National care inspectors praise Chelsea care home

Home news

Aug 17, 2020

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

The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) report gave Care UK’s Ellesmere House, on Nightingale Place, an overall ‘Good’ rating. 

The care home was rated ‘Good’ in all five categories, which include safety, effectiveness, being caring, responsive and its leadership.

The inspectors noted that residents appeared relaxed and at ease with team members, observing many positive interactions, including colleagues sitting with residents and enjoying a joke. Residents and their relatives were complimentary about the team, "They are very polite, they smile and they remember your name".

The report highlighted that care plans showed residents were encouraged to remain as independent as possible, which included mobilising using their Zimmer frame to preserve the overall health benefits of regular and gentle exercise. Residents were also encouraged to maintain important relationships. One relative described the service as being ‘amazing’ not only for their family member, but for themselves too.

A full programme of activities and entertainment is organised by the activities team to meet a broad range of interests. Inspectors noted that a significant number of residents enjoyed musical and theatrical events, and during the inspection they observed a reminiscence quiz game and a performance by a concert pianist who visited regularly before lockdown restrictions were introduced. Other activities included a choir for residents and regular film screenings.

The management team was praised, with the report stating that ‘the service was consistently managed and well-led’. A relative described the manager as being ‘remarkable in her leadership skills’ and similar views were voiced by other relatives and members of the team.

The manager has created a culture that promotes high-quality, person-centred care, in an inclusive and empowering environment, which achieves good outcomes for residents.

The report also highlighted that the manager was enthusiastic about initiatives which could improve resident's care and had implemented new projects and ideas since joining the care home. This included supporting team members to gain the skills to become champions in specific areas, for example champions for dementia care.

Ana Tudorache, home manager at Ellesmere House, said: “Everyone has put in a lot of hard work to ensure we offer a comfortable home to all residents and their families, and although the last few months have certainly been challenging, the whole team has pulled together to ensure life has remained as normal as possible for the residents.

“Receiving a ‘Good’ 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 of the home’s journey over the past year, 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 Ellesmere House, the CQC inspectors spoke with team members, residents, and their visiting relatives on the day of the inspection in late 2019. They also reviewed the records and procedures already in place at the care home.

Ellesmere House 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, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care.

For more information about Ellesmere House, please call home manager, Ana Tudorache, on 0333 4343 025, or email ana.tudorache@careuk.com