Woodcote Hall

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,dignityand respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key questionrequires improvement.At thisassessmentthe rating haschanged to good.

This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 80 (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 at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Everyone we spoke with gave us overwhelmingly positive feedback about the staff and the service. People told us staff were, “Wonderful” and “So kind.” People and relatives complimented staff’s caring approach, not just to the people they supported but to relatives too. One relative said, “The home has been fantastic with us, and I mean it, they take care of [person’s name] 100% and they involve me in everything. I come through the door, and I feel like one of the team, it’s like family.” Another relative said, “All staff that I have had the pleasure in meeting have been very caring, helpful and very professional with [person’s name]. Nothing is ever too much trouble.”

Staff showed an attentive, patient, and compassionate approach to people, and it was clear from observing staff engagement with people that they knew them well and were focussed on people’s happiness and well-being. One staff member said, “We look after the families as well as the residents, many visit often and we treat them as part of the family, make them feel welcomed.” One healthcare professional said, “I have never had any concerns about how staff treat people. In fact, I would say they have only ever been caring. I think the seniors are the main reason for this as they are all really positive and this feeds down.”

External professionals told us they found the service to be caring and staff respected them when they visited the home. One healthcare professional said, “I am treated with utmost respect every time I visit. I have seen relatives of residents treated the same.” Another healthcare professional said, “I am always welcomed warmly by staff, from cleaners, carers and leaders. The staff at Woodcote Hall are always very accommodating, offering their help and support during my visits and often going the extra mile. The communication is always professional and kind. They are always smiling, supportive, positive and upbeat - I believe this is what allows us to have built a strong professional relationship.”

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.

Staff treated people as individuals and supported them to meet any personal, social and religious needs. We observed kind and meaningful interactions between staff and people, which showed staff respected and valued people using the service. Staff knew how to communicate well with people, using their preferred names, and were respectful with people and when talking about those they supported.

People’s care plans contained information on their life history, such as family, employment and hobbies. There was also a focus on what was important to them now, for example specific routines or how they wanted their care delivered. One person had identified they wanted to remain in their room and did not want to participate in activities. The person confirmed staff met this preference so they could be supported to live as they wanted.

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

People told us staff encouraged them to be as independent as possible. Staff promoted people’s independence by helping them do as much as they could themselves. Staff asked people if they wanted their support and ensured they had the correct equipment to maximise their independence, such as walking aids.

People and relatives told us they could see each other whenever they wanted and were made to feel welcome. One relative said, “I get invited to the events they have and activities, the staff are so attentive and kind.”

People were encouraged to choose, plan and engage in the activities they were interested in when possible. We saw people engaged in crafts, seasonal activities, reading newspapers and magazines and sat chatting with other people and staff. A local church choir visited regularly, and people enjoyed films and afternoon snacks. One person said they enjoyed writing and so was encouraged to write poems for the home’s monthly newsletter. People in their rooms had the opportunity to participate in activities they chose to. One staff member told us “Whatever they want to do, we will support them with, it could be puzzles, drawing or just sit and talk.”

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.

Staff were alert to people’s immediate needs and acted promptly to ensure people’s safety and comfort. We observed staff responding to people quickly and provide them with discreet support when required. A staff member quickly noticed a person having difficulty trying to stand up from their armchair. They went over quickly to the person to sit next to them and enquire what they needed. The support the person required was arranged quickly and with respect.

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

People were supported by staff who were happy in their roles and felt their wellbeing was respected by the registered manager. Staff had requested additional support with wellbeing so 2 mental health champions were put in place. These champions provided weekly informal one-to-one wellbeing check-ins, offering staff a confidential space to discuss any personal concerns. The registered manager explained senior staff and managers were not appointed as champions to ensure employees felt comfortable and avoid any sense of intimidation. This approach created a supportive work environment and contributed to staff well-being and retention