North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust

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

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 outstanding. At this assessment the rating has changed to good.

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.

We spoke with 5 patients and 2 carers. Patients and carers were complimentary about staff. They said staff treated them with empathy and compassion.Patients said staff treated them with respect, were always professional and listened to them. Carers said they felt involved and staff gave them advice and information about how to help their relative at home. We observed staff who were kind and caring. Staff were knowledgeable and skilful, providing appropriate interventions for patients. They gave practical advice and support, especially to carers.

Staff supported patients to understand and manage their care and treatment. All patients said they felt included in planning their own care and decision making when able to. Carers said they were also included although 1 said they felt the decision for their relative to remain at home was decided between the patient and clinician so they had little choice but to agree. However, both patients and carers said staff communicated well with them and provided them with comprehensive information.

Patients said staff were supportive and understood how to manage their individual needs. They explained their care and directed them to other services when appropriate and supported them to access those services, such as primary care, education and social care needs.

Information provided to patients and carers about care and treatment was written so they could understand them.

Some patients were assessed and seen at the crisis centre. The premises were accessible for people with mobility issues.

Staff ensured patients could obtain information on treatments and other local services. Patients received an information leaflet about the service which included contact numbers, how to complain, information about advocacy and what to expect whilst with the service.

Information could be provided in various languages and staff had access to interpreters when required.

Patients said they felt involved in decision making regarding their care and treatment. They had some choice in where and when they were visited, dependant on risk.

We did not speak with any people who had been assessed in the health-based place of safety, however their care records stated that their rights had been read to them and also given to them in written form.

Staff identified and responded to changing risks to patients. Staff reviewed risk at each visit or interaction and discussed risks in handovers and multidisciplinary team meetings and could increase visits as required. People had access to the crisis line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so could speak to a staff member whenever they needed to. Staff were flexible and could arrange assessments or visits quickly if people were in distress or at risk.

From 1 May 2024 to 30 April 2025 the average response time for 4-hour assessments was 2.3 hours.

Staff were trained in de-escalation techniques. On 30 April 2025, staff were 100% compliant with conflict resolution training.

Overall, staff felt respected, supported and valued. They felt positive and proud about working for the trust and the team and said they provided a good service.

Staff had access to support for their own physical and emotional health needs through an occupational health service. Staff were supported to work flexibly when required.

Sickness and absence were monitored and managers supported staff when they were off longer term.

Staff said the trust were supportive about career development and they could attend further education or training to enhance skills and knowledge. The trust recognised staff success through staff awards.