

There was a reading corner at the home and people who could read and enjoyed reading would read books to people who were not able to read.

The management team recognised that it was people's own home and understood that unfamiliar visitors could cause anxiety or distress for some individuals. On the day of inspection, the team ensured our photographs were taken and shared with people in advance, so they knew who we were and why we were visiting. This thoughtful approach demonstrated the home's commitment in respecting each person’s needs and helping them to feel informed and reassured. One relative told us, "[My relative’s] keyworker clearly thinks the world of them and goes out their way to decorate her room etc, they have more than a professional relationship with them, they know [My relative] really well. They always seem to know what they have been up to and what they have been involved with."

Community professionals told us, "There is a focus on personalised care and support, and celebrating achievements and meeting goals set. The updates that the home shares via email are lovely to see, particularly the annual graduation ceremony."

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 chose how they wanted to decorate their rooms. This was done before they moved in. We observed people taking part in craft activities and being given choices and being as involved as possible. We observed people having their meal choice taken and offered several choices. People had adapted equipment so they could feed themself and maintain their independence. People were supported to understand and participate in voting should they wish to and people could attend an accessible workshop to help explore the options available so they could feel confident in making their own decisions. Those who chose to take part were supported to attend their local polling station ensuring they could be fully involved in the process if they wanted.

Community professionals told us, "I particularly enjoy it when I see the residents taking part in national events like voting in elections and day to day life skills such as financial awareness and money matters.”

There was a post box at the home, people could write letters and postcards to friends and relatives and post them in there. People were supported to independently manage their own medicines.

The home recognised people’s qualities and strengths. One person moving to the service was a teacher, and the management team told us how they could support other people living there to learn to read or improve their reading skills.

The registered manager told us how they have a strong focus on praise and concentrated on what people could do and supported them to achieve their goals.

One relative told us, "[The home] is very person centred and always encouraging him to be as independent as possible." Another relative told us how they take their loved one out every week and they are always keen to go back, and staff welcomed them back in.

The service 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 the 1:1 care and support they needed to meet their needs. The home had recently increased the night staff. There now was 4 night staff on duty as the staff identified that 3 night staff was not enough due to people's needs during the night. Staff were attentive and supported people promptly.

One relative told us, "They have improved so much with their activities, like catching a ball. So much more than they could do before."

Another relative told us, "[My relative] has a relatives gateway, you can see how they are, have they slept well, very detailed info. You sign up and can view everything and see what carers fill in. I know for example [My relative] has a crack on their lip this week and they are treating it."

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. The registered manager told us how they promoted staff well-being and gave examples such as, a new staff room and staff relaxation area for staff to have a quiet and relaxed break on their shifts. There was a staff shower room and hygiene products were provided for staff if they needed. There was a staff council, which staff could join. The registered manager held a time each month for a mental health (MH) hub, this enabled staff to have discussions in confidence with the management team. Staff told us they have MH hub monthly which is confidential. There was a weekly initiative called 'Feel Good Friday' where staff share baked goods and healthy treats. Staff told us, there were frequent staff meetings. Staff also told us how the management supported them with personal matters and that they had been amazing.