'Absolutely delighted'- Edgar Street Residential Home in Accrington upgraded to outstanding

A Lancashire care home has said it is “absolutely delighted” to be handed a new ‘outstanding’ rating by the body

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has upgraded the rating for Edgar Street Residential Home in Accrington from good to outstanding, following an inspection from April 21 to May 18.

Edgar Street, run by Dr Morgiana Muni Nazerali-Sunderji, is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to six people, including younger adults, autistic people or people living with a learning disability.

At the time of this inspection six people were living at the service, however some were not receiving a regulated activity.

CQC assessed the service using its ‘right support, right care, right culture’ guidance which assesses whether a service guarantees autistic people and people with a learning disability the respect, equality, dignity, choice, independence and access to local communities that most people are able to take for granted.

What did inspectors make of the home?

As part of upgrading Edgar Street’s overall rating to ‘outstanding’, CQC upgraded the ratings for ‘effective’ and ‘well-led’ from good to outstanding, whilst ‘caring. has been re-rated as outstanding.

The ratings for ‘safe’ and ‘responsive’ remain rated as good.

Inspectors found:

• The service ensured care plans were comprehensive, regularly reviewed and reflected people’s strengths, aspirations and goals to keep them safe.
• The service actively avoided restrictive practices, instead using proactive and preventative approaches to support people effectively.
• Leaders were highly effective, visible and inclusive. They demonstrated a strong understanding of best practice and were committed to continuous improvement, innovation and partnership working. They also used learning to improve the quality of care being provided.
• Leaders ensured people’s transitions between services were carefully planned and coordinated, with arrangements tailored to meet their individual circumstances, preferences and communication needs. This helped ensure they were safe and well managed.

What did CQC say?

Andy Peck, CQC deputy director of adult social care in the north, said: “At our inspection, we found leaders and staff committed to providing strong, person-centred care and support to people at an exceptionally high standard. They were outstanding at promoting people’s independence and genuinely putting everyone living there at the heart of everything they did.

“The manager had created a person-centred culture, which helped enable staff to care for people with genuine kindness and empathy. They took the time to really get to know people and understand their care and support needs, in a comfortable environment they called home.

“Edgar Street had a wellbeing champion, who organised celebratory events, and other occasions which were meaningful to people. This included having culture nights, where people could eat food from around the world and learn about different faiths and fashions. When arranging these, people’s personal connections and interests were considered, such as places where people had been on holiday.

“It was also positive to hear that the service was excellent at thoroughly assessing people’s needs before they moved in to check if they could meet their requirements. If Edgar Street couldn’t support people and alternative placements were needed, the service worked tirelessly with external partners to find the best possible place for people, so they could live their best life with the appropriate support they needed.

“Everyone at Edgar Street should be very proud of their dedication that is having a positive impact on people’s lives. Other services should look to this report to see what they can learn.”

What has Edgar Street Residential Home said?

Manager Katie Barnes, who has worked at the home for 17 years, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded an Outstanding rating by the CQC. This achievement is a reflection of the dedication, compassion and professionalism shown by our entire team every day.

“At Edgar Street Residential Home, we are committed to providing the highest quality care and support, ensuring that the people who live with us are safe, happy, valued and able to live fulfilling lives. Receiving an Outstanding rating is a tremendous recognition of the positive culture we have built and the exceptional work carried out by our staff.

“We are incredibly proud of this achievement and would like to thank our team, the people we support, their families, and our partner agencies for their continued trust and support. We will continue striving to deliver the very best outcomes for everyone who calls Edgar Street home.”

The report will be published on CQC’s website in the next few days.