The Eachstep Blackburn Care Home in Lancashire has been rated as outstanding, following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission. The inspection took place on 13 & 14 August 2018.
It was awarded outstanding for being caring, responsive and well-led and good for the safe and effective aspects of the report.
Eachstep Blackburn is registered to provide accommodation for older people who require nursing or personal care for sensory impairments, dementia, learning disabilities and mental health conditions.
The CQC highlighted that residents were supported by staff who were extremely kind and caring during the inspection. CQC inspectors observed all staff ensured all their interactions with people were meaningful and caring; this helped to ensure people felt they mattered to the staff who supported them.
Throughout the inspection, they witnessed numerous examples of a family atmosphere with relatives, people who used the service and staff having conversations, laughing and showing they cared for each other.
Inspectors heard numerous examples where staff had gone above and beyond what might normally be expected of them in their role to help ensure people who lived in the home had an excellent experience. Typical feedback provided by people who lived in the home included, "Staff are very good, they're lovely", "I love them, they're so kind", "The staff are lovely", "Staff are lovely; they're always around for us" and "The staff are very kind, very friendly and chatty."
Staff were extremely responsive to people's needs. The CQC witnessed staff anticipating people's needs which showed they had an excellent understanding of how individuals communicated, including people who had limited verbal communication. A strong emphasis was placed on engaging people in meaningful activity which met their individual interests; to support this the home had developed links with a wide range of community based organisations to help improve the quality of life for people who lived in Eachstep Blackburn.
Staff had been safely recruited and there were enough staff on duty to meet people's needs in a flexible way which met their preferences and promoted their independence.
Staff had received training in the protection of adults and knew what action they should take if they suspected or witnessed abuse.