CQC rate The Orchard 'Good' as relatives say it's fantastic
Home Manager Wendy and her team at The Orchard Nursing Home, in St Albans, are delighted to have recently received a ‘Good’ rating from care regulators, The Care Quality Commission (CQC), following an unannounced inspection in July.
The Orchard a modern, purpose-built care home provides the highest level of residential, nursing and specialist dementia care for up to 63 elderly residents. To ensure high quality care and support, the team benefit from Caring Homes’ unique award winning in-house dementia training ‘My World’ which is accredited by City and Guilds. Our training highlights the importance of meaningful activities and a stimulating environment for people living with dementia, as well as addressing clinical aspects of care.
During their visit, Inspectors noted improvements since their last visit and confirmed that residents live in a safe, caring, well-led, responsive and effective environment, cared for by sufficient numbers of well-trained staff who are friendly and attentive to people’s needs and who know residents well, detailing, “People’s outcomes were consistently good, and people’s feedback confirmed this.”
As part of the rigorous inspection process Inspectors spoke to six residents, five relatives, seven members of staff, the registered manager, deputy manager, Senior regional manager and regional manager. They looked at the care records for people and the management of medicines in the home, also reviewing recruitment records, sampled supervisions and training records. They also looked at records relating to the quality and management of the service.
Inspectors agreed The Orchard supported and treated people with dignity and respect and that they are always involved as partners in their care. One person shared with Inspectors that, “It’s really fantastic, it is the best thing we ever did to bring [person] here. They are a lot more relaxed now than they have ever been because they are getting good care now.”
Everyone inspectors spoke with told them they felt safe living at The Orchard. Comments from relative’s included, “I feel very safe here because it is cosy and the staff are nice.”
Inspectors observed that people and their representatives were supported to express their views and be involved in making decisions about their care enabling them to make choices about the care they received. One relative shared, “They (staff) are really good about keeping us up to date. They will ring us if anything is amiss. We were involved with developing [person’s] care plan and we continue to be involved with their care plan reviews.”
Over the moon with the feedback, Wendy Walker, Home Manager, said, “At Caring Homes we want to ensure that our home is just that – a caring home. We are all really pleased that the CQC inspectors have recognised the positive open culture, and our expectation that residents and relatives always come first. We are delighted with our ‘Good’ rating, this is down to the fantastic team here and great support from my senior managers and colleagues across Caring Homes.’
The Orchard has a light, airy and welcoming ambience with residents benefiting from a broad and stimulating range of activities and provides residents with a full Care Pathway – offering a full suite of residential, nursing and dedicated dementia care, including trial stays, short stays and convalescent care, as well as long-term care. This means that residents can feel confident in the knowledge that their home can cater for them both now, and in the future if their care needs were to change.
If you would like to find out more about life at The Orchard Nursing Home please contact us on 0808 223 5544 or email [email protected].
