Cherry Care Services Limited - Northampton

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.

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 told us they got on well with the staff who supported them and consistently described them as kind, caring and approachable. One person said, “I get on with [staff] well.” Their feedback indicated they felt comfortable in the presence of staff and were treated with dignity.

Staff were able to explain how they promoted and protected people's dignity when providing personal care. One staff member said, “I always have the door closed [when delivering personal care] and give them a private space.” They described supporting people in a sensitive and respectful manner, ensuring privacy was maintained and involving people in decisions about how their care was delivered. Staff demonstrated an understanding of the importance of treating people as individuals and respecting their preferences and choices.

Feedback from people indicated that caring relationships had been developed between staff and the people they supported. We found no evidence of people being treated in a way that compromised their dignity or wellbeing. People spoke positively about their experiences of care and felt valued and respected by staff.

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.

We saw that care plans contained information about people's preferred routines, how they wished to receive support and the outcomes that were important to them. This helped staff to understand people's needs and provide person-centred care.

People told us staff knew them well and understood how they liked things to be done. One person said, “They know my likes and dislikes.” Staff were able to describe people's individual preferences and demonstrated an awareness of the importance of respecting choice and promoting independence.

Care records provided staff with information to support people in a way that was meaningful to them. However, there were opportunities to further personalise some care plans by including more detailed information about people's likes, dislikes, hobbies, interests and personal histories. This would help to provide a more holistic picture of the person and further support truly person-centred care.

Despite this, we found people were supported as individuals and there was no evidence that the level of personalisation in care records had negatively impacted on the care people received. People spoke positively about the support provided and felt staff understood their preferences and needs.

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 do as much for themselves as possible and provided support in a way that promoted their independence. This helped people to retain existing skills and remain involved in activities and decisions affecting their lives. One staff member said, “I encourage them to do as much for themselves as they can.”

Staff were able to explain how they offered people choices throughout the delivery of care and adapted their approach to reflect people's preferences and wishes. They described supporting people to make decisions about their routines, the support they received and how their care was provided. This demonstrated an understanding of the importance of respecting people's rights and promoting person-centred care.

Feedback from people indicated they felt listened to and involved in decisions about their care. We found staff were committed to supporting people in a way that maximised choice and control while maintaining their safety and wellbeing. There was no evidence that people were restricted from making decisions about their lives, and people spoke positively about the support they received to remain as independent as possible.

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.

We saw care plans which provided staff with guidance on supporting people who may experience behaviours of distress. These plans identified factors that may trigger distress, the signs staff should be aware of, and the actions they should take to help de-escalate situations and support the person safely.

Care records contained information to help staff understand people's individual needs and respond in a consistent and person-centred way. Staff were provided with clear guidance on how to promote people's wellbeing during periods of distress, reducing the likelihood of situations escalating unnecessarily.

The information available to staff supported a proactive approach to care and enabled them to respond to changes in people's presentation in a timely manner. We found no evidence that people's immediate needs were not being met, and the care plans reviewed demonstrated that staff had access to relevant information to support people safely and effectively.

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

We saw evidence that staff received regular supervision, which enabled them to reflect on their practice, discuss their performance and identify any learning and development needs. One staff member said, “We get regular supervision which is very helpful.”

In addition to formal supervision, staff had dedicated wellbeing discussions where they could talk openly about their welfare and any circumstances outside of work that may be affecting their ability to carry out their role. This demonstrated the provider's commitment to supporting staff wellbeing and recognising the potential impact that personal circumstances can have on staff and the people they support.

Staff spoke positively about the support they received from the management team and told us they felt able to raise concerns or ask for help when needed. The arrangements in place helped to promote a positive working environment and supported staff to deliver safe and effective care to people.