Old School House retains Outstanding rating

The Old School House in New Walkergate, Beverley, has been rated as “outstanding” overall after the Care Quality Commission (CQC) conducted an unannounced inspection.

The East Riding of Yorkshire Council-run care home maintained its outstanding rating in the “Well Led” section when the CQC visited the premises on 18, 21 and 22 November and was also rated as “outstanding” in the “Effective”, “Caring” and “Responsive” categories.

The Old School House is a residential care home and provides personal care for to up to 40 people, many with dementia and complex care needs.

The home was the first council-run residential care home in Yorkshire to get an Outstanding rating during its last inspection in 2017 and it has retained that rating with even better results after receiving Outstanding in the “Responsive” category this year.

Councillor Vanessa Walker, portfolio holder for adults and carer services at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “To retain an “outstanding” rating overall is a commendable achievement and it is great to see a real commitment to care which is organised around people’s individual needs.

“In particular, relationships with families and friends are highly valued and developed so that people living at the home are able to maintain and grow their bonds with people who are important to them.

“This is central for a person with dementia to feel valued and included.

“The team should be extremely proud of the work they do and for achieving an outstanding rating.”

The report from the CQC mentions that staff were very well trained and experienced in identifying and responding to any changes in behaviour.

It also stated that people were supported according to their own expectations and abilities, which encouraged and supported their independence and freedoms.

Many positive outcomes were evidenced for people and staff told the CQC that they were motivated by the positive impact the service had on people’s lives.

All feedback received about the support provided to people was extremely positive and healthcare professionals felt staff were excellently trained.

John Skidmore, director for adults, health and customer services at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “I am delighted that The Old School House has been recognised for the excellent work of the carers and their continued commitment to providing a dedicated service.

“We take the same approach with all 140 of our residential care homes across the East Riding and work together with our independent providers and partner organisations towards achieving the very best quality and care for our residents.

“Our carers have an incredibly important role to play in the residents’ everyday lives and this report shows just how well they bring their expertise into the workplace with appropriate support and enthusiasm for what they do.

“The report is testament to the excellent work by everyone involved in providing such an invaluable service.”

To view the full report visit www.cqc.org.uk