A & A Services West Midlands

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

Our rating for this key question has improved and caring is now rated as good. Staff were caring, kind and understood how to support people to maintain their independence. Information in peoples care records however sometimes lacked this level of detail. Staff were responsive to people’s needs and treated people with respect. The provider had systems in place to support staff wellbeing.

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.

Relatives told us people were supported by kind, caring staff who treated people with respect and maintained their privacy. One relative told us, “The staff are kind and caring. Their whole attitude is caring. The staff make [person’s name] aware they are there, as soon as they come in they start talking to them. They absolutely protect dignity and respect their privacy. I ask how their families are, and they ask about mine. They do what [person’s name] asks straight away. They understand their preferences and [person’s name] has conversations with them.”

Leaders told us they were confident staff treated people with kindness and compassion. The provider had systems in place to check on staff during peoples calls and had also introduced questionnaires to seek feedback about people’s experience. Staff told us they understood people’s preferences as they could ask people about this and read what was in the care plan. Staff told us they protected people’s privacy and were respectful in how they spoke with people. One staff member told us, “When doing personal care, I make sure the towel is around the person for privacy, I always speak to them politely and professionally and I respect their values.”

Partners told us they could not comment on staff performance with people when carrying out care and support tasks as this had not been observed. Partners said the staff handbook referred to staff being professional in their approach.

Relatives told us staff supporting people understood people’s needs and preferences and used this to provide appropriate care. One relative told us, “The staff understand our culture. We discussed preferences for meals and staff respect us

Leaders told us peoples protected characteristics were considered within assessments. They told us staff were matched to people to take account of cultural and language needs. Staff told us they understood people’s needs and preferences. One staff member described how they supported people with communication and their religious beliefs.

Care plans did not give detail about how people received individualised care and support and their preferred ways of receiving their care. For example, there was no detail about people’s cultural needs, religious needs. This meant people were at risk of receiving inconsistent care.

Relatives told us staff always offered people choices and supported people to retain their independence. One relative told us, “The staff ask all the time, what do you want and offer [person’s name] encouragement. [Person’s name] is encouraged to sit in the garden.”

Leaders told us people were supported to communicate their choices. Staff told us people could make choices for themselves about aspects of their care. Staff gave examples of people choosing their meals and being encouraged to independently walk around.

Care plans gave information to staff about how to support people to make choices and maintain independence. For example, choices around meals, personal care and clothing. However, care plans were not always accurate, and people were at risk of not having their care in the way they wanted to receive it.

Relatives told us they felt staff listened to people and responded well to their needs.

Leaders told us and staff confirmed that if people’s needs changed their care plans were updated swiftly.

Leaders told us they regularly checked in with staff to ensure their wellbeing and adopted an ethos of encouragement and support. Staff confirmed they felt supported in their role and leaders helped with their sense of wellbeing.

To support employee wellbeing the provider had adopted an employee of the month scheme to recognise staff achievements and help them feel valued. Managers voted for a member of staff monthly to receive the award.