Dove Valley Mews, part of the Cygnet Social Care division, underwent an inspection by the regulator at the beginning of February and is rated ‘Good’ across all five key lines of enquiry; Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-Led.
The regulator said people’s outcomes were consistently good and every resident had a personalised care plan to ensure their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs were met.
As part of the inspection, the CQC spoke with residents at the service, who said they enjoyed living at the service. One resident said: “I would rate it 10/10.”
Relatives told inspectors the service supported their loves ones to achieve their potential and highlighted the kindness of staff. Feedback from relatives included;
- “We have been involved in all the support planning for them. Communication is fantastic. Staff deal with [Name’s] needs very well and in a person centred way.”
- “We live far away, the staff bring [name] to see us every month.”
- “It is a very safe environment for [name]. The staff are amazing, they support [name] to remain safe and well cared for.”
- “Staff try their upmost hardest for [name]. There is no better place for them to live. They keep us informed of any incidents and are open and transparent.”
- “[Name] is independent, they go everywhere. Staff are always updating us about their activities and experiences. The service is also good at empowering [name], they have supported them to budget and save to buy a new TV.”
- “The care meets [name’s] needs really well. We have been involved in all the support planning and the communication with the staff and managers is fantastic.”
Praising the caring nature of staff, inspectors said the service was “exceptional” at promoting people’s independence.
The report read: “People knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. They were supported to make choices and be as independent as possible.
People were supported in their own bespoke living areas, which included their chosen personal effects.
“We observed kind and compassionate interactions between people and staff. We saw people actively seeking out staff, playing games with them and giving staff a hug.”
Highlighting the safe nature of the service, inspectors noted: “Staff provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. Risks posed to people were effectively managed.
“People were supported in a purpose-built, bespoke environment, which met their sensory needs and kept them safe. For example, one person required a minimalist room, which had built in safety equipment, and this was decorated in their favourite colour to aid calming. This person also liked cooler temperatures, and an air conditioning unit was in place, to keep the temperature at their preferred level.
“The provider had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. Staff listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events.”
Inspectors also highlighted how residents were supported to access the community and take part in activities of their choice. For example, one resident was supported to attend a concert of their favourite singer and wrestling shows. Another was able to attend a railway museum with the help of staff, and other people were supported to go on holiday.
The report read: “People had pictures around the service, which provided positive well-being and reminiscence on activities they had done. One person told others he loved taking dogs out for a walk with the support of staff at Dove Valley Mews. People had ‘memory books’ in place, which celebrated their achievements and community inclusion. These books evidenced people had been involved in a range of community outings, such as attending farms, shows and golfing.”
Describing the quality of staffing at Dove Valley Mews, regulators added: “The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty.”
Interim service manager Emma Pickersgill, said she was delighted with the outcome of the inspection.
She added: “Our rating reflects the dedication and hard work of the staff team, who strive every day to provide compassionate, high-quality, personalised care for the residents we support. We remain committed to continuous improvements and ensuring a safe, supportive, and empowering environment for all of our residents.
“At Dove Valley Mews, we encourage and enable the individuals we support to lead a full and happy life. We work with them to ensure they have more choice and control in their lives. We find out their strengths, abilities and preferences so that the care provided can be as person-centred and meaningful to each individual as possible. It is pleasing to see that our efforts to achieve this have been highlighted by the regulator and our number one priority moving forward will always be to ensure our residents are happy in their home environment.”
To read the full report, click here.