Hithermoor House

The model of care and the design of the building had been planned to meet the needs of the people living at the home. A person told us the registered manager had worked hard to obtain the specialist equipment they needed to live their life to the full, including being able to spend time with other people and to access their community. The person said this had made a great difference to their life and had motivated them to set personal goals for the future. A family member told us the quality and personalisation of care provided at the home had greatly benefited their loved one and their family as a whole.

There was a positive and inclusive culture at the home in which the views of people, staff and relatives were encouraged and used to improve the service. People, their family members and professionals told us the registered manager led by example in their approach and behaviours. Family members said the registered manager worked in partnership with them to plan the care their loved ones received. Staff were proud to work for the provider because of the high quality of care it provided.

The registered manager understood the value of effective governance in helping keep people safe, protecting their rights, and ensuring they received high quality care. There was a commitment to continuous learning and improving care. The service had developed a systematic approach to working with other organisations to improve outcomes for people. Professionals recognised the service achieved exceptional outcomes and told us the service was an excellent role model for other services.

People received their care from kind and compassionate staff. People said staff had provided emotional support when they needed it. The registered manager and staff demonstrated exceptional skills in helping people and their families explore and record their wishes about care at the end of their life, and to plan how their wishes would be met. Staff protected and respected people's privacy and dignity. People were encouraged to be as independent as possible and to develop and maintain skills.

Staff had the training and support they needed to provide people's care effectively. This included specialist training sourced by the registered manager to ensure staff understood people's individual needs and healthcare conditions. Staff met regularly with the registered manager to discuss their performance and any

further training needs.

There were always enough staff available to meet people's needs and keep them safe. People were supported by consistent staff who knew their needs well. Staff understood their responsibilities in protecting people from abuse and knew how to report any concerns they had. The provider's recruitment procedures helped ensure only suitable staff were employed. People's medicines were managed safely, and staff managed risks well to keep people safe.

If people's ability to communicate was restricted, staff ensured people were able to express their needs and wishes through alternative methods of communication. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.