National care inspectors praise local care home

Home news

Feb 10, 2020

A national care watchdog has given a care home in Kidderminster its seal of approval, with residents and relatives praising the attentive and caring team members.

The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) report gave Care UK’s Brook Court care home, on Oldnall Road, an overall ‘Good’ rating, following an inspection.

The care home was rated ‘Good’ in four categories, which include safety, effectiveness, responsiveness and leadership and ‘Outstanding’ in the care category.

Residents told the CQC inspectors they were happy and they felt safe at Brook Court. One resident said the team members “are so energetic and helpful.” The inspectors found that the team members clearly “treasured the relationships they had built” with residents. One team member spent their own time researching how they could support a resident to re-connect with their past, and enjoy a day tailored to them. The person’s relative said, “It was a marvellous and very caring thing to do.”

It was clear that the happiness and serenity of the residents was the team’s top priority, and that each resident was understood as an individual. To get to know the residents better the team compiles life storybooks for residents, which have pictures and details about significant events in their lives, allowing them to chat easily and help spark memories.

Gill Pratt, home manager of Brook Court, was praised for creating a warm and friendly culture that promotes high-quality, person-centred care, and for ensuring an open door is offered to both team members, relatives and residents. The home holds regular residents’ meetings, and have one-to-one discussions with team members. The inspectors found many examples of the discussions being listened to, including the seaside-themed garden, which had bespoke furniture made by friends of the home.

Inspectors were particularly impressed with the team’s ability to offer activities that suited a range of different needs and preferences. The activities programme has been devised following the input of residents, and is under continual development to meet resident’s social care needs. The team goes above and beyond to include the less able, with one team member giving up their day off to accompany a resident on a family trip as they needed extra care. A relative of the resident said, “The staff here are so good, they have become dear friends and I feel fully supported by them.”

Gill Pratt, home manager at Brook Court, said: “Everyone has put in a lot of hard work to ensure we offer a warm and welcoming environment for all residents and their families, and the whole team is really proud of their achievements.

“Receiving a ‘Good’ rating – with an ‘Outstanding’ rating in the care category – 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 of the team and would like to say thank you to each and every team member for their dedication, which I know is also greatly appreciated by residents and their families.”

To assess service standards at Brook Court, 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.

Brook Court is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, nursing, dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. The care home, which features 67 en-suite bedrooms, has been designed to enable its residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, hairdressing salon and café.

To find out more about Brook Court email Gillian Pratt, home manager, at gillian.pratt@careuk.com  or call 01562 814 715.

For more general information visit careuk.com/brook-court