A care home in Maldon has been rated as Outstanding, following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
CQC inspected Firstlings, which is run by Sohal Healthcare Limited, in August 2019. The service provides care for up to 32 older people, some of whom may be living with dementia. At the time of our inspection, 29 people were living at the service.
A full inspection report has been published on CQC’s website: https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-141268268
Under CQC’s programme of inspections, all adult social care services are rated according to whether they are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Firstlings has been given an overall rating of Outstanding. It is rated Good for being safe and effective. It is rated Outstanding for being caring, responsive and well-led.
Lo-Anne Lewis, CQC head of inspection for adult social care in CQC’s central region, said:
“Our inspection team was very impressed by the level of care and support offered by Firstlings.
“People received an outstanding service from Firstlings, which was exceptionally person centred and focussed on the outcomes for people. People were fully involved in their assessment of need and the planning, delivery and end of life care. The service was enthusiastic and skilled in the way it responded to people’s needs, wishes and preferences.
“Inspectors found staff were wonderfully caring, kind and compassionate. They created a homely and warm environment where people could be themselves. People’s independence was actively promoted and encouraged and staff went the extra mile to ensure people had autonomy, self-worth, dignity and respect.
“Staff had an excellent understanding of people’s needs and were imaginative in the way they provided care. They found creative ways of supporting people to have an exceptional quality of life and people’s well-being and social life was enriched by a range of group and individualised opportunities and activities, within the home and the local community.
“Everyone was immensely positive about the way the service was led and managed and the registered manager was an outstanding visible role model, leading by example and maintaining high values and standards. Staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities and all, regardless of their role, worked as a strong team.
“People and their relatives felt safe and those receiving care were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and supported in the least restrictive way possible.
“All of this meant people received a high standard of care, which is why it has been rated Outstanding.”
The service was previously rated as Good overall when it was last inspected in 2016.
