The Gables

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 service 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 service always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity.

People we spoke with all provided positive feedback about their care. They told us of the staff, “Nothing is too much trouble (for them).” We observed staff transferring a person’s belongings to their new bedroom. We noted how the staff member took great care to place things carefully in the same place as they were in the person’s previous bedroom. The staff member knew how important this was to the person.

Staff told us there had been significant improvements as staff now had more time for people. Staff were observed to interact with people positively and warmly throughout the inspection. Staff supported people at a relaxed pace, responding to both their verbal and non-verbal cues, for example when supporting people to eat and drink.

The service 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 had access to information about each person’s needs which they understood. We observed that when staff realised a person could not understand what was required of them in order to stand, staff modelled what they needed the person to do. The person then copied staff, whilst staff continued to provide them with both verbal support and a steadying hand.

Staff told us how if people could not provide them with information about their preferences, this information was sought from their families. Staff knew each person and their preferences well. Staff told us about a person’s previous musical influences and how much they enjoyed the home’s musical activities.

The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Staff said people were given plenty of choices about their care and that there was plenty of flexibility in how people’s care was provided. Staff said, “We do things with people when they want.”

When we arrived, we saw staff had already set up activities for people to participate in that day. Overall, most people and relatives felt there was sufficient stimulation for people. Two senior staff had recently been appointed who had now taken the lead on activities provision. Staff said people were happier now and wanted to join in more activities. We saw there was a schedule displayed for people with activities planned daily, in addition to external entertainers. We also saw people’s families visited and took people out as they wished.

The service 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 observant to people’s needs and moods and responded promptly. Staff were seen to regularly check upon people’s welfare and to respond to any signs of discomfort. Staff were alert and responsive to potential risks to people.

Staff understood people's communications and how to communicate with people who did not communicate verbally, through touch and eye contact. We heard staff describe in detail at the shift handover the subtle signs which had indicated to them a person who could not communicate verbally was in pain. People and relatives confirmed staff were attentive to people’s needs.

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

Staff spoken with told us they now felt better supported in their role, especially since there were now more senior staff who could support them. Staff spoken with felt the service was now a better place to work.

The provider’s policies reflected the vision and culture of the service and promoted staff’s wellbeing, equality and diversity. Staff reward schemes were in place to recognise staff for good work.

The interim manager told us they were due to send out a staff survey shortly to establish further areas of improvement.