'Outstanding' care home making wishes come true

A care home that organised for one of its residents to see a Robbie Williams tribute act has been rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Inspectors said Humberston House in Humberston, near Grimsby, provided "exceptional" care and that staff built strong connections with people and their families.

The home, run by Tanglewood Care Homes, provides accommodation and personal care for up to 72 adults, who may be living with dementia, sensory impairment or a physical disability.

Manager Claire Stainton said the home made sure residents' needs and wishes, such as the one who wanted to see the Take That singer, were always met through "person-led care".

Ms Stainton added: "We have a wish tree in place, so we try and get wishes off our residents and we do our best to make them come true.

"One of those was the Robbie Williams Tribute Act. She told us how much she loved Robbie and how she'd followed him through Take That and how she'd always wanted to go and see him.

"She felt that she'd come to the time that she'd never get to see him, so we went on the internet, we looked for a tribute band and we found one around the corner from the home.

"She's 94 and she continues to talk about it every single day.

"They're the kind of things we try and do."

Alison Chilton, CQC deputy director of operations for adult social care in the north, said: "During our inspection, we found a service striving to provide care that was exceptionally personalised to each person.

"Kind, caring and supportive staff were going above and beyond to organise activities for people to make their wishes come true.

"We also heard that when it's quiet, staff like to pamper people as it means a lot to them. They also told us that someone appreciated staff continuing to talk about their loved one who had passed away, as it allows their memory to live on."

Inspectors found the service provided a range of nutritious meals and snacks, as well as people's favourite drinks, including a little tipple of alcohol with their meals if wanted.

"It's clear the home was committed to treating people as individuals and empowering them to achieve their goals and lead fulfilling lives. Other services should look to this report to see what they can learn," Ms Chilton added.

At the time of the inspection, which took place between September and October, 44 people were living at the home.

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