Choices Housing Association Limited - 103 Heath Street in Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire, was rated outstanding for being effective and responsive following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), on 24 January 2020.
The safe, caring and well-led categories received a score of Good.
103 Heath Street is a residential care home providing personal care to people with a learning or physical disability.
All staff were proactive in assisting people to improve their eating ability. One person was unable to eat food orally and through staff interaction with professionals they began to eat orally. Staff told CQC inspectors that the resident had always taken great pleasure from eating and it was extremely rewarding to see them enjoying food again.
Professionals said staff and the registered manager had been exceptional in working with them to ensure people's eating and swallowing risks were reduced. One professional said, "The staff and registered manager have been excellent in recognising and referring people to ensure they were supported effectively. They are excellent at acting on advice given to ensure people's risks are reduced when eating and drinking."
Without exception professionals confirmed that the end of life care at the service was excellent. One professional said, "I have worked closely with the registered manager for the palliative and end of life (EOL) care for one of their residents. The registered manager advocated for the person living at 103 Heath Street and ensured that all services/agencies involved made reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of this person. The registered manager worked above and beyond to ensure the person stayed at 103 Heath Street as this was their home and being anywhere else for EOL would have caused them great distress. With the passion and dedication of this registered manger and their team they enabled this person to have a very peaceful passing and most importantly surrounded by those that knew them the best and offered so much comfort right until the end."