Derbyshire 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

Caring - This means we looked for evidence that the service and its staff involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

This was the first assessment for the service. This key question has been rated good. This demonstrated that people were treated with dignity and respect, actively involved as partners in their care, and recognised as individuals.

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.

Description: 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.

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

Staff promoted a culture of kindness, compassion, and respect, consistently treating patients with dignity and empathy. Patients provided overwhelmingly positive feedback, describing staff as caring, supportive, and respectful.

One person told us, “The whole service is remarkable. The staff are so kind and compassionate, and they really do respect me and my baby as individuals. This really has been a genuine life saver.”

Staff developed trusting, therapeutic relationships with patients and demonstrated a strong understanding of their individual needs and preferences. They responded promptly, communicated effectively, and provided reassurance, encouragement, and emotional support when needed.

Relatives also spoke positively about the care provided.

One relative told us, “You really can tell the staff genuinely care. Nothing is ever too much trouble, and they have done so much for us all. I honestly wish they would use this service as a blueprint for all the hospitals across the country.”

Throughout our visit, we saw that staff consistently upheld people’s privacy and dignity.

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

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

Patients were actively involved in decisions about their care and treatment. Staff provided information in accessible formats, supported informed choice, and worked collaboratively with patients to maximise their involvement in care.

One patient told us, “My care is definitely tailored for my own needs. The staff are fantastic, and everything is done at my pace.”

Leaders actively promoted equality, diversity, and inclusion for patients and staff. Ongoing training supported an inclusive culture where diversity was valued and people were treated with dignity, respect, and understanding.

A multi-faith centre supported patients’ spiritual wellbeing. Staff considered religious and cultural needs when planning care and supported, and escorted patients to attend their usual places of worship within their local communities if this was requested. Staff encouraged visits from faith and community leaders where a need was identified or a request made.

Patients received accessible information about their treatment, rights, and how to raise concerns or complaints.

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

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

Patients reported feeling confident, well informed, and empowered to make decisions about their care and treatment. Staff across the service supported patients to make their own choices wherever possible and adapted their approach to meet individual needs and communication requirements.

Staff consistently promoted involvement, independence, choice, and control. Patients were actively involved in care planning and decision-making, with personalised goals focused on recovery, independence, and future aspirations. Staff also supported patients to develop the confidence and self-management skills needed for discharge.

Staff recognised the importance of maintaining relationships and community connections. Patients were supported to stay in contact with family and friends and other important people in their lives, with staff providing flexible support to meet individual circumstances. Staff promoted family fun days and facilitated an open lounge event every Sunday on the mother and baby unit for patients to maintain community links that prepared them for safe and independent engagement with family networks.

One patient told us, “My family were always made to feel welcome. They loved to come and visit, and it was so important to me.”

Staff actively promoted recovery and independence through activities that developed practical skills, confidence, resilience, and community engagement. Patients were encouraged to access local groups and resources, which supported their wellbeing, autonomy, social inclusion, and long-term recovery. For example, mother and baby groups, independence groups and charitable community organisations who offered and provided advice, support and education.

Specialist equipment and accessible facilities were available where needed to promote independence and dignity. Where required, specialist equipment, including mobility aids and other adaptive resources, were provided to promote independence and ensure individuals could access care safely.

Description: 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.

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

Staff recognised and responded promptly to changes in patients’ needs, ensuring care remained safe, effective, and responsive. On the whole assessments identified the support required and was discussed routinely during team and multidisciplinary meetings, enabling staff to remain informed of emerging risks, changes in presentation and to deliver the appropriate interventions.

Staff demonstrated a strong understanding of patients’ needs and were skilled at identifying and responding to early signs of deterioration, distress, or increased risk, helping to prevent escalation and promote positive outcomes.

One patient told us, “I’d only been a patient with the community team for a few weeks. I rang my nurse, and she knew something was wrong straight away, and she was knocking on my door within an hour. The support and care they have given to me has really changed my life.”

Staff were trained in and used effective de-escalation techniques and person-centred approaches to reduce distress and manage changes in presentation which caused concern. They worked with patients to identify triggers, develop coping strategies, and build confidence and independence in managing challenges.

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

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

Staff spoke positively about the leaders of the service and felt respected, valued, and well supported. Leaders were described as visible and approachable, and staff felt confident to raise concerns, knowing they would be listened to and acted upon. Staff were also supported to maintain their wellbeing through regular breaks and rest periods.

Leaders demonstrated a strong commitment to staff wellbeing and provided access to a wide range of support services, including an employee assistance programme, which was available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, counselling, occupational health, a dedicated wellbeing team and wellbeing resources and freedom to speak up support. Staff also received monthly paid wellbeing time, reflective practice sessions, and post-incident debriefs to promote wellbeing and resilience.

Managers actively supported staff development through regular engagement, supervision, appraisals, and training. Staff were encouraged to develop their skills, progress their careers, and contribute to service improvement, with training covering recovery-focused practice, diagnosis-specific topics, and approaches that promoted autonomy, independence and recovery.

Service leaders fostered a culture that valued and invested in staff wellbeing, development, and safe staffing. As a result, staff felt supported, confident and equipped to deliver high-quality, person-centred care.