Doncaster nursing home that cares for people with mental health problems rated good by the Care Quality Commission

Headingley Court Care Home in Edlington is provided and run by Countrywide Healthcare Ltd and was visited by the CQC on February 10-11 this year.

Headingley Court Care Home is a nursing home providing accommodation, personal care, and treatment of disease, disorder and injury. The home is registered to provide nursing care for up to 25 younger and older adults who may be living with dementia, have mental health conditions and whose behaviours may also challenge.

On the first day of the inspection, the home was supporting 24 people.

The inspector’s report stated that during the visit there were enough staff to safely meet people’s needs, but records showed gaps in staff training to ensure they were able to provide safe, personalised care.

It stated: “However, because staff knew people well and understood their needs, we felt assured people were safely supported. There were several audits in place to check elements of the service however audits were not always effective in identifying areas for improvement, and these required strengthening. The provider was committed to continuous improvement and sustainability.”

It continued: “Risks to people were assessed effectively, and staff were able to clearly describe how they mitigated these risks in day‑to‑day care. Staff reported feeling listened to and supported by both the registered manager and management team. They were able to raise concerns or provide feedback and felt their contributions were valued. The provider had implemented employee recognition initiatives, to celebrate the dedication of the staff members.

“The service was responsive to people’s needs and feedback from relatives was positive. Care records were person-centred, and staff acted promptly when circumstances changed. Staff enabled people to plan for the future in a proactive and sensitive way.

“Staff protected people’s dignity and privacy and showed compassion and kindness when supporting them in all aspects of their care. Management and staff had a shared vision. There was a culture of continued improvement.”

During the assessment the inspector spoke with six people living in the home and five relatives by telephone to gather experience of care.

Feedback from people and relatives about their care and support was positive. They said that they felt safe, and they were cared for by kind and compassionate staff.

People received 1:1 support from staff who knew them well. People were supported in a warm and welcoming environment and people had been involved in decorating their own spaces, to ensure they were personalised to them.

The report added: “We observed kind interactions between people and staff, and people were encouraged to make choices, and staff promoted people’s independence.

“People’s care records were person-centred and contained details of people’s preferences. People and their relatives were involved in decision making and felt their voices were heard.

“People were encouraged to take part in a variety of different activities, which we observed them enjoying during our visit. One person said, “We are going bowling today and we have been to the seaside,” another person said, “In the summer it is beautiful to go out into the garden”.”

For the full report visit https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-6284308190