Professional Comment

How Care Homes Can Become Outstanding Rated by the CQC

James Rycroft, Managing Director at CQC Outstanding rated Vida Healthcare in Harrogate, and a Board Member of The Outstanding Society, shares his tips on how more care homes can secure an Outstanding rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The Care Quality Commission ensures that health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care.

Vida Healthcare designs, develops and operates specialist care homes for people living with dementia. Since being founded in 2013, Vida has completed three bespoke buildings, two of which have been rated Outstanding by the CQC, employing almost 500 staff and providing specialist care to nearly 300 residents.

CQC feedback
The CQCs key lines of enquiry (KLOEs) prompts and sources evidence to enable inspectors to establish the rating that a care home should be given.

There are a number of key considerations for care home operators if they are to meet the KLOEs and receive an Outstanding rating.

Communication is key and it’s important that staff are kept informed of policy changes, best practice and training opportunities to develop their career. This can also present staff with opportunities to celebrate together and recognise the wonderful impact that they make on a daily basis to the people they support which can improve morale and care provision.

The CQC looks for evidence of innovation and outside-the-box thinking that will help residents to remain independent and have a voice, enable families to remain connected to their loved ones no matter where they are, and create a community where all staff can unite as one and play a crucial role in shaping the service that is being provided.

Putting this into practice
As care homes develop and grow, an operator might want to consider implementing clear and engaging communication channels to keep staff and family members informed and up-to-date. This will ensure that the staff and services are organised and can meet residents’ needs.

At Vida, we developed our unique app, Vida Team Talk, to create a community space for staff to interact, communicate and collaborate. Not only has this supported us in our aim to provide high quality and consistent care that achieves good outcomes, but it also provides an additional lifeline to families looking to connect with their loved ones when they’re unable to visit.

For more information, please visit www.vidahealthcare.co.uk.