Outstanding care

WHEN the Care Quality Commmission gave Westmorland Homecare sites an ‘Oustanding’ rating it could have been an opportunity for resting on laurels. Instead the management and staff at the Westmorland Homecare branches in North Lancashire and South Cumbria took up the challenge to never fall below those high standards; to see ‘outstanding’ as the bare minimum.

Director Dr Chris Moss said: “We believe that no longer should people be forced into care homes and nursing homes, no longer should people suffer ill health and poor quality of life.

“Every individual should be free to remain in their home as long as they wish, they should be able to be as active and independent as ever before and should continue to have rich and fulfilling lives.”

That’s why the Poulton-le-Fylde branch became involved with Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal, recognising that few activities feed the soul quite as effectively as horticulture. Of course, the first thing Chris and his fellow directors Dr Josh Macaulay and Russell Crossley had to do was to switch daffodil bulbs for sunflower seeds – any good gardener knows you don’t plant daffodils in spring.

The team sourced free seeds from David Whalley at Whalleys Garden Nursery in Staining and began to grow, raising money for Marie Curie at the same time.

Russell said: “The clients planting the sunflower seeds has had a real positive impact on them.

“With the current situation of not being allowed to do any social activities it meant that the clients had something they could look forward to and enjoy doing. Each client that has participated so far has had a big smile on their face when doing it and has really enjoyed watching the sunflower grow.

“Some clients have been a bit down and upset due to the coronavirus restrictions, however, this really has cheered them up. It also meant that the carer and client had a nice activity to do together.”

The reactions from clients at the home have included:

“It gives me something to look forward to as I love to check my sunflower in the morning to see if it’s grown,” and “I have always enjoyed gardening all my life but I am not able to manage it anymore, so this has really cheered me up. What a lovely surprise I have thoroughly enjoyed potting my sunflower.”

Westmorland Homecare was founded by Dr Macaulay, Dr Moss and Russell Crossley. They’d had experience of caring for people in their NHS roles as an A&E doctors, anaesthetist, as well as care and experience, but wanted to help people more than just whilst in hospital.

All three had frequently seen people coming into hospital after having poor care at home as well as people who couldn’t return to their own homes because the right support wasn’t available for them.

The stated mission of the directors and team at Westmorland Homecare is to strive to be the home-care provider of choice across the communities of the South Lakes, the Fylde coast and Wyre district.

Mr Crossley said: “The operations in Kendal and South Lakeland have twice been awarded Outstanding status by the Care Quality Commission for being Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and a Well-led organisation.

“This recognition by the CQC is something we consider to be the benchmark, and a standard below which we are committed to never fall below. Our ambition is to be the very best care provider it is possible to be and by having a well-resourced, well-staffed organisation embedded within the communities we serve we can deliver the absolutely best service possible.”