Brook of Life Care Limited

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.

This was the first assessment we had carried out of 1 Tayside Close since it registered with CQC. At this assessment the service was rated 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 the staff were compassionate, kind and treated them with dignity and respect. For example, a person’s relative told us, “They are best we have ever had, and we have had lots of different care companies in the past. They are just excellent. The attitude of the care staff is lovely, they are genuinely nice people. They are always on time and if they are going to be delayed, which isn't very often at all, they always ring us to let us know they are on their way.”

People told us the staff and manager listened to them and communicated with them appropriately. Staff provided care in accordance with people’s preferences and requirements. A person’s relative told us, “The manager is fantastic. They have always done everything to accommodate the support we need. They are always helpful and get back to us straight away. They are so flexible.”

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.

People’s individual needs and preferences were understood and detailed in their person-centred care plans. Staff told us they understood the importance of treating people as individuals. Care plans included any relevant personal, communication, cultural, social or religious needs, which might be important for care staff to understand when providing care and support.

People’s care plans were available to staff to refer to for guidance on how to support individuals. A staff member told us, “Staff treat service users with kindness, respect, and compassion. Care is delivered in a way that promotes dignity, choice, and independence, and staff make genuine efforts to build positive relationships with service users.”

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 experience real choice and control as far as they were able. People’s care needs, preferences, and aspirations were detailed in their individual care plans, and staff had access to those documents to use as a guide.

People were supported by staff to maintain as much independence, choice and control over their lives as possible.

People were supported to maintain relationships that were important to them. The provider was supportive of that and encouraged people to maintain those links.

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 needs and took the time to observe, communicate and engage people in discussions about their immediate needs. Changes in people’s health status, and emotional states were also monitored. That information was used to find out how to respond in the most appropriate way to support people and ensure care was provided in accordance with their wishes.

Staff knew people well and could quickly recognise when people needed urgent help or when a person was starting to experience a decline in their wellbeing. For example, a staff member told us, “I get time to read people’s care plans and risks assessments, before I start offering service to a person I always read the care plan and any other information.”

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

The provider recognised the wellbeing needs of their staff. These included ensuring the necessary resources were available to enable safe working.

Staff were given regular opportunities to provide feedback, raise concerns and suggest ways to improve the service or staff experiences. Staff were supported as individuals by the registered manager. For example, a staff member told us, “My managers are supportive and are open if I need to raise any concerning matters regarding service users or personal issues”

Staff felt valued by their leaders and their colleagues. For example, a staff member told us, “Staff are encouraged to raise any concerns to the managers. If I have issues with the rota, or if I raise an issue about a service user's needs, I know they will be re-assessed. If I have any concerns or queries, I know I will be listened to and supported.”