Dalkeith

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 70 (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 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 made sure that people received compassionate care and support and took the time to get to know them, so they understood people’s care and support needs, wishes and choices. The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Feedback from relatives was positive. They commented on, ‘the lovely staff team’ and that the service was a, “Home from Home”.

The provider treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. 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 received training in dignity and respect and spoke about the people they supported with genuine care and compassion, demonstrating a shared commitment to providing high quality care. One staff member said “All the residents have their own stories, backgrounds and personalities which are all different and with the home being so small, which I love, I try to get to know them all and what their interests were in their lives, careers and in general”

Professionals told us, “Day-to-day management within the home is excellent; the home manger knows the residents, is quick to ask for help or to give updates to professionals.”

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.

The provider developed individualised care plans, which identified people’s personal, cultural, social, religious and equality characteristics needs were understood and met. Care Plans were personalised, and wishes were recorded on their care record. These gave good guidance to staff about the person’s personal preferences and how to support the person effectively.

People were supported by staff who understood the context of their experiences and used this to meet their needs, wishes and aspirations. One professional said “staff work in a person-centred way ensuring that they get to know the residents in their care and adapt their interventions accordingly and with skill”

The provider did not always promote people’s independence, so people did not always know their rights and have choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

We observed people were offered choices throughout the day and staff generally respected these. The chef made alternative options available to meet people’s preferences and dietary needs. However, staff focused primarily on the practical aspects of serving meals and were less attentive to supporting lunchtime as a meaningful social experience.

One person was unable to eat their chosen meal at lunchtime, and appropriate alternative options were not offered. Later in the day, the chef sought people’s views on future menu choices through verbal discussion. This may not have enabled people living with dementia to make informed or meaningful choices.

However, we observed staff encouraged people to do things for themselves where they were able. One person told us, ““They ask me what I want. I say ‘yes, that’s nice, thank you’. I get a shower and a bath when I want one”.

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.

The provider demonstrated an effective and timely response to people’s immediate needs. Staff were consistently attentive and remained alert to changes in people’s presentation, comfort and wellbeing.

We observed staff responding to people when they were in distress or needed support. For example, we observed staff responding appropriately to a person who was distressed, offering reassurance and support, and later returning to check whether they required any further assistance.

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 were valued by the management team. One staff member said, “we engage together. Yes, I'm treated well. They promote mutual respect and my contributions are recognised.” Another staff member said, “The service supports me as I am free to talk to my managers and they genuinely listen and address concerns without judgment.” The service provides breaks and rotation ensuring breaks away from tasks to reduce fatigue.