Woodbridge House

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 Requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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.

Staff treated people with compassion and respected their dignity. Relatives consistently described staff as kind, caring and attentive. One relative told us, “The staff are great… he has a really good relationship with all of them.” Another relative told us, “The laughter was wonderful between everyone. They didn’t leave him out. Someone would be sitting next to him holding his hand when I turned up.”

We observed kind caring interactions between staff and people. People felt relaxed in the company of staff, making jokes and having easy communication. Staff told us they enjoyed their roles. One staff member said, “Every day I come to work I am happy… I treat them like family.”

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 adapted their communication style according to each person’s preference. For example, staff read slowly to one person while gently massaging their head, demonstrating compassionate individualised care. A relative told us staff always supported their loved one in as an individual telling us, “Absolutely, she likes her little bit of jewellery, after she’s had a shower, she likes a bit of perfume, they treat her like a lady.”

People were supported in ways that reflected their personal histories, preferences and identities. Relatives told us staff understood what mattered to people, stating, “They talk to him like they would anyone else… they treat him as an equal.” Staff used people’s preferred names, were aware of likes and dislikes, and adapted routines to match what people found comforting or motivating.

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

The provider supported people to make choices and maintain independence in daily life. People were encouraged to decide how they spent their day, what they ate or wore, and when they wanted support. A relative told us, “All choices are always available to him… he has the deciding vote on what he wants to do.” Staff showed patience and understanding when people declined activities or needed time to make decisions. Staff prompted people to participate in daily living tasks such as cleaning, shopping, preparing meals, and engaging in hobbies. A relative told us, “She gets a lot of say in what she wants to do, she’s a creature of habit, they make suggestions, just because she always chooses puzzles, they [staff] suggest something else in case she wants to do something different.”

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 quickly and sensitively when people needed support. Relatives described consistent responsiveness. Relatives told us, “[Staff] know him so well they respond straight away,” and “They do respond quickly to whatever she needs.” Another relative told us that staff were skilled at recognising when someone was distressed, unwell or required reassurance. Relatives told us staff understood their loved one’s well, including when they needed support. One relative told us, “When she had her teeth removed, she was given paracetamol gel and they watched her afterwards. She was well and truly looked after.”

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

Staff reported feeling supported, valued and able to provide caring, consistent support. Several told us they “love it here,” “feel part of a strong team,” and were “encouraged to prioritise people’s wellbeing.” Staff told us they were treated fairly and felt supported within their role. Staff described having access to senior managers, wellbeing teams and reflective discussions, helping them maintain the emotional resilience needed to provide compassionate care.

Relatives also noticed staff morale, saying the service “feels like one big family,” and that staff were always friendly and welcoming during visits.