Care teams at Weston View and Wakefield House praised as care standards improve following Parklands acquisition
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TWO Moray care homes have been praised by inspectors after showing considerable improvements following their acquisition by Parklands last year.
Weston View in Keith and Wakefield House in Cullen were acquired by the group after previous operator Craigard Care Limited went into administration.
The move ensured the continued care of almost 70 residents as well as safeguarding around 80 jobs.
Previous inspections of the homes, while they were still operated by Craigard Care, identified several areas where improvements should be made.
And, following the acquisition, a new management team was given the explicit task of raising care standards across both homes.
However, recent inspections by the Care Inspectorate, the first to be conducted since the acquisition, have identified notable improvements.
Ron Taylor, managing director of Parklands, said: “The turnaround at Weston View and Wakefield House, in just a matter of months, has been astonishing.
"Through leadership, focus and determination, both homes have made tremendous and tangible progress in a very short period of time.
"It has involved a huge team effort, but the results of that hard work are clearly evident.
"These are early days, and we have a lot of work ahead at both homes to further improve care standards.
"However, I am absolutely delighted with the progress we have made.
"I couldn’t be prouder of both homes for the dedication and professionalism they have shown during this testing transitional period.
"We have never faced a situation before where we’ve had to step in - almost overnight - to safeguard two care homes, but both teams have shown exceptional commitment."
Weston View's leadership was described as "weak" in a report from 2022 detailing an inspection which found one resident's bed "wet" with urine.
But inspectors rated the home's leadership as "very good" following the latest inspection.
They found that staff were "welcoming, warm and working hard to meet people's needs" adding that there was a "culture of trying to make people's life and experiences better".
Inspectors also found that care plans were detailed and person centred while senior management provided guidance and reassurance to their staff.
The report added that efforts to reduce reliance on agency staff ensured more "stability" for residents.
Shona Conlin, manager of Weston View, said: “While the past few months have been undeniably challenging, I'm immensely proud of our team's unwavering dedication and their commitment to raise care standards at Weston View.
"It’s a privilege to lead such a professional, dedicated team.”
Inspectors at Wakefield House also noted several improvements had been made since their last inspection.
The home was judged to be "adequate" in each of the the five criteria assessed under the management of Craigard Care in February 2023.
But it was judged "good" against the same set of criteria in the most recent inspection.
Inspectors described a "whole team approach" that was focused on "community engagement, families and involvement".
Significant improvements in morale were also identified, while ongoing efforts to refurbish the home were also commended.
Ruth Smith, manager at Wakefield House, added: “The dedication of the Wakefield House team, especially during what was an incredibly challenging time, has been truly inspiring.
"Their hard work has been instrumental in achieving positive feedback from the Care Inspectorate."
