The Firs Residential Home was rated ‘good’ across the board, an improvement from their previous inspection report.

The inspectors made an unannounced visit to the care home on the November 1 and the report was published on December 20.

The report said: ‘the provider and registered manager nurtured a culture which truly put people at its centre.’

A relative told the CQC, “It’s the best choice we could have made. I have already recommended The Firs to a friend.”

A staff member told them, ‘I love my job. I see people here as my family and I care for people like they were my Mum or Nan.’

The report was very complimentary about the care and the service’s management, saying: “The service was dedicated to ensuring continuous quality improvement to enhance people’s lives. The care we observed was person-centred and individual to people. We spoke with healthcare professionals who were consistently positive about the service leadership.”

Staff were also portrayed in an extremely positive light, with a relative quoting “Yes, I do think they are well cared for. Whenever she sees some of the staff her face lights up. She recognises them and they have a laugh and a joke. They are always friendly, laughing and joking and they treat her with respect.” A staff member asserted, “There is a strong team here. Our staff are here for the love of the job.”

Another relative told the CQC how “The service approach to involving people and giving choice and independence had positively impacted on their relative. They said, “I have seen her encouraged in things she would not have usually done. Making things, skittles, playing with a puppy. She loves music. She is voluntarily mixing much more than she has ever done for years.”

The report plays tribute to the provider and registered manager and how they “demonstrated an ability to maintain an excellent standard of care provision against a backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.”