Thursday 19 July 2018

A Clear Vision and Approachable and Involved Management Style Leads to Outstanding CQC Rating

Elizabeth House – Gloucester in Denmark Road, Gloucestershire has been rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission following an inspection in April.

Inspectors rated the service Outstanding for being safe, effective, caring and well-led and Good for being responsive to people’s needs. The overall rating was Outstanding.

Elizabeth House – Gloucester is part of the National Star Foundation Charity and provides accommodation for people (including young people under 18 years) living with a physical disability and/or learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. There were 25 people living at the service at the time of the inspection.

Key findings:

  • Throughout the inspection it was evident that people were cared for with compassion and kindness.  Staff at every level wanted people to be happy and live a life that was meaningful and fulfilling.  Inspectors observed positive interactions between people and staff and a genuine sense of fondness and respect between all involved.
  • Staff had a can do approach and worked creatively to overcome obstacles and hazards to enable people to pursue their dreams and aspirations. In one example they overcame communication and mobility issues to ensure that one resident was able to pursue his dream of skiing who described the experience as “fantastic and rewarding”
  • The care provided exceeded the expectations of people and their relatives. One person described how a member of staff spent the night with them when they were suffering from seizures saying “It shows they really care about us. It's more than a job to them."
  • The leadership of the service was exceptional. It was evident the registered manager offered strong and experienced leadership and had a clear vision about the direction of the service. This vision was embedded and passed on to the staff who were highly committed to improving people's lives and ensuring they received the highest standards of care. 
  • The management team were very much part of the overall care team at Elizabeth House. They were fully involved in people's care and were both visible and approachable. 
  • Staff at the service clearly understood their role and worked hard to promote a homely atmosphere in the service.
Deborah Ivanova, Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, said “Elizabeth House – Gloucester is a service where the staff and management have demonstrated their clear vision of promoting a world in which people with disabilities are able to realise their potential as equal and active citizens who can live independently and be in control of their lives. The culture and ethos of running a positive, person-centred service where staff treat people with compassion and regard them as family was evident throughout our inspection.

“This service was rated Good overall after our previous inspection in May 2015 and I am delighted that the provision of high quality care has continued to improve to a standard that merits our highest overall rating. I congratulate the staff and management on this achievement”.

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