A NEW star rating for care homes has been launched by a national watchdog giving people the chance to easily compare services for the first time. The Commission for Social Care Inspections (CSCI) has introduced a new quality rating system for care homes,
A NEW star rating for care homes has been launched by a national watchdog giving people the chance to easily compare services for the first time.
The Commission for Social Care Inspections (CSCI) has introduced a new quality rating system for care homes, with homes awarded between zero and three stars, according to whether they are considered poor, adequate, good or excellent.
Across North Herts, Stevenage and Mid Beds seven care homes scored the maximum, 29 were good, while eight were judged adequate. The one home classed as poor on the CSCI website, Potton House Nursing Home in Biggleswade, actually scored one star in its report as shown by owners Craig Moore Health Care and acknowledged by CSCI.
Manager of Wymondley Nursing Home, David Kelsall, whose family business was awarded three stars, said: "I think the key is the staff. We don't employ agency staff. Most of our staff have been with us since we opened. It's the staff that make the home.
"Often homes can be staffed by people who don't really care what they are doing. They might not be all that interested in the people they are looking after. If you have staff that take a pride in working somewhere then it shows through in time.
"Some homes tend to be more hard-nosed when it comes to business, especially homes that are part of larger groups. If I owned 20 homes and lived in the south of France I wouldn't know if someone's TV was broken.
"When you are in the trade you get to know the good and bad homes. Have a look and detect if staff are happy to work there or whether it's just a job."
Manager at three star Stagenhoe Sue Ryder Care Centre in St Paul's Walden, Fran Short, said: "It means we have staff who are committed, enthusiastic and well trained. Training plans for staff and feedback from residents are important."
A spokesman for the CSCI said: "The scores reflect everything from the decoration and carpets to the personal care and everything in between - such as staff management, complaints and protection.
"It's nothing to do with value for money. Cost is a commercial consideration and not something we consider in our quality ratings. But we have noticed in our inspections that there isn't necessarily a correlation between standards and cost."
A spokesman for Help the Aged said: "We think the CSCI offers a very viable and important service. The CSCI is one of the major watchdogs and it is crucial. There's no point offering a service if it's not regulated - it's a key way to get improvements."
CSCI chairman Dame Denise Platt said: "These quality ratings reward the best providers with the recognition they deserve. They are also an incentive for the poorest to improve or risk losing business in a competitive marketplace."
The CSCI is a government quango set up to monitor and improve social care. Standards in homes are judged according to the National Minimum Standards for Care Homes set by the Department of Health.
Nationally, around 70 per cent of homes achieved a two or three star rating, with only three per cent falling into the poor category.
The CSCI website has published ratings for 70 per cent of all registered care providers. The remainder will be published as they are inspected, with over 90 per cent expected to be online within the next six months.
For the full scores go to www.csci.org.uk
Commission for Social Care Inspection scores (correct as at May 15 2008)
3 stars = excellent
2 stars = good
1 star = adequate
0 stars = poor
North Herts
3 stars:
o Lavender Fields
Lavender Fields, Lucas Lane, Hitchin
o Monread Lodge
London Road, Woolmer Green
o Stagenhoe Park
Sue Ryder Care Centre, Stagenhoe Park, St Paul's Walden
o Wymondley Nursing Home
Little Wymondley
2 stars:
o Ashwood Place
Off Sunnyside Road, Hitchin
o Baldock Core and Cluster
Coach House Cloisters, 10 Hitchin Street, Baldock
o Benslow Nursing Home
Benslow Rise, Hitchin
o Burleigh House
Letchworth Road, Baldock
o Elmside
Elmside Walk, Hitchin
o Freeman House
Radburn Way, Letchworth GC
o Gosmore Nursing Home
Hitchin Road, Gosmore
o Halcyon Days
The Old Rectory, Church Lane, Graveley
o Highbury Rise
Highbury Road, Hitchin
o Minsden
Wratten Road West, Hitchin
o Pirton Hall
Pirton Road, Shillington
o Sloe Hill Residential Care Home
Mill Lane, St Ippolyts
o St Catherine's Nursing Home
Spring Road, Letchworth GC
o The Letchworth Mental Health Project
Springshott, Letchworth GC
o Trembaths
Talbot Way, Letchworth GC
o Walsworth Road
Walsworth Road, Hitchin
o Westbourne
Bedford Road, Hitchin
1 star:
o Osbourne Court Care Home
Park Drive, Baldock
Not yet rated:
o Bulwer Lytton House
Lytton Fields, Knebworth
o Foxholes Nursing Home
Pirton Road, Hitchin
o Guysfield Residential Home
Willian Road, Willian
o Providence Court
Providence Way, Baldock
o The White House Nursing and Residential Home
Gillison Close, Letchworth GC
Stevenage
3 stars:
o Scarborough House
Scarborough Avenue
o Southcliffe House
Ripon Road
2 stars:
o Bide A While
Brick Kiln Road
o Fellowes Way
Fellowes Way
o Life Opportunities Trust
Hitchin Road
o Manor View Nursing and Residential Home
Manor View
o Newhaven
Drakes Drive
o Windsor House
Windsor Close
o Wisden Court
Wisden Road
o Woodlands View Residential and Nursing Home
Magpie Crescent
1 star:
o Martins House
Jessop Road
o Winnett Cottage
Hertford Road
Not yet rated:
o Jenny Chapman House
Shephall View
Mid Beds
3 stars:
o Pemdale
Nursery Close, Potton
2 stars:
o Cedar and Douglas Units
Broad Street, Clifton
o Allison House
Swan Lane, Sandy
o Chase House
House Lane, Arlesey
o Wren Park Nursing and Residential Home
Hitchin Road, Shefford
1 star:
o Home Farm Trust
Hitchin Road
Shefford
o Hollycroft
Church Street, Langford
o Magnolia House
Station Road, Biggleswade
o Meppershall Nursing Home
Shefford Road, Meppershall
o Park House Care Centre
Mill Lane, Sandy
o Potton House Nursing Home
Potton Road, Biggleswade
Not yet rated:
o Country Bungalow
Potton Road, Everton
o Sheridan House
Bedford Road, Sandy
o The Limes
High Street, Henlow
o The White House
Brookside, Campton, Shefford
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