The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has upgraded the rating of Devonshire Dementia Care Home in Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames from good to outstanding following an inspection that finished in May.
Devonshire Dementia Care Home is a residential care home for older people living with dementia. The service can accommodate up to 34 people. 32 people were living there at the time of the inspection.
CQC carried out this inspection as part of its routine monitoring of health and care services as well as due to the length of time since the last inspection.
Following this inspection, CQC has upgraded the service from good to outstanding overall as well as for effective and responsive. It has re-rated safe, caring and well-led as good.
Amanda Partington-Todd, CQC deputy director of adult social care in London, said:
“When we inspected Devonshire Dementia Care Home, we found a service delivering exceptionally personalised care that was genuinely built around each person’s identity, history and wishes. Improving from good to outstanding is a significant achievement and reflects the dedication of everyone at the service.
“People and their relatives consistently told us they received exceptional care, and our inspectors saw this for themselves. They described staff as kind, respectful and compassionate, and spoke warmly about the welcoming atmosphere, meaningful activities and the positive experience of living at the home.
“Staff knew the people they supported deeply, not just their care needs, but their interests and what made them feel like themselves. One person who loved gardening was supported to design and manage their own garden in the grounds, which helped increase their confidence and sense of purpose. Another person was supported to paint because staff knew it was something they had enjoyed before moving into the home.
“We also found staff thought creatively about how to make everyday experiences better for people. They used music chosen by residents throughout the home, including through a built-in sound system in bathrooms, to help people feel calm during personal care. For one person, staff played traditional music and displayed images from their country of birth during mealtimes to enhance their emotional wellbeing.
“It was also encouraging to see leaders create a culture where staff felt empowered to share ideas, embrace innovation and continuously improve people’s experience of care. Staff never lost sight of what mattered most to people as individuals and looked for new ways to help them live fulfilling lives.
“All of the staff at Devonshire Dementia Care Home should be really proud of the exceptional care they delivered. Other services should look at this report as an example of outstanding practice to support people to lead their best lives.”
Inspectors also found:
- A co-designed hydration programme encouraged people to drink more fluids throughout the day and reduced urinary tract infections over a 12-month period.
- Motion sensors alerted staff when people at risk of falls needed support, contributing to a significant reduction in falls over the previous 12 months.
- People and their relatives consistently described improvements in health and wellbeing since moving into the service, including better mobility, nutrition and hydration.
- The service reached the final shortlist for the Gold Standard Framework’s national Best Care Home of the Year award, recognising its commitment to delivering high-quality care.
- Community partners praised the service’s leadership team for working collaboratively to develop new initiatives, pilot schemes and other improvements that better met the needs of people living with dementia.