Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

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• 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 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.

They respected patients’ privacy and dignity. They understood the individual needs of patients and supported patients to understand and manage their care, treatment or condition. Staff involved patients in care planning and risk assessment and actively sought their feedback on the quality of care provided. Staff informed and involved families and carers appropriately.

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 always treat people with kindness, empathy and compassion and we respect their privacy and dignity. We treat colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. During our visit we carried out a Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI) and observed warm and positive engagement.

Quality Statement Score: 3

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service 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 consistently demonstrated kindness, empathy, and respect in their interactions with patients. During our visit, we carried out a Short Observational Framework for Inspection and observed warm, positive engagement between staff and patients. For example, staff supported a patient to sit in a chair that held sentimental value for them, showing respect for their emotional attachment. Staff ensured the chair remained available for the patient, informed others — including inspectors and visitors — of its significance, and kept it clean and well-maintained despite its age. Patients were also enabled to independently access the sensory room, with staff maintaining dignity and privacy by allowing them to close the door if they wished.

Although patients themselves were unable to communicate directly due to the complexity of their learning disabilities, families spoke positively about the care provided. Relatives described the service as “unique and amazing,” with one carer telling us, “I feel confident my daughter is safe… every single staff member treats her with dignity and respect.” Another commented, “Staff are so dedicated… Willows is so welcoming.” These views reflected consistent observations that patients and families trusted the service and felt cared for.

Staff supported patients with their meals in a sensitive and dignified way, serving tailored portions according to each care plan. Families felt confident their loved ones were safe and well supported.

Staff consistently treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion. Observations during inspection showed warm and respectful interactions, with staff providing discreet support and responding promptly when people required assistance. Staff were attentive to people’s needs and offered reassurance, emotional support and practical help at the right time.

Families told us that staff treated their relatives well and behaved appropriately. One relative said, “We are very happy with the way the staff care for our family member – they are kind and respectful.”

Staff supported people to understand and manage their care to the extent possible, working closely with families and carers to ensure communication needs were met. They directed families to other services when appropriate and supported them to access external professionals, such as GPs, speech and language therapists and community nurses, when additional input was required.

Staff demonstrated awareness of people’s individual needs, including their cultural, social and religious preferences. Meals were adapted to reflect cultural food requirements, and staff supported people’s routines and communication styles sensitively. Staff were clear that privacy and dignity were priorities, and people were given access to their own rooms and personal space during respite stays.

Staff said they felt able to raise concerns about disrespectful, discriminatory or abusive behaviour without fear of repercussions. They understood the importance of challenging poor practice and were confident that managers would act on any concerns raised. Staff also maintained confidentiality, ensuring personal information was shared appropriately and only with those involved in the person’s care.

We treat people as individuals and make sure their care, support and treatment meet their needs and preferences, taking account of their strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Quality Statement Score: 3

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. 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.

Care was person-centred and responsive to individual needs. Staff took time to understand preferences and adapted communication using simple language, visual prompts, and objects of reference. For example, staff respected one patient’s wish for female-only personal care, while others were supported to access community activities such as bowling or card making.

Families confirmed care was tailored, praising flexibility around pre-admission arrangements and choice in activities. One relative said, “The whole service is completely person-centred and tailored to my son’s needs.” The service held 24-hour pre-admission calls with families before each stay to gather up-to-date information.

Families were actively involved in contributing to their relatives' care records, and managers ensured families’ views were incorporated and regularly reviewed. Staff demonstrated awareness of protected characteristics and made adjustments where required. The premises were fully accessible, with widened doors, specialist beds, and adapted bathing facilities. Communication needs were identified at admission and documented in care plans, and for patients who were non-verbal or had complex needs, staff worked closely with families to ensure consistent use of individual communication methods. Information about treatments, patients’ rights, how to raise a concern and access to local services was available in accessible formats. Staff confirmed that easy-read materials were provided for people with learning disabilities, and families could request information in other languages if required.

Food choices respected cultural, religious and individual dietary needs. Meals were tailored to meet health requirements such as dysphagia and reflected cultural preferences. Families told us they valued this approach. One said, “Staff are always observant to peg and any signs of infection.”

We promote people’s independence, so they know their rights and have choice and control over their own care, treatment. and wellbeing.

Quality Statement Score: 3

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

The service promoted independence, offering patients choice and control in line with their abilities. For example, orientation visits allowed new patients to gradually build confidence before a full stay. People were given opportunities to take part in recruitment by interacting with candidates.

We observed patients making daily choices about activities and meals, with carers confirming this was respected. One relative told us, “My son gets excited to go… he is encouraged to build confidence but never forced.”

The service promoted people’s independence and ensured they had choice and control over their care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff encouraged people to participate in decisions about their daily routines and provided support that reflected their individual preferences. Where people were able, they were supported to express choices about activities, meals and personal care. For those with more complex communication needs, staff worked closely with families and carers to interpret preferences and ensure decisions reflected the individual’s wishes.

Families consistently told us they felt their relatives were enabled to exercise choice and independence. One parent said, “My relative’s confidence has grown in leaps and bounds since being at Willows.”

The service also made sure people were aware of their rights, and staff respected their choices, even when decisions differed from professional advice, provided these did not compromise safety. Staff confirmed that care planning was person-centred, flexible and regularly reviewed to reflect people’s changing needs and aspirations.

We listen to and understand people’s needs, views and wishes. We respond to these in that moment and will act to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

Quality Statement Score: 3

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. 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 responded promptly to patients’ needs and provided reassurance when distress or discomfort was noted. During mealtimes, we observed how staff respectfully adapted to each person’s pace and ensured nutritional needs were safely met. with individualised approaches to eating and drinking.

Families told us staff were reliable and responsive and reported high confidence in the service’s ability to respond quickly, with one carer stating, “If my son needs to go to hospital, there are always enough staff for 1:1 support.” Another told us, “Communication is great – updates, emails and phone calls… I always feel informed.”

Community meetings for people were not feasible due to the complexity of needs as carers were central to ensuring needs and preferences were expressed. This limited direct patient engagement in service feedback. To mitigate this, the service had developed robust carer involvement processes, such as detailed pre-admission discussions, maintaining regular contact with families, distributing feedback forms, surveys, and regular contact with the operational manager. This ensured patients voices were represented appropriately.

Staff listened to and understood people’s needs and responded promptly to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. Risk issues such as epilepsy, swallowing difficulties, pressure care and falls were identified at admission and built into individualised care plans. Staff remained vigilant throughout people’s stay and adapted care as needs changed. Families told us they felt reassured by this approach. One relative said, “Relative was crying a lot at last placement but has settled well at Willows.” Another commented, “Staff provided person centred and care tailored to individual”

When behaviours became heightened, staff used de-escalation techniques and their detailed knowledge of each person to calm situations. Staff explained that they avoided restrictive practices wherever possible, relying instead on communication strategies, reassurance and understanding triggers for distress. This meant people were supported safely without unnecessary interventions.

We care about and promote the wellbeing of our staff, and we support and enable them to always deliver person centred care.

Quality Statement Score: 3

We scored the service as 3. The evidence showed a good standard. The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centered care.

Staff felt supported and valued by their managers. Relatives highlighted the positive culture, describing the manager as “brilliant and caring” and someone who “goes above and beyond.” Staff told us they worked well as a team.

The service maintained a stable workforce with long-standing staff (low staff turnover), which promoted continuity of care and built trust with families. Staff wellbeing was prioritised through supportive leadership and flexible working.

Staff felt respected, supported and valued by colleagues. Staff told us they could approach managers if they were struggling, and they felt confident that their concerns would be taken seriously. Staff spoke with pride about their roles and about the difference they made to people and their families. One member of staff said, “I’ve worked here a long time, and it still feels like a family – we all support each other.”

The provider also recognised and celebrated staff successes. Staff gave an example of being supported by the managers from being an HCA to becoming qualified as a registered nurse. This helped create a culture where staff felt motivated and enabled to deliver person-centred care.