L'Arche Bognor Regis Bethany

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• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

People told us staff were caring and respected their privacy and dignity. We observed staff practice promoted people’s independence and respected people’s choices. People were treated as individuals, their strengths, abilities, and preferences were known and respected. A relative told us, “The most striking feature is that it is a loving, caring community, staffed by people who really care about the people.”

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 told us they were supported by staff who were kind and spoke warmly about them. A person showed us a smiley pictorial card when asked about the staff. The registered manager was described as, “A lovely lady, who knows what she is doing and is always popping in and out.” Relatives told us their loved ones received respectful and compassionate care.

Staff told us there was an improved culture in the service. Lessons had been learnt from people’s experiences and previous failings addressed. Staff described the registered manager as being instrumental in ensuring all staff provided person-centred and compassionate care. Staff said improved knowledge and better opportunities to discuss things meant they were now able to provide people with, ‘the right care.’

Health professionals who had recently visited the service told us they had seen people to be ‘happy, comfortable and well supported.’

We saw positive and respectful interactions between staff and people throughout the inspection. Staff were respectful of working in people’s home and of people’s personal spaces, belongings, and privacy. Staff sought consent before providing care and support and people’s decisions and choices were respected.

People were positive about their lives. They told us they had more opportunities to do things they enjoyed. A person told us,” I am living life the way I want to”. Another person said they were getting out and about a lot more which was, “A good thing”. A person told us they had been to a conference in Europe celebrating inclusion and what it means to be unique. They said, “I came away feeling very positive.”

Staff told us improvements had led to a culture of encouragement and this was having a positive impact on people. A member of staff said, “People’s confidence is growing, and they are doing more of the things they enjoy outside of the L’Arche community.” Another said having less emphasis on group activities meant people were, “So busy these days doing lots of positive things.”

We saw people were able to make choices and decisions throughout the day. This included about what to eat, how to spend their time and care preferences. We saw people spending time listening to music of their choice, sitting in the garden, and speaking with neighbours. People’s bedrooms reflected their personalities and interests and activities reflected people’s hobbies, strengths, and faith.

People had individual activity plans which reflected their diary of social, recreational and interest pursuits. Person centred-support planning and keyworker meetings reflected people’s individual needs and longer term aspirations. People profiles and health bubbles provided at a glance essential information about the person, including communication, dislikes, and preferences.

People were supported to be as independent as possible and make decisions and choices about their lives. A person told us they had paid employment which gave them a level of financial independence. They said,” My wages are my own and I can spend them on whatever I like”. Another person made drinks independently and undertook some aspects of personal care with minimal support. A person said, “I am a fiercely independent person,” and staff respected this.

Staff supported people in a way that promoted their independence. This included independence with aspects of daily living, finances personal care and communication. Staff worked with people to achieve goals that were personal and realistic to them. This gave people greater independence and control over their lives and care.

Staff encouraged people to be as independent as possible with aspects of everyday living. We saw people making drinks and snacks and being provided with support appropriate to their needs. Staff provided opportunities for choice throughout the day including meals and activities. We saw people were able to have control over aspects of their lives at a level and pace that suited them.

There were improved processes for care planning and information guided staff to promote people’s independence and choice. Improvements had been made to how risks were managed, and positive risk management was promoted. Staff learning provided a better understanding of person-centred care and staffs responsibility to provide this. This had enabled people to have a more person centred experience and more control over how they received their care.

People’s immediate needs were responded to. A person who had recently suffered a bereavement told us they were provided with time to talk about their grief and share memories of happier times. Another person demonstrated actions of mindfulness which they used to reduce anxiety. A person told us it was important for their wellbeing to be busy. They said, “I like to get out and about and I do this every day.”

Staff said they had a flexible approach to working. This enabled them to respond in a prompt way to changes in people’s needs and choices. Staff knew people well. They were able to respond to signs such a body language to show a person might need more support. Staff knew how to seek specialist support from partner agencies and community services. This ensured people received appropriate support and guidance.

We saw people were given the time and opportunity to speak about matters important to them. Staff showed empathy and understanding when a person was talking about a recent bereavement. People made snacks and drinks when they were hungry and thirsty. Staff used different communication techniques to understand people’s needs and choices and provided responses people were comfortable with.

We received mixed feedback from staff. Most staff felt supported by managers and senior leaders, although not all staff felt supported by organisational policies and procedures. Staff told us things were much better and improvements made had been positive. Staff comments included, “I enjoy working here especially looking after the core members.” And “It is a supportive place to work, and I am treated well. “Staff felt the team now worked better together which had a positive impact on their wellbeing.

Processes were in place to support staff. The providers grievance procedure enabled staff to raise concerns formally and appropriately. Staff knew about this policy and felt confident to use it. There was a supervision policy which centred on open dialog between the staff member and their supervisor. Supervision also offered the opportunity for personal development and learning.