Sherwood Grange wins approval of national care inspectors

Home news

May 17, 2017

A national care watchdog has given Sherwood Grange the seal of approval, with relatives and residents praising its caring and attentive team members.

The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) report gave Sherwood Grange an overall ‘good’ rating, following an unannounced inspection.

The home received ‘good’ ratings in all five categories, including safety, effectiveness, level of care, responsiveness and having a well-led service.

Praise was given for the care that each team member showed towards the residents, and it was observed that their relationships demonstrated dignity and respect at all times. A resident commented: "They have welcomed me, introduced themselves and made me feel at home", and a relative added: "They remember you each time you visit and they know the residents very well indeed. It is like an extended family."

A great level of detail was shown throughout the home, which had been decorated to create a dementia-friendly and interesting environment. Easy-to-understand language and pictorial signs were used throughout the environment, helping residents to identify important rooms or areas. Each bedroom also had a memory box outside the door, which held objects of reference such as photographs and mementos that were important to residents and which could help them to orientate.

The report noted that residents were supported to take part in a wide range of activities at the home and in the community, helping them to pursue their interests and hobbies, keep active, and develop positive social relationships with others. Inspectors saw that the activities coordinator would remind residents what was planned during the day, and residents were enthusiastic. One resident explained: "There are lots of things going on all the time. I like to potter and there is always something. I like the movies in the cinema and we go in the minibus to the shops, parks and places like the pub."

Inspectors found that the home manager, Rick Mayne, was building good links within the community, and was working with the local primary school and church to widen the range of activities and events that residents could take part in. During the visit, inspectors saw a group of children from a local primary school visit the home to share their learning with residents about the Second World War. A teacher from the school said: "It is so nice that Sherwood Grange is a part of the community, and the school and Sherwood have done a few things together recently. It's a great place."

Team members were aware of residents’ preferences, to which a resident stated: "They know how I like things." Residents were involved in planning their care, and detailed care plans were regularly updated, outlining information about their life history, their likes and dislikes, and hobbies and interests.

Residents were also supported to live independently, allowing them to retain control of their lives. One resident explained: “They ask what we think we might need help with and they write it down. It is good that they do it that way because it keeps my independence which is what I wanted."

Rick Mayne, home manager at Sherwood Grange, said: “We strive to create a welcoming home from home feel at Sherwood Grange, and I’m so pleased our efforts have been recognised by the CQC’s inspectors. Everyone here works incredibly hard to support residents with compassionate, person-centred care, and to be rated ‘good’ shows just how committed the team is to making a positive difference to resident’s lives each and every day.

“I’m extremely proud of our team and I would like to say thank you for their hard work and dedication, which I know is also greatly appreciated by residents and their families.”

It was observed that there is an open and inclusive culture at the homes, and regular meetings and surveys are held to give residents and relatives the chance to express their views and opinions. One relative told inspectors: "They are very good at giving us information and updating us, I like that I am kept informed”, and another added: "They have meetings and events for relatives and residents. They do listen and write everything down, and then they tell you how they are acting upon this.”

To assess service standards at Sherwood Grange, the CQC’s inspector spoke with team members, residents and their visiting relatives on the day of the inspection. They also reviewed the records and procedures already in place at the care home.

Sherwood Grange has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The home provides full time residential and specialist dementia care, as well as short term respite.