Knightingles Healthcare Bedfordshire Limited

As part of this assessment, we looked at 3 quality statements for the key question of safe. These were safeguarding, involving people to manage risks and safe and effective staffing.

People were protected from avoidable harm with an emphasis on openness, transparency and learning lessons when things went wrong. People were fully involved and supported in developing different approaches to keeping safe. Staff were recruited safely, and people were supported by a consistent staff team that knew them very well.

As part of this assessment, we looked at 2 quality statements for the key question of effective. These were ‘assessing needs and consent to care and treatment.’

People’s needs, preferences and choices were assessed prior to them receiving support and treatment. The provider carried out an assessment with people and their relatives to ensure they could meet their needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

As part of this assessment, we looked at 5 quality statements for the key question of caring. These were ‘kindness, compassion, and dignity, treating people as individuals, independence, choice and control, responding to people’s immediate needs and workforce wellbeing and enablement’.

People were treated with great kindness, empathy and compassion and their privacy and dignity was always maintained. Staff treated people as individuals and made sure their care and support fully met their individual needs in line with their preferences. People’s independence was always encouraged and promoted ensuring they had choice and control over their care and support. Staff knew people very well and took time to observe, communicate and engage people in discussions about their immediate care needs. The support and wellbeing of staff was promoted to enable them to always deliver person centred care.

As part of this assessment, we looked at 1 quality statements for the key question of responsive. This was ‘equity in experiences and outcomes.’

People were involved in planning and making shared decisions about their care and treatment, so it was centred around them and their needs. Staff empowered people to give their views and understand their rights, including their rights to equality and their human rights.

As part of this assessment, we looked at 7 quality statements for the key question of well-led. These were ‘shared direction and culture, capable, compassionate, and inclusive leaders, freedom to speak up, workforce equality, diversity and inclusion, governance, management and sustainability, partnerships and communities and learning, improvement and innovation’.

Staff had a good understanding of equality, diversity, and human rights, and they provided safe, compassionate care. The management team were very experienced and had an excellent understanding of the key principles and focus of the service, based on the organisation’s values. The management and staff team demonstrated an open honest and transparent culture, and all staff were confident their voices would be heard. There was a strong organisational commitment and effective action to ensure there was equality and inclusion across the workforce. There were robust governance arrangements and staff understood their role and responsibilities. The management and staff teams worked in partnership with key organisations to support quality care. There were processes in place to ensure that learning happened when things went wrong, and best practice guidance was sought and shared.