Crewe care home secures prestigious accreditation

 

A Crewe care home has been recognised for its standards of person-centred care for veterans.

Station House, on Victoria Avenue, became the second Care UK home to officially receive ‘Veteran Friendly’ status.

The Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) is a collaboration between Armed Forces charities Royal Star & Garter and Royal British Legion, and NHS Veterans’ Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA), with funding support from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.

To achieve their Veteran Friendly status, Station House was required to meet eight standards. These included: noting Armed Forces status within care plans; addressing social isolation; and signposting to support services, such as their local Royal British Legion branch, and other charities that provide support for veterans or partners of veterans. 

Earlier this year, the home teamed up with local veterans to host a special D-Day event with the Mayo of Crewe and Nantwich, and the Armed Forces Veterans Club. The latter was attended by local veterans, as well as members from East Cheshire Council and representatives from the Royal British Legion. Due to the success of both vents, the home is now considering running its own veterans club.  

Julie Okhae, Home Manager at Station House, said: “We’re so proud to have become a VFF-approved care home.

 “We pride ourselves on being warm and inclusive to all and with so many veterans in our home, it was important for us to ensure we can provide the right environment for them to lead fulfilling lives. We’ve learnt so much in the process, and have held several successful events for veterans in the community already – including our D-Day celebrations and Armed Forces Veterans Club.  

“The entire team has been working tirelessly to achieve the accreditation, and I’d like to say a big thank you to them all. We’re looking forward to welcoming more veterans from the community into our home!”

Kathryn Glass is the VFF Project Lead at Royal Star & Garter and responsible for supporting and assessing care homes going through the scheme. She said: “We’re delighted that Station House has achieved VFF status. This is a great commitment to their continuous improvement in the delivery of person-centred care for veteran residents and their partners. This programme will benefit both current and future residents, along with current and future team members at Station House, who are able to access enhanced training and guidance to better engage with the unique military experiences that their residents and partners have lived through. Being a VFF care home means that there is an increased understanding and recognition for the veteran community at Station House.”

Station House is a modern care home which provides full-time residential and short-term respite care. The home, which features 69 single 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 hair salon.