Moray care teams praised as care standards improve

Two Moray care homes, recently acquired by the Parklands group, have shown a notable improvement in care standards in a matter of months, according to the findings of the independent regulator.

In March 2023, Parklands Care Homes was appointed to manage Weston View in Keith and Wakefield House in Cullen after operator Craigard Care Limited went into administration. A new management team was given the explicit task of raising care standards at the homes.

Five months later, Weston View and Wakefield House were formally integrated into the Parklands group, ensuring continuity of care for almost 70 residents and safeguarding around 80 jobs across the two homes.

Both homes recently underwent routine inspections by the Care Inspectorate, their first since being transferred to Parklands.

Inspectors assessed both homes against five key criteria: support for residents' wellbeing, quality of leadership, performance of the staff team, the homes’ setting, and the effectiveness of care and support planning.

At Weston View, inspectors observed that ‘staff were welcoming, warm and working hard to meet people's needs’ and that ‘there was a culture of trying to make people's life and experiences better.’ Their report found that care plans were detailed and person-centred. ‘This ensured that the needs, thoughts and wishes of people were at the centre of the care and support provided by staff and staff were providing consistent support,’ it said.

Inspectors found ‘there was a supportive culture within the service. Senior staff and management provided guidance and reassurance to the staff team.’ The report added: 'Staff told us they were pleased with recent positive improvements within the service. Leaders directed care well and staff felt supported in their role. As a result, the staff team worked well together to improve outcomes for people.’ The report also noted efforts to reduce reliance on agency staff which ensured more stability for residents.

Weston View received a grade 5 (very good) rating for the quality of leadership, the home’s setting and how well care and support is planned. It was rated grade 4 (good) for the way it supports people’s wellbeing and for the performance of its staff team.

By contrast, following its last limited inspection in November 2022, Weston View was rated grade 3 (adequate) for the quality of its leadership.

Meanwhile, at Wakefield, House, inspectors described a ‘whole team approach that was very focused on community engagement, families and involvement. This resulted in many positive outcomes.’ Inspectors also noted ‘significant improvements to the outcomes for people and the morale of staff’ since the home had been acquired by Parklands. The report also acknowledged Parklands’ ongoing refurbishment efforts - as a result of which ‘Wakefield was welcoming, homely and a nicer place for people to stay.’

Inspectors also noted ‘a significant amount of work’ had been undertaken to ‘ensure a leadership team was recruited and developed, to support and direct care during each shift.’

Wakefield House was rated 4 (good) in each of the five criteria assessed. It was judged adequate (grade 3) against the same set of criteria during its last inspection in February 2023.

Ron Taylor, managing director of Parklands Care Homes, said: “The turnaround at Weston View and Wakefield House, in just a matter of months, has been astonishing. Through leadership, focus and determination, both homes have made tremendous and tangible progress in a very short period of time. It has involved a huge team effort, but the results of that hard work are clearly evident.

“These are early days, and we have a lot of work ahead at both homes to further improve care standards. However, I am absolutely delighted with the progress we have made. I couldn’t be prouder of both homes for the dedication and professionalism they have shown during this testing transitional period. We have never faced a situation before where we’ve had to step in - almost overnight - to safeguard two care homes, but both teams have shown exceptional commitment.”

Shona Conlin, manager of Weston View, said: “While the past few months have been undeniably challenging, I'm immensely proud of our team's unwavering dedication and their commitment to raise care standards at Weston View. It’s a privilege to lead such a professional, dedicated team.”

Ruth Smith, manager at Wakefield House, added: “The dedication of the Wakefield House team, especially during what was an incredibly challenging time, has been truly inspiring. Their hard work has been instrumental in achieving positive feedback from the Care Inspectorate."