London Care (Bristol Court)

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

People were not always cared for in a way which respected their individual needs and rights. We identified breaches in relation to privacy and dignity. People were not always supported to participate in a range of meaningful activities. This was an area the provider was working to improve. Staff did not always feel supported by local managers but felt the provider offered opportunities for staff wellbeing. They enjoyed working as a team and supporting people who lived at Bristol Court.

This service scored 70 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

People using the service and their relatives had mixed experiences about the way they were treated. They were keen to mention some staff by name as kind, caring and supportive. However, some people had also had experiences where they had been treated poorly. One person explained they had been unwell. They had vomited and had asked for staff to help them. The staff who attended had refused to help clean up despite the fact the person was unwell. Other feedback from people included concerns about members of the management team. Comments from people using the service included, ''Some staff do not speak with [person] when they are caring for [them]'' and ''The attitude of some of the care workers is like they are doing you a favour.'' One person explained they regularly heard staff speaking about other people in front of them. They told us, ''This makes me a bit worried, and I wonder what they are saying about me.'' Failure to treat people with dignity and respect is a breach of Regulation 10 (dignity and respect) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. Some people told us they had been treated well and their comments included, ''Staff are kind, friendly and fun'', ''They are polite and cheerful'' and ''I really like the carers and how they look after us. They use my name, and they are polite.''

External professionals told us they had also observed unkind interactions when they visited. Whilst they had witnessed some kind and caring staff, they also told us they had seen members of the management team being rude or ignoring both people using the service and staff. One professional described the service as having a ''culture of punishment'' when people spoke up.

We did not look at Treating people as individuals during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Caring.

The provider organised for a range of different communal activities as part of their agreed care provision. However, some relatives and people using the service felt there was not enough for them to do. Relatives for people with a learning disability told us they wanted more opportunities to help develop people's social skills, independence and alleviate boredom. The provider was aware of concerns relating to this and had started to organise more activities. Other people told us they enjoyed the activities which were organised. They said these were good opportunities to have fun and socialise. We spoke with some external activity providers who worked with the service. They explained how attendance at their groups was good and people had enjoyed these. The provider's plans for improving the service included looking at ways to increase the activities being offered, to advertise these better and to look at how to meet the different needs of people through social activities. We observed staff supporting some people with activities and spending time in communal areas. Staff offered people choices and looked at ways to support people to do things for themselves. Some people enjoyed the way the service was set up telling us they had their independence and privacy, and this was important to them. People told us they enjoyed going out on their own and maintaining their social contacts.

We did not look at Responding to people’s immediate needs during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Caring.

Some staff felt communication with managers needed to be improved. They said sometimes managers did not listen to them or support them when they raised concerns. They also told us that they felt communication about the service and changes could be improved to help them in their work. The staff told us they felt supported by the organisation and each other. They enjoyed working at the service. They were encouraged to work towards promotions within the organisation. Their comments included, ''Overall, this is a good place to work'', ''It is an inclusive workplace'', ''Lovely atmosphere and nice residents'', ''I love caring for the service users'' and ''We have different service users, and we are like a family.''

The provider had a range of processes designed to support staff wellbeing. These included helping staff celebrate their diversity, rewarding good practice and improving support and conditions for pregnant staff and new mothers. Staff from different religions were given space and time to pray and there were flexible working arrangements to support staff who were fasting. The provider had recently introduced a new company social media platform for all staff. This was used to improve organisational communication and encourage staff to celebrate their achievements. There were also support networks within the organisation to help staff manage their mental health needs and obtain confidential support if needed.