Birchmere Mews

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.

Kindness, compassion and dignity Score: 3
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 spoke highly of the care they received. One person told us, “The staff are all lovely and they look after me well. They are very kind”. Another person said, “The staff are nice kind people”. Relatives also praised the caring approach of staff. One relative told us, “I couldn’t be happier. The carers are marvellous. They are so kind and caring and couldn’t do more”.
People and their relatives consistently described staff as kind, caring and respectful. Throughout the inspection, we observed positive and meaningful interactions between staff and people. Staff treated people with warmth, compassion and patience, helping them feel comfortable, valued and well supported.
Health and social care professionals shared similar views. One professional told us, “Staff are caring and compassionate in their approach. They appear to know patients well and provide person-centred care. They also seem responsive to the patients/clients”.
Staff built positive relationships with people and responded to them in a kind and respectful manner. We saw people react positively to staff interactions, often smiling, engaging in conversation or seeking reassurance and comfort from staff. For example, people readily accepted hugs and affectionate gestures from staff where this reflected their wishes and established relationships. One relative commented, “[Person’s] face beams when they see the staff and that’s very telling”. This demonstrated the trusting and positive relationships staff had developed with people living at the service.
 

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 tailored care to their preferences, choices and life experiences. Care records captured important information about people's likes, dislikes, routines and personal histories, and staff demonstrated a good understanding of what mattered to them.
Staff respected people's cultural, religious and personal identities and supported them to maintain these aspects of their lives. People personalised their rooms with personal possessions, photographs and memory boxes, helping to create a familiar and homely environment. Staff also supported people to pursue interests, achieve personal goals and maintain important relationships, ensuring care remained person-centred and meaningful.
 

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.
Staff supported people to maintain their independence and exercise choice and control over their daily lives. Care plans clearly recorded people's preferences, routines, abilities and levels of independence, helping staff provide support in a way that promoted autonomy and respected individual wishes.
We observed staff offering choices in a respectful and unhurried manner, enabling people to make decisions about their daily routines, meals, activities and how they spent their time. People chose when to get up, go to bed, participate in activities and access communal or outdoor areas. Staff adapted their communication to meet individual needs and ensure people could express their views and make informed decisions.
Staff encouraged people to remain as independent as possible and used risk assessments to support positive risk-taking while maintaining safety. These covered areas such as mobility, eating and drinking, and staff reviewed them regularly to ensure they balanced people's rights, independence and preferences. This approach helped people maintain control over their lives while receiving the support they needed.
 

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 responded promptly and effectively to people's immediate needs and provided support in a timely, person-centred way. During the inspection, we observed staff assisting people with personal care, mobility, emotional wellbeing and day-to-day requests. Staff remained visible throughout the home and supported people in a calm, respectful and reassuring manner. People appeared comfortable and approached staff when assistance or support was needed.
Managers implemented effective systems to monitor people's needs and identify when additional support was required. Staff used call bell systems, regular welfare checks, observations and ongoing monitoring to ensure they responded promptly to changes in people's wellbeing. They demonstrated a good understanding of people who required enhanced monitoring or more urgent support due to increased risks or changes in their condition.
Staff knew people well and understood their usual presentation. They recognised signs of pain, anxiety, distress, discomfort or deterioration in health and took appropriate action when concerns arose. Staff increased observations where required, provided reassurance and sought timely advice from healthcare professionals to ensure people received the support they needed. They also made referrals promptly to help ensure changes in people's health and wellbeing received an appropriate response.
 

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.
Staff spoke positively about their colleagues and the management team and described a culture where they felt listened to, valued and supported.
Managers provided regular supervision, training and opportunities for reflective practice, helping staff develop their skills, maintain confidence and perform their roles effectively. Staff told us they could raise concerns, discuss challenges and access support when needed.
The managers actively supported staff wellbeing and implemented reasonable adjustments where required to help staff remain engaged and effective in their roles. These arrangements enabled staff to meet people's individual needs while promoting a positive working environment which supported staff retention and wellbeing.