Aster Care

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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 involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. This key question has been rated good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care. People and their relatives told us staff treated them treated with kindness, compassion and dignity in their day-to-day care and support. During our visit we observed staff treating people with kindness and compassion. We observed people were comfortable in the presence of staff. We saw when people were approached by staff, they responded to them with smiles and conversation which showed people were comfortable and relaxed with staff. Staff took their time with people and did not rush or hurry them. Staff knew people well and understood how to meet their needs, including their preferences, wishes, personal histories, backgrounds and potential.

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.

People and their relatives told us staff treated them treated with kindness, compassion and dignity in their day-to-day care and support. Comments included, “Yes, every single carer knows his name and always addresses him as such. The staff always invite him to the activities.” Staff knew and understood people’s needs, including their preferences, wishes, personal histories and backgrounds. One staff member said, “I do get to know the residents, and I get time to speak to them and find out what they need.” People’s privacy and dignity was respected. We observed staff responding quickly to people’s needs, knocking on doors before entering their rooms. Doors were kept closed when people were receiving any care or support. Health and social care professionals who worked in partnership with the service to meet people’s needs spoke positively about the care people received. One healthcare professional told us, “I have observed staff to be kind, compassionate and caring and yes, they do promote dignity and talk to residents and their families with respect. Staff do seem to know people well.”

People’s individual needs and preferences were understood by staff. People received care and support that was responsive to their needs. Care plans were detailed, and person centred. They contained information on people's choices and preferences on how they would like to receive their care. People’s personal, cultural, social and religious needs were understood and met. In discussion with the management team, they told us, “During the pre- admission assessment we look at identifying service users’ personal needs to ensure we can meet them and if there is any bespoke training needed. We don't fit people into our service but make sure we can identify and meet their needs.” People had a range of activities they could be involved in. People were able to choose what activities they took part in and suggest new activities they wanted to try. We observed people engaging in a variety of activities both in the community and the care home. On day one of the inspection, a group of people using the service had chosen to go out for a Christmas meal.

People were supported to have choice and control over their own care and to make decisions about their care, treatment and wellbeing. People and their relatives were encouraged to share their views and be involved in making decisions about their care and support. One relative told us, “I haven’t seen his care plan recently, but know it is there if I want to look at it. They always update me on any changes.” People were supported to maintain relationships that were important to them. People had access to their friends and family while they were using a service, and visitors could attend the home when they wished. People had access to activities and the local community to promote and support their independence, health and wellbeing. We observed people accessing the community with staff to attend activities of their choosing.

Staff responded to people’s needs in a timely manner. Daily records detailed the care provided in line with people’s care plans. For example, where one person required their food and fluid monitoring, records we viewed, evidenced when food and fluid was being offered and if the person had refused, what alternative was provided. We observed staff responding to people’s request for help and call bells were answered in a timely way. We observed the lunchtime meal. Staff were attentive to people’s needs, offering additional helpings and checking on people multiple times.

Staff were supported through formal supervision, appraisal meetings and having access to appropriate training. The majority of staff we spoke with felt supported by the management team. Comments included, “My morale is good with management. They have helped me progress and I love this job” and “It was now much better now and harmonious since [name] has started as manager. [Manager] and [Deputy manager] are good managers and supportive. I have confidence that I can raise concerns, and these will be dealt with.” Staff we spoke with said they felt they had received sufficient training to provide people with effective care. They said they were able to access training that supported them with their personal development and was additional to the core training required of their role. One staff member said, “The management are approachable. They will help and support all of the time.”