Staff at a specialist housing development for disabled people have been praised for their efforts to treat residents with dignity and provide ‘caring with a genuine warmth’ in an inspection by Scotland’s care watchdog.
Blackwood Housing and Care’s Belses Gardens development in Glasgow received high marks from the Care Inspectorate for quality of care and support which was awarded a grade of five, meaning they are rated “Very Good”.
The quality of management and leadership was also rated highly with a grade of five, acknowledging that there are very few areas requiring improvement.
Belses Gardens improved on their grades from a previous inspection from Good to Very Good. The development, which provides accessible accommodation and care services for 15 people in Cardonald, also received praise from customers and their relatives, with survey respondents either happy or very happy with the service.
One respondent highlighted the caring staff team at Belses Gardens, while another said: “I see staff training in the care home and it shows”.
Fanchea Kelly, Chief Executive at Blackwood, said: “We are very pleased with this report and feedback from our customers and the Care Inspectorate – it’s an excellent achievement to secure grades of five, while also improving on the previous inspection.
“Being recognised by the Care Inspectorate is extremely rewarding and encouraging for all of our staff who consistently strive to provide the best service to our customers.”
Blackwood’s commitment to customer care was reflected by the Care Inspectorate, with the inspectors’ report stating: “People spoken with during the inspection told us they were treated with dignity and respect.
“They told us they experienced care and support with compassion which was reflected in the positive relationships between staff and the people using the service.
“People commented on how the small size of the service was beneficial as staff were able to focus clearly on people’s needs. The service was conscious about keeping people safe from harm and all staff members we spoke with had good knowledge and understanding about adult support and protection.”
The Care Inspectorate report also highlighted the skill and expertise of Blackwood staff, adding: “Staff were observed to be caring with a genuine warmth, and knew people’s daily routines and communicated in a style that suited their needs.
“Management and staff had strong values. They clearly respected each person and considered what the service was doing well and what might not be working out – this was commented on as a major strength from some of the people experiencing care.”
Since it was founded in 1972 by Dr Margaret Blackwood, Blackwood has pioneered housing and care by continuously innovating and utilising technology to help people live as independently as possible. In the report, customers particularly celebrated Blackwood’s bespoke CleverCogs™ system.
CleverCogs™ is a digitally enhanced care system, which allows customers to communicate with carers, as well as friends and family, and also gives users control over their support and care.
Blackwood aims to help people live their life to the full, by providing services which support individuals in exercising their right to have choice and control over their lives in a home which is suitable to their needs.
As Blackwood works in 29 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, it is more widely dispersed than most other care or housing providers and has embraced the challenges of taking housing and care into innovative areas at a time when funding is increasingly limited.
For more information, please visit: https://www.blackwoodgroup.org.uk
