Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation 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

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. People were seen as individuals, treated with dignity and respect. Care given to patients was person-centred and tailored to the individual. They were encouraged to be involved in their care and treatment planning. Resource and equipment were available to allow the service to respond promptly to the needs of the patients. Patients told us the staff, and the service were compassionate, and caring. Staff were visible and available to patients, supporting them to maintain their independence, choice and control. Patients received good quality care and support. Staff had regular breaks and rest periods which allowed them to perform their roles to the best of their ability in a safe, caring, and effective way.

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.

Throughout our assessment, we found staff treated patients with kindness, compassion, dignity and respect. Patients spoke positively about their relationships with staff, one patient told us, “I can tell staff actually care, I know they’re there for me, they’re great at what they do.”

Staff built therapeutic relationships with patients built on trust, and understanding. They demonstrated good knowledge of each individual patients' preferences, personal histories, and individual needs. They actively listened and communicated in ways patients could understand. Staff provided emotional support, reassurance, and encouragement.

Throughout the assessment we observed privacy and dignity was maintained. The service promoted a culture of kindness, compassion, dignity, and respect which ensured staff demonstrated a caring approach at all times.

Staff treated patients as individuals, and provided care, support, and treatment that had been formulated to meet each person’s individual needs and preferences. Patients told us they felt included and listened to. One patient told us, “I have been in services for a long time, at lots of different hospitals and units. It’s very good here, the staff actually treat me as an individual and took the time to get to know me.”

Care plans reflected personal, cultural, religious, and social needs. Staff considered patients’ backgrounds, beliefs, and protected characteristics when delivering care.

The service effectively met individual communication needs. Information was available in different formats to support varying needs, staff adapted their approach and used communication resources to ensure patients not only engaged in decisions about their care, but had genuinely meaningful conversation about who they were, and what they liked. Religious, and cultural meals were provided upon request, and other dietary requirements and preferences were met. For example, vegetarian meals.

Staff empowered and supported patients to have as much choice and control over their care and treatment as possible. They involved patients in decisions with their capacity and legal status always considered and supported patients to ensure they understood their rights.

Staff helped patients maintain important relationships and stay connected to their communities. The service organised monthly family and carer drop-in sessions, where loved ones and carers could visit, speak with nursing staff, therapists, and access information and support. Staff supported and encouraged patients to maintain connections with family and friends by encouraging and facilitating visits. One patient told us, “Staff support me to stay in touch with my family, they help me to arrange visits, it’s great.” Leave with relatives or friends was encouraged and supported where appropriate. One family member told us, “I have to travel quite a way to visit my loved one, and sometimes I’m late. The staff bend over backwards, and are very flexible, I never feel rushed to leave which means a lot.”

Patients took part in a range of meaningful activities based on their choices and abilities. These included physical activities, music and movie groups, arts and crafts, mindfulness sessions, and trips to the theatre. Activities were adapted to each patient’s individual needs, preferences and capabilities.

The service promoted independence and supported patients with their physical health as well as their mental health. If a need was identified and after assessment, the service provided specialist and adaptive equipment such as mobility aids to patients who needed them. There were also accessible bathrooms readily available for use throughout the wards.

Staff responded and acted promptly to address any identified need, concern, or distress. They were alert, vigilant and quickly recognised changes in presentation or the dynamics of the environment, Staff responded promptly to mitigate risk and to maintain the wellbeing of the patient. Patients were confident in approaching staff with any issues or concerns and did so freely knowing they would be listened to and supported.

Throughout the assessment staff responded quickly and effectively to the needs of patients. When ward alarms sounded, staff reacted without delay to identify the patient’s needs, and further staff members arrived quickly to offer support. Staff used effective de-escalation techniques to reduce the need for physical intervention if a decline in mental wellbeing was identified, patients became distressed, or if emotions became heightened.

Leaders promoted staff wellbeing to ensure the delivery of safe, and effective person-centred care. They encouraged regular breaks and created a culture where staff felt supported, valued, and able to speak openly. Staff described leaders as always being available, and approachable. One staff member told us, “I have been in situations, personally and professionally and have always received the support I needed. It really is a great team, and a great place to work.”

Staff were encouraged to seek support whenever they needed to and had access to a wide range of wellbeing resources. The service provided 24/7 support through its online wellbeing system, along with a dedicated wellbeing team, Resolve counselling services, bereavement support, and menopause support. Staff also received support from the human resource team (HR), freedom to speak up service (FTSU) and the occupational health team if required.

The service had made reasonable adjustments for staff who had family, caring, and social commitments which promoted a healthy work-life balance. Staff prided themselves on the quality care they provided and appreciated the colleagues they worked with. They also appreciated the flexibility, understanding and support shown by leaders.

Staff were confident to raise concerns and give feedback without concern and had done so on occasion. Leaders were prompt to respond to feedback given to them, and any concerns that were raised. This promoted a culture of inclusivity, openness, and shared ownership. Staff appraisals included career development discussions where opportunities for them were identified, performance reviews, and future goal setting. Staff felt listened to and involved.