Pennington Court in Beeston is first ‘Outstanding’ care home in Leeds

Westward Care has received notification today that it’s Care Home Pennington Court has been awarded the overall rating of Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). It is the first Care Home for older people in Leeds to ever achieve the highest rating of ‘Outstanding’.

Outstanding: Pennington Court, Hunslet Hall Road, Beeston. Photo: Google Streetview

Feedback from the CQC Inspectors included:

“The provider demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring people received care based on best practice guidance, with the aim of achieving the best possible outcomes. They gave people, their relatives and staff ways of sharing their opinions and ideas for any improvements that could be made. Staff told us they were proud to work at the service. They said the registered manager was very supportive and the provider gave them opportunities for professional development.”

“Staff treated people with dignity and respect and were genuinely warm in their interactions with people.”

Peter Hodkinson, Managing Director of Westward Care noted:

“Our constant focus is to be one of the leading health and social care providers in Leeds and we can only achieve this by living up to our proposition of putting people at the heart of everything we do. This ‘outstanding’ recognition by CQC is testament to the leadership shown by the Care Home General Manager Angela Randle along with the values and commitment of our staff, many of whom live locally, and everyday go ‘above and beyond’ to provide the best care to those who receive our health and social care services.”

Angela Randle, the Care Home General Manager has worked for Westward Care for 20 years and has been General Manager at Pennington Court since 2015:

“We are obviously delighted to be acknowledged as the first and only care home for older people rated ‘outstanding’ in Leeds. We are especially delighted to receive the direct feedback from people living at the home, their relatives and health and social care professionals. This external endorsement for the quality of our service means so much to everyone who works at Pennington Court. Our care plans always centre on achieving the best life possible for people living at Pennington Court as one staff member noted in the CQC review – ‘I think staff go the extra mile for people because making things special for them, and seeing their smile, is what this job is all about.’”

CQC have a five point review system – a selection of comments noted in the report relating to these five areas are outlined below:

Is the service safe?

People told us, “The staff are smashing, they do everything they can to keep us safe” and “I am feeling very settled. The night staff make sure you’re safe too.” Relatives told us, “My relative is really safe here, they had so many trips and falls at home and have not had one since they came here.”

Is the service effective?

People said staff had the required skills to provide effective care for them. Comments included, “With the consistent support of the staff team my quality of life has vastly improved” Relatives told us, “I believe the staff are trained to a high standard” and “We are delighted in the change in our relative since they came to live here.”

Is the service caring?

The CQC Inspector’s observations of staff interactions with people showed they were very kind, caring and compassionate. “People looked very relaxed and comfortable around staff. There was a calm and friendly atmosphere and we heard some good-humored banter shared between people and staff.”

Without exception, people were very complimentary about the caring nature and approach of staff. Comments included, “The staff are just wonderful”; “Every one of the girls are brilliant, they look after me so well”; “The staff are so kind and patient”; “You couldn’t want for better staff to look after you”

Relatives also gave consistent, positive feedback about the service. Their comments included, “I am impressed by the friendly and caring nature of the staff”; “This is a special place”; “The staff have so much devotion.”

Without exception, staff spoke positively and were passionate about working at the service. Staff comments included, “I love working here, I love the residents, they are like family to me”; “The home is great. People are well looked after because we really care about each and every one of them”; “It’s not like a job, it’s like they are all family. I really enjoy coming to work to see people.”

Is the service responsive?

The registered manager was extremely passionate about enhancing people’s wellbeing and sought opportunities to ensure people had access to and were engaged in activities which were meaningful to them e.g. charity fundraising, wedding vow renewal, decorating rooms like their old homes, nursery children coming to visit / community links with Opera North.

The service had also recently achieved reaccreditation with the Gold Standards Framework (GSF) for their commitment to delivering a high standard of end of life care to people. Pennington Court Nursing Home was now rated a ‘Platinum Home’ with the GSF.

Is the service well-led?

The registered manager led by example and was extremely driven to provide excellent, person centred care to people. All staff we spoke with felt the registered manager was a strong, visible, approachable, fair and honest manager. External health and social care professionals who were involved with the service told us, “The manager is passionate about the work she does” and “The manager is very committed to ensuring people have the best care at Pennington Court.”