Byron Lodge Care Home Ltd

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 treated with respect and kindness. People’s cultural and religious needs were respected. The provider had systems and processes in place to promote and support staff wellbeing. Staff told us they received appropriate support.

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 that they were treated with respect and kindness. People said, “The staff are very kind and friendly” and “They will knock before they come in.” A visitor told us, “Staff are very caring and kind.” Relatives said, “The staff are very compassionate and gentle with mum” and “It’s their attitude with everyone, they are gentle and reassuring, they really look after her and make sure she is as comfortable as possible.”

Staff detailed how they treated people with kindness and compassion. A staff member said, “I always knock on their door before entering and give them my name and tell them I am here to help. I close the door and the curtains and I assume they have capacity and ask for their permission, then I talk through what I am doing so they know what is happening, and I ask them, Is this ok? Are you comfortable? Is this warm enough?”

A healthcare professional told us they had witnessed staff treating people with kindness, dignity and respect.

We observed that staff were friendly towards people and each other. There was a relaxed atmosphere within the service. We observed doors to people’s rooms were closed when people were being supported with their personal care needs. Staff knocked on doors before entering.

People told us they were treated well. Comments included, “I think they know me well I can tell them how I like to be supported” and “The staff know me well and know how I like things to be done, they will discuss any changes with me.” A relative said, “[loved one] has a friend from the church who visits every week, and another friend comes to see [them] every month, so [they] have contact with other people other than us.”

The management team gave us examples of how staff worked with people and their relatives to explore their cultural and religious needs as well as their likes, dislikes, wants and needs. The management team said explained staff had worked with a person who was Muslim. The management team said, “We worked with [person] and [their] family to provide the right care for [person] in line with [their] religious wishes, and learned a lot about [them] and [their] culture.”

We observed staff respecting people’s choices and treating people as individuals.

People’s cultural and religious needs were documented in care plans, and people were supported to have visits from ministers if this was their wish. Church services were at least monthly.

A relative told us that staff support their loved one to maintain contact with them. They said, “If dad can’t remember how his phone works, he is always able to contact me using a carer’s phone.” Another relative told us, “I visit monthly but the staff arrange weekly zoom calls with us and mum. I think we have very good contact with the home and mum, the staff will do anything for you.”

Staff told us they were well supported and this encouraged a good work life balance. They were happy at work and enjoyed working with people. They said, “The managers are flexible and kind to me” and “I like working for Byron.” They understood the importance of including people in all support to enable them and listen to their choices. A staff member said, “Having better care plans has made my life a lot easier and I feel I have got to know some of the residents much better.” Another staff member told us, “We offer different clothes if they can’t tell us what they want verbally, and we understand by their body language, or they will spell it out on their device or by using pictures. Many people will tell you exactly what they want to wear or eat.”

We observed meaningful interactions between staff and people, which showed that staff knew people well and knew how to communicate with them. Staff used respectful language when communicating with people and when talking about the people they supported. Staff called people by their preferred names.

The environment had been adapted with equipment in place to ensure people could be bathed appropriately and moved safely. Protecting their privacy and dignity. Rooms were personalised and individual.

People told us their needs were met. A person told us, “On the whole they look after me very well and I am happy here.” Relatives gave us positive feedback. A relative said, “They appear to know her care needs; she is nicely dressed every day and always so clean and her hair is lovely.” Another relative told us “They are getting him out of bed and in his chair more (now that he’s got a bit more strength) and bringing him into the lounge which he loves. I say to him, Are you happy? and he says, Happy as Larry.”

The management team told us, “We spend time with people, build a rapport with them and gain trust. The focus is on them, this is their home, not ours, and involve them as far as practicably possibly in reviewing care needs. Care plans are person-centred, and we give people time. We show respect in how we communicate, administer or support with medication, personal care, offer activities, etc. It’s about knowing their likes/dislikes and checking this regularly, knowing their triggers, spotting when someone is having a difficult day and gently bringing them round. For example, we had one lady who was in a low mood and staff picked up on this and spent time reassuring her; by the end of an hour, she was dancing with the carer in the lounge.”

We observed staff responding to people’s needs in a timely manner. Call bells were answered quickly and staff discreetly supported people who required support with their personal care.

Staff told us they received good support from the management team and the provider. A staff member said, “We now have chocolate and chip Fridays and employee of the month, because a staff member raised this as a good idea for team morale at a team meeting a few months ago.” Other staff comments included, “The managers ask after our welfare, and they have always been flexible with me if I have needed to spend time with my family” and “I think they are very inclusive with us; I feel valued and appreciated and listened to.”

The provider had systems and processes in place to promote and support staff wellbeing. The provider ensured staff were supported with their health as well as mental health. Staff had access to a helpline and support was provided from external human resources support in partnership with a private healthcare provider.