St David’s Nursing Home in Ascot are celebrating again after being awarded another overall outstanding by the Care Quality Commission.
Inspectors visited 16 April 2019 and rated St David’s Nursing Home as outstanding in three areas, the effectiveness, responsive and well-led aspects of the report, and good for the safe and caring elements.
St David’s Nursing Home is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to 32 people aged 65 and over.
The service had a strong focus on the importance of having a healthy diet. People were offered a variety of freshly cooked, appealing meals from a menu which was regularly changed. Alternative meal choices were available to people on request and special dietary requirements such as gluten intolerance and dairy free diets were catered for. The chef consulted people daily about their meal choices. Staff tested meals using 'taster menus' to ensure they met people's approval.
Staff supported people to choose their meals and snacks by showing them different foods and used different techniques to support and encourage people to eat, including one to one support, smaller portions and bite sized pieces of food. The registered manager told inspectors this had resulted in three people gaining weight.
There was a varied activities programme which staff planned with the help of residents, that included outings such as boat trips, museum visits and wheelchair ice skating.
The activities coordinator said, "We have regular exercise classes. We have trips out. We try to cater for everyone - we've recently done an ice-skating trip; it went down a storm. We offer gardening, regular sing a longs, cooking and jewellery making."
St David’s Nursing Home has been awarded Gold status from Investors in People, an initiative which recognises an organisation's aim to improve performance and achieve objectives through the management and development of its' staff.
Survey results showed 91 per cent of staff trusted the organisation, with staff describing managers as 'inspirational', 'inclusive' and 'open'.
Staff also commented that they were clear about what was expected of them, good performance was rewarded and there was a collaborative culture within the home.
In the feedback from the 2019 stakeholder questionnaire 83 per cent rated the home as excellent.
Owner FidelmaTinneny said, “It’s a recognition of the staff’s hard work, their skills and their attitude towards helping our residents to live as well as they can.