Guild Care: Worthing care home celebrates improved CQC rating after action plan put in place

Linfield House, in Wykeham Road, Worthing, is a 54-bedroom residential home, including two dementia suites, and was previously rated ‘Requires Improvement’. However, the team has worked hard on an action plan to improve and this most recent inspection praised the home for its ‘calm’ atmosphere, while residents were found to be ‘supported, relaxed and engaged’.

Here at Guild Care we are continuously looking to improve services and the team at Linfield House is already working on the next plan based on the organisational values and ethos of person-centred care.

As a charity, we have managed the running of Linfield House for the past 15 years. The home promotes independent living, providing residents with the support and person-centred care they need to flourish, as well as supporting couples, including many cases where one has dementia and one does not.

The CQC report found that staff ‘treat people with respect and kindness’ and there were always enough staff to meet people’s needs. It was also highlighted that the management team ‘reviewed staffing levels according to people’s needs and occupancy levels’.

In addition, the report recognised that all our staff receive safeguarding training and as a result, residents were ‘safe and protected from avoidable harm and risk of abuse’.

Residents were also ‘supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests’ with one resident commenting ‘the girls are very helpful and I definitely feel safe’.

This was aided by the fact that the correct policies and systems were in place to support this. The team at Linfield House also promoted a ‘positive and inclusive culture’ which is ‘person-centred, open, inclusive and empowering’.

Annie Lewis, our director of care homes at Guild Care, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the results of our recent CQC report. The whole team has worked so hard to ensure the action plan dedicated to getting our rating up was enforced and that shows in this fantastic result.

“It was great to see the recognition of how happy and well-looked after residents are and also to hear that throughout what has been a difficult year for everyone, staff continued to feel supported. My sincere thanks to everyone who has helped us achieve this.”

The CQC report found that all previous concerns had been addressed by ‘delegation and increased monitoring within the management team’ who all had clear roles and ‘displayed a passion for their roles’.

The report also looked at infection control and whether the correct prevention measures were in place, which it was assured they were.

Recently, in line with Government guidance, our homes, including Linfield House, have updated their admissions policies to prevent new residents having to face a period of self-isolation.

New residents will now be required to undertake a PCR test 72-hours before admission and should they receive a negative result, they will be able to enjoy all facilities at the homes and not be confined to their own rooms.

For more information about Linfield House, visit www.guildcare.org/care-home-linfieldhouse or call the customer service team on 01903 327327.