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Priory's Swerford House care home rated ‘outstanding’ for being “responsive”

• Inspectors said residents were “supported to live meaningful lives, reaching and exceeding goals” • Residents are “part of their community, and known locally at shops, cafes and restaurants” • A resident told inspectors that their family member was the “happiest they have been for a long time”

A Dover care home for people with autism and learning disabilities has been rated ‘outstanding’ for being “responsive” by the health and social care watchdog, the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Inspectors ranked Swerford House ‘outstanding’ in the “responsive” assessment category, following a recent inspection. The CQC said, “People were supported to live meaningful lives, reaching and exceeding goals they chose for themselves.”

Inspectors said, “People were supported to live full, active busy lives, taking part in a range of activities they chose for themselves. During the inspection, most people were in and out of the house, having chosen specific activities they wanted to part in during the day. A relative told us, ‘The staff all work so hard for their residents to make their lives as fulfilling as they can for the individual’.”

The CQC mentioned how residents “were part of their community, and known locally at shops, cafes and restaurants”. A resident regularly goes to see his local football team play, and a staff member told inspectors “everyone knows him on the bus, they say hello and he gives them the thumbs up.”

The report praised staff for supporting residents to “achieve things for the first time”, including helping one resident to go on their first ever holiday. A resident’s relative told inspectors that staff went “over and above” in supporting their family member to attend a wedding.

The CQC rated the service ‘good’ overall and in each of the other four assessment categories: “is the service safe”, “caring”, “effective” and “well-led”.

Inspectors were full of praise for Swerford House in the other four categories. For example, in their review of the “caring” category, inspectors said: “People and staff had formed relationships based on trust and respect. Staff spoke with and about people in a kind, compassionate way that demonstrated this…. Relatives told of us their loves ones were happy living at Swerford. One relative told us, ‘They managed to turn my loved one around in a short time. You can see it in their face, they are the happiest they have been for a long time’.”

Swerford House supports adults with autism and/or learning disabilities. The care home is located in Dover, Kent, and is managed by Priory Adult Care, a division within the renowned Priory Group, the mental healthcare specialists.

Patricia Warman, Registered Manager at Swerford House, said: “I am really thrilled with this report. It reflects the tremendous work that our staff team do here. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved with Swerford House for all of their efforts.”

Rebekah Cresswell, Chief Operating Officer at Priory Adult Care, said: “Patricia is an excellent registered manager who always does her very best for the staff team and residents there. The staff team is really effective in helping residents to improve their life skills and supporting them to do the things they enjoy. The feedback from relatives is so pleasing to see.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Niamh Donnelly .