The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has upgraded the rating of Crawford Care Home in Bognor Regis from good to outstanding following an inspection in January.
Crawford Care Home, run by Crawfords Homes Limited, is a residential care home for autistic people and people with a learning disability.
There were ten people living there during this inspection, which was carried out as part of CQC’s routine monitoring of adult social care services.
CQC has upgraded the ratings for caring and well-led from good to outstanding and has re-rated safe, responsive and effective as good.
Amy Jupp, CQC’s deputy director for adult social care in the South East, said:
“When we inspected Crawford Care Home, we found a genuinely positive culture where supporting people to live full and meaningful lives is at the heart of everything they do.
“Staff were incredibly attentive and quick to respond to people’s needs. They know people’s preferences and triggers well, which means they can step in early to offer reassurance and prevent distress. One staff member told us that if someone who loves being outdoors is having a bad day, they’ll support them to go out for a walk.
“This proactive and compassionate approach has reduced episodes of distress and helped create a calm, relaxed atmosphere throughout the home. People and their relatives repeatedly told us that staff are kind and caring, and that this has a real impact on quality of life. We saw that people feel genuinely at home and have built trusting relationships with staff. One relative said the home’s compassionate culture reassures them that their loved one isn’t just well cared for, but truly cherished.
“That emotionally supportive care is possible because leaders have created an open, trusting culture where staff feel valued and appreciated. As a result, morale is high and people receive care from a consistent, motivated team.
“Leaders also ensure care is flexible, giving people real control over their daily lives. The registered manager told us that if someone decides they want to take part in an activity, staff are organised in a way that makes it happen. When people shared how much they enjoy Christmas carols, staff arranged for them to attend a concert at a local school.
“Everyone at Crawford Care Home should be incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved, and other services should look to this report as an example of outstanding practice.”
Inspectors found:
- Staff reviewed people’s medicines with them regularly and had reduced the need for some people to take anti-psychotic medicines. Families and staff said this had improved their mood and given them better quality of life.
- The service made sure people were living somewhere that was safe, clean, and cosy. Relatives told us it was a ‘home away from home’.
- Staff supported people to manage their health and wellbeing, making sure they saw healthcare professionals such as GPs and speech and language therapists. This had improved their health outcomes.
- The service worked together with people to plan their care and treatment with them and records showed regular input from people and their families. Staff adapted support plans to reflect people’s preferences, such as meal choices and daily routines.
- The registered manager ensured staff received regular training and appraisals, including specialist training tailored to the needs of people living in the home. This strengthened staff confidence and meant people received high quality care that met their needs.
- Partner organisations spoke highly of the positive relationships they had with staff, praising their responsiveness and how they advocated for the people living there.