St Anne's Leeds Domiciliary Care 3 (DCA3)

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. This key question has been rated 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.

People and their relatives consistently described positive experiences of care and support. They spoke warmly about staff, describing them as kind, friendly and supportive, and said they felt safe and well cared for in their homes. Comments included, “[Name] is very happy there and they have really nice staff. Staff seem to be able to cope when [Name] is struggling. They make [Name] laugh” and “The staff are great.”

Observations showed staff interacted with people in a relaxed, respectful and personable way, using humour and genuine interest to build positive relationships. For example, 1 person used a yellow and red card system (similar to sporting referee’s) to signal when tasks had not been completed correctly. They used the cards in a light‑hearted way during office interactions, presenting them as a humorous gesture when engaging with others. People were actively involved in decisions about their money, routines, activities and future goals, with staff taking time to listen and adapt support to individual preferences.

The provider treated people as individuals and ensured their care, support and treatment reflected their needs and preferences. Staff took account of each person’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture, unique background and protected characteristics.

Staff actively involved people in decision‑making and promoted independence through positive risk‑taking. Personal identity, interests, culture and protected characteristics were clearly understood and respected, including through highly individualised care plans. For example, 1 person preferred a vegetarian diet however, on some days this changed and the staff adapted to meet their preferences.

Mental health needs and emotional wellbeing were thoughtfully addressed, with support delivered in a dignified, respectful and enabling way. For example, 1 person had been supported by staff to have counselling following a bereavement. The person said, “They [staff] give me help when I need it. I booked some bereavement counselling. I had a recent death which upset me. I wanted to open up and talk about it to live with it more.”

The provider supported people to maintain their independence by ensuring they understood their rights and had choice and control over their care, treatment and wellbeing. The provider promoted positive risk‑taking, enabling people to make everyday decisions about their routines, finances, activities and personal goals. Care plans and risk assessments reflected people’s abilities, strengths and aspirations, rather than limitations. Observations and feedback showed staff consistently offered choices rather than directing care, allowing people time to decide, and adapt support based on individuals’ preferences.

Staff actively involved people in decisions about their care and support, using clear communication, easy‑read formats and regular discussions to ensure people understood their options.

People were encouraged to manage aspects of their daily lives independently, including cooking, shopping, managing money, travelling independently and self‑administering medication were assessed as safe to do so. A staff member said, “[Name] needs a lot of re assurance. The other day I was cooking with them, and they were looking for me to tell them what options there were to eat. Instead, I asked them what they would like and to look through the cupboards to encourage them to make a choice.” Another person said, “Some people need more help here, but my support plan was very different. I do my own independent shopping now and check my own fridge. I do my own cooking. I used to do this with staff but now I do it on my own.”

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 Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) care plans in place to clearly guide staff on how to support people when they displayed any signs of distress. Staff received training and support on how to help people during times of distress.For example, 1 person occasionally became frustrated and directed verbal language towards others they lived with. Staff used positive encouragement and took time to speak with the individual to help them express their feelings and feel heard, which reduced their distress and minimised the impact on others.

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

Staff described the service as supportive, open and approachable, with strong and visible leadership from the registered manager and deputy. Managers were present within the service, accessible by phone when off‑site, and responsive to both staff and people’s needs. Staff consistently reported feeling listened to, valued and able to raise concerns without fear, including through clear whistleblowing arrangements and access to senior managers.

Staff wellbeing was promoted through regular supervision, appraisals and team meetings, which provided structured opportunities to reflect on practice, discuss challenges, and receive emotional and professional support. Supervisions were described as helpful and supportive, enabling staff to openly discuss stress, workload and development needs. A staff member said, “The managers do supervisions every three months. Yes, they are really helpful. If your struggling, you feel really open to talk with them.” Staff meetings were detailed and regularly used to reinforce learning, share updates, and embed improvements following incidents, audits or complaints.