A REDDITCH care home has passed a ‘Covid inspection’ with flying colours.

Numerous examples of good practice were identified at Stonebridge Nursing Home at Headless Cross after an audit of the protection it is providing through the pandemic.

The Care Quality Council have ditched their normal care home reviews in favour of checks to ensure the right safety measures are in place, and so far they have completed more than 400 inspections.

One of the latest was Stonebridge, at Birchfield Road, which was inspected in early November and the results just published.

Stonebridge can provide personal and nursing care for up to 52 people aged 18 and over. At the time of the inspection 41 people were using it.

Last year the home was rated Outstanding in a normal inspection. The ‘Covid inspections’ don’t give ratings, instead they say if inspectors were 'assured' of its safety, and in Stonebridge’s case they were.

Inspectors highlighted good practice in:

• Staff had access to and wore full personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times

• Additional domestic staff had been employed to enhance cleaning schedules

• The home had effective zoning and was using separate staffing groups to support people who had tested positive

• Regular testing of staff and residents was taking place and staff had received appropriate infection control and prevention training.

• Management worked closely with external health and social care professionals to minimise risks Covid 19.

• People were supported to maintain contact with their friends and relatives through video calls, increased phone calls. The provider had maintained contact through frequent newsletters, sending videos and photographs to families.

The inspectors concluded: “We were assured the service were following safe infection prevention and control procedures to keep people safe.”