Sheffield care home is good - but urged to improve medicine management to become excellent

Paddock Hill in Gleadless, one of a chain of ten properties operated across the city by charity Sheffcare, was recently visited by inspectors from the CQC, the independent regulator of all health and social care services in England.

And they rated services good in four main areas - effectiveness, responsiveness, caring and leadership – but said safety required improvement.

The good rating is a step up from the rating in January which stated the home required improvement.

“Everyone told us the staff were kind and caring,” the inspectors explained in their report.

“We observed staff had a good rapport with people living at Paddock Hill and they provided effective reassurance to people when they became anxious or distressed.

“People were supported to remain involved in decisions about their care and staff also promoted people's privacy and dignity and treated people with respect.

“People told us staff supported them to remain as independent as possible.”

The inspectors also praised the home’s catering facilities and the fact that levels of health care provision were high.

“When people required a special diet because of medical or cultural reasons, this was catered for,” the inspectors said.

The report also noted that residents’ medicines were mostly managed safely, however, some improvements were needed to the management of people's topical medicines, such as creams, and medicines people needed at specific times of the day, and this, plus an improved activity programme, would put it on the road to an excellent rating.

The inspectors also spoke to relatives who said they were happy with the quality of care their family member received.

Sheffcare Chief Executive Belinda Black commented: “Once again, I am very pleased that the inspectors gave us a good rating, which is entirely due to the dedication and enthusiasm of the Paddock Hill team.

“It is particularly rewarding that both residents and their families also recognise that quality of service.”