'Very high standards of care' and exceptional leadership see Shipston home go from good to 'outstanding'

Low Furlong is a purpose-built residential home registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 68 people, including people with dementia. At the time of the CQC inspection visit there were 58 people living at the home.

Care is provided across two floors. Communal lounge and dining areas were located on both floors. People's bedrooms were en-suite and there were further communal bathroom facilities located on each floor.

The CQC report, published on Thursday, said people, relatives and external healthcare professionals spoke of very high standards of care at Low Furlong because of the exceptional leadership within the home.

The registered manager was committed to achieving high standards and this was reflected in the motivation demonstrated by staff to ensure every person received care that met their individual and unique needs.

There was a strong sense of equality and collaborative working between staff because they felt their views and opinions were valued. The registered manager nurtured staff to reach their full potential and recognised when they had gone 'above and beyond' to make a person's day better.

"There was a strong emphasis on continuous improvement through the provider's governance processes and feedback from other stakeholders. People, relatives and staff were involved in what happened in their home and were empowered in a variety of ways to have a say in how the service was run,” inspectors said.

“The registered manager promoted a culture of being open and honest, so people had confidence in the service being provided. Learning from incidents and complaints was a key contributor to improvements in the home.

“There was a culture of encouraging staff to spend time with people and build relationships to support people's emotional and social wellbeing. There was a full programme of activities which were designed not only to engage and entertain, but to also give people a sense of usefulness and purpose and help them feel valued.”

The report said people were supported to maintain lifelong connections with the local community and maintain relationships and build memories with those important to them. Managers and staff had a strong commitment to supporting people and their relatives before and after death.

“People and relatives told us the care, support and kindness they received from staff meant they were confident Low Furlong was a safe place to live. People told us there were enough staff to meet their needs and they did not need to wait when they called for support. Risks to people were regularly assessed and there were plans in place to help mitigate risks. Staff shared information about changes in people so any emerging risks could be managed,” said the inspectors, who visited on January 24. The last rating for this service in 2017 was good.

"People received their medicines as prescribed and staff understood their role in following good infection control practices.

“People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.”

The CQC undertook the inspection as part of a random selection of services rated good and outstanding.