The Birkenhead Court Care Home in Merseyside has been rated outstanding by the healthcare regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The home based in Birkenhead specialises in residential and personal care for older people, some of whom are living with dementia.
After inspectors visited the care home on August 8, 9 & 14 August 2018 it was rated outstanding in three categories, effective, responsive and well-led and rated good in the safe and caring categories.
CQC inspectors spoke to the chef who reported that the kitchen had a five rating from the Food Standards Agency. The chef has been working at the home for two years and has a level five qualification and a dysphagia certificate, this means the chef has excellent knowledge about the support that was needed for people with swallowing difficulties. The chef highlighted that they receive a dietary summary every Sunday and ongoing guidance from dietetic services. Comments included "It's smashing. I like it all and love my coffee", "It's lovely. I love the dinners and the chef comes to see us" and "It was our 65th Wedding Anniversary and they gave us a lovely party."
Care plans at Birkenhead Court were very personalised and provided details of daily routines specific to each person. For example, there were sections about supporting people with areas such as their health, dressing, washing and bathing and mobility. Care plan were reviewed regularly, to make sure they reflected people's current needs and circumstances. This ensured staff had appropriate guidance on how to support people as and when their needs changed.
Examples provided included 'laying a person's night clothes on the bed for them' or putting toothpaste on a person's toothbrush. This showed that care planning was specific to the individual and that the staff had taken the time to fully understand how best to support an individual.
Staff told inspectors that they were proud to work at the home and in social care and the staff looked on their role as specialised. They also said that there was a positive culture where people living in the home remained at the heart of everything they did. One staff member said, "It's all about them."
