The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has upgraded the rating of Saintbridge House Nursing and Residential Home in Abbeydale, Gloucestershire, from good to outstanding, following an inspection in February.
Saintbridge House, run by 3ab Care Ltd, is a nursing and residential care home that provides personal and nursing care for up to 36 people.
The inspection was carried out as part of CQC’s routine monitoring of adult social care services.
CQC has upgraded the ratings for how caring and well-led the service is from good to outstanding, and has again rated safe, effective and responsive as good.
Stefan Kallee CQC deputy director of adult social care in Gloucestershire, said:
“When we visited Saintbridge House Nursing and Residential Home, we found a home that was really putting people at the heart of everything it did.
“Leaders set the tone here. They were visible, approachable and deeply committed to delivering high-quality, person-centred care. Staff told us they felt supported and valued, and that came through in the way they cared for people. There was a real culture of openness staff felt confident raising concerns and knew they'd be listened to.
"What struck us most was how genuinely well this home knew the people living there. Care was tailored to each person's individual needs, preferences, backgrounds and routines. People told us they felt comfortable and well looked after. People described it as a lovely place, they were well looked after cared for, and a relative described being part of a family. That kind of feedback speaks volumes.
“The home also worked closely with healthcare professionals and community partners to make sure people's needs were met quickly and effectively. When a person's needs changed, the team responded without delay reassessing, updating care plans and seeking specialist input where needed.
“This is a genuinely impressive service, and everyone at Saintbridge House should be proud of the care they're delivering.”
Inspectors also found:
- The home managed medicines safely, with staff trained and assessed in medicines administration, and clear protocols in place meaning people received the right medicines at the right time.
- Leaders maintained a strong culture of learning, using incidents to drive improvements and sharing lessons across the whole team.
- Saintbridge supported people to follow their chosen faith and maintain cultural connections, including regular church services held within the home.
- The home offered varied and meaningful activities tailored to people's interests, including trips out and intergenerational activities with pupils from a local school academy.
- Staff managed risk in a person-centred way that promoted independence for example, supporting someone to go into the garden when the weather was good, despite having limited mobility.
- Staff received ongoing training and development opportunities, including funded qualifications, which strengthened the skill mix in the home and directly benefited people's care.