Eye care home rated ‘Outstanding’ by national care inspectors

Home news

Mar 02, 2020

A national care watchdog has given a care home in Eye its seal of approval, with relatives and residents praising the kind and compassionate team members.

The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) report gave Care UK’s Hartismere Place care home on Castleton Way, an overall ‘Outstanding’ rating, following an unannounced inspection.

The care home was rated ‘Outstanding’ in two categories, including leadership and responsiveness, and ‘Good’ in safety, caring and effectiveness.

Inspectors noted the positive and caring relationships they witnessed between team members and residents, highlighting that each person is treated with dignity and respect.

On the day of the inspection, inspectors added that even members of the team that are not directly involved with resident care, such as the maintenance manager, interacted with people and demonstrated they knew each individual and their preferences. One resident said of a team member: “She is a fantastic woman who goes the extra mile, she stays after her shift, she is dedicated to the job, she is lovely to the residents, just a lovely lady.”

The report stated that residents and relatives are encouraged to take an active decision-making role in their care, and are supported to remain as independent as possible. One relative commented: “The level of care my family member receives is superlative – carers give me regular reports and don’t hesitate to contact me with concerns or questions.” Following the visit, ten relatives took the time to contact inspectors to tell them about the excellent and personalised care provided by the team at Hartismere Place.

The layout of the home is adapted to meet resident needs, and signage is displayed throughout to help orientate people. The inspectors observed that there were coloured signs, bespoke to individual residents, to help them navigate to their bedroom and communal areas. Each person had been encouraged to personalise their own room, and there were various objects of memorabilia around the home to prompt topics of conversation.

CQC inspectors also highlighted the ways in which team members supported residents to live active and fulfilling lives. Speaking to the family of one resident, who had little strength in their legs and spent a lot of time in their room, the team discovered they had a keen interest in carpentry. Related activities were provided to encourage the resident out of bed and to become more mobile. A recent visit from the occupational therapist showed that the resident now has sufficient strength to stand alone with a standing aid.

Other activities at the home included arts and crafts and flower arranging, as well as trips out to a variety of attractions, such as the zoo. Actively involved with a variety of local organisations, residents are often visited by local school children, and inspectors were given examples of where regular community involvement had improved people’s quality of life.

Residents regularly attend events in the community and local people are also invited into the home on a variety of occasions. More recently, the home hosted a cream tea for the Eye Twinning Association, which was attended by visitors from Pouzauges, in France, a local MP, as well as residents and their relatives. The team told inspectors that they were exploring the possibility of residents attending next year’s event in France.

Rated as Outstanding in its leadership, residents, relatives and team members praised the positive culture created by home manager, Abhi, which has enabled the home to retain its high standard of care. One team member told inspectors: “Both the manager and the deputy’s positive approach is contagious, I am very happy to be part of the ongoing development of the person-centred, meaningful life approach we offer each resident in our care. It’s a lovely place to work and I am very proud of what we all do.”

Abhilash Gopi, home manager at Hartismere Place, said: “Everyone has put in a lot of hard work to ensure we offer a homely environment for all residents and their families, and the whole team is really proud of their achievements.

“Receiving an Outstanding rating shows just how dedicated the team is to looking after every individual’s needs, and we will continue our hard work to ensure residents receive compassionate, person-centred care. I am incredibly proud that Hartismere Place has been rated Outstanding for its leadership and responsiveness, and would like to say thank you to the team for their dedication, which I know is also greatly appreciated by residents and their families.”

To assess service standards at Hartismere Place, 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.

Hartismere Place 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 nursing care, as well as short-term respite. Hartismere Place also runs a day club, which offers older people living independently in the community the chance to make new friends and take part in enjoyable activities.

For more information about Hartismere Place, please contact senior customer relations manager, Angela Hodge, on 0333 920 2997 or email angela.hodge@careuk.com

For more general information visit careuk.com/hartismere-place