Within the overall grade, we were also delighted to receive a number of 6 gradings (Excellent - the top grade) for various aspects of the inspection.

The Inspector focussed on the care and support provided across 17 services, which included six housing with care, five supported housing and six sheltered housing developments. The services are spread across nine different Local Authority areas in Scotland. The inspector spoke with 77 customers and their families, and 48 employees through the course of the inspections.

Here is a breakdown of how Trust did:

Key Question 1 - How well do we support people’s wellbeing?

1.1: People experience compassion, dignity and respect. Graded as 6 - excellent
1.2: People get the most out of life. Graded as 5 -Very Good
1.3: People’s health and wellbeing benefits from their care and support. Graded as 5 -Very Good

Key Question 2 – How good is our Leadership?

2.2: Quality assurance and improvement is led well. Graded as 5 -Very Good

Jenny Wallace, Trust’s director of customer experience, commented: “Across all of these services we were delighted to receive an overall grade 5 (Very Good) but were particularly proud to receive a 6 (Excellent) for our customers experience of the support provided being done with compassion, dignity and respect reflecting the dedication and commitment demonstrated by our employees every day.

The Inspector described the compassion, respect and the staff commitment during that difficult period as “second to none” and absolutely deserved a grade of 6. The Inspector witnessed brilliant work during the inspection; he observed staff checking individual’s preferences before commencing support; he observed very positive conversations with care staff having discussions with an individual with dementia; and felt that overall staff demonstrated that they understand and carry out the principles of compassion, dignity and respect.”

The Inspector commented in the findings: “Values were evident and there was a compassionate and supportive culture. People experienced warmth, kindness, and compassion in how they were supported and cared for.

“There was a positive culture and ethos of continuous improvement and development. This was led by the management team, but staff at all levels were able to describe and demonstrate it. We saw a respectful and supportive team who shared the aims and values of the service. This meant that people experiencing care were cared for and supported by a dedicated and positive workforce.”