Outstanding! National care inspectors give Hale care home the ultimate seal of approval

A national care watchdog has given a Hale care home its seal of approval, with relatives and residents praising its person-centred care.

The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) report gave Care UK’s Halecroft Grange, on Hale Road, an ‘outstanding’ rating in in its level of care, responsiveness and being well-led, resulting in an overall ‘outstanding’ rating, following an unannounced inspection.

The home environment was described as excellent, providing a range of facilities for residents, including an activities room, a hair and beauty salon, a café, a large garden area and a library. There is also a small pub for residents to visit and socialise as they had in their earlier lives.

The inspectors praised the home's lifestyle team who ensure activities reflect the interests, backgrounds and cultures of its residents. Team members encourage residents to celebrate different religions and cultures. One resident had been supported to provide weekly workshops on religion, this was important to them and was well attended by other residents. 

Equality and diversity are promoted proactively throughout the home, through public displays of information and guest speakers discussing topics such as Alzheimer's and the LGBTQ+ community. The team has also received equality and diversity training.

In addition, the report highlighted the home's ‘wish book’ which encourages residents to pursue their dreams. One resident has a love for birds of prey; going the extra mile the home organised for a local falconry expert to attend for World Wildlife Day. The resident was thrilled and requested a photo of the day to be displayed in their room.

After speaking with relatives, the inspectors were impressed with the consistently positive feedback. One relative said: "They take an active interest in the residents they look after and act as advocates for them when drawing up a plan of care to meet their health needs." Another commented: "The standard of care is fabulous, and I feel like they go over and above for the residents." 

The home’s Activity Coordinator, Sarah Johnson, was also praised by inspectors who noted her nomination for the National Dementia Care Awards, which highlighted the home's person-centred approach to activities and the use of life story work to engage with residents and their relatives. 

The home’s “approach to dementia care is excellent”, with residents empowered, listened to and valued. Life story work is recognised as a vital tool in getting to know residents with dementia.  This ensured a strong foundation to provide care based on people's life experiences and their choices. For example, some residents used to work as aircraft engineers, so enjoyed trips to the airport café. Another resident who had administrative experience regularly helped in the office. This improved both their wellbeing and feeling of purpose.

Relatives were given opportunities beyond formal reviews of care to contribute to their relative's care. Within the home, this included a dementia-friendly cafe, talk shows and quizzes tailored to support their involvement. This increased relative's access to support in a more relaxed environment. A relative told us: "Halecroft Grange offers a wealth of opportunities for families to connect, socialise and support each other. From organised events like quiz night, the home fosters an environment where families can meet, bond and share experiences."

Suzi Sumegi, General Manager at Halecroft Grange, said: “Here at Halecroft Grange, we see beyond a residents’ health conditions and older age, to their personality, hobbies and passions. We don’t see obstacles, we see opportunities. Every aspect of life here is tailored to the residents and how they want to live their lives.

“I’m so pleased our continued efforts have been recognised once again by the CQC’s inspectors. Everyone here is incredibly passionate about improving the quality of residents’ lives, and they work hard to make a positive difference every day.  

“To be rated ‘outstanding’ just shows how committed the team is and I’m extremely proud of each and every one of them. I would like to say thank you for their hard work and dedication, which I know is also greatly appreciated by residents and their relatives.”

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Halecroft Grange, which remains open to potential residents, incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The building has been configured into a series of neighbourhoods to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities and encourage social interaction among the residents.