A CARE home in Redditch has been highly praised by inspectors following an unannounced visit.

Stonebridge Nursing Home in Headless Cross, has been rated as outstanding following an inspection in June from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The home, which cares for up to 52 adults including people living with dementia and long-term mental health conditions, was last inspected in 2016 when it was rated Good.

June’s inspection found that people benefitted from safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led care.

Under CQC’s programme of inspections, all adult social care services are rated according to whether they are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

Stonebridge has been given an overall rating of Outstanding.

It is rated Outstanding for being caring, responsive and well-led. It is rated Good for being safe and effective.

Maggie Hannelly, from the CQC, said: “Our inspection team was very impressed by the level of care and support offered at Stonebridge Nursing Home.

“The service celebrated diversity. One person greatly valued being supported to celebrate Diwali, something that had not been possible in their previous home, and this brought spiritual meaning back into their life.

We also heard how staff involved different cultures, religions, LGBT+ lives and people's histories.

"People trusted staff and felt comfortable to talk about these important aspects of their lives. All this made people feel included as part of life in the home."

She added: "People achieved health outcomes that were better than expected because staff tailored care to their specific needs and preferences.

"For some people, this meant helping build their confidence to engage with others to improve their mental health. For people with more physical needs, this meant staff purchasing specialist equipment and undertaking training to support them as effectively as possible.

“The service knew the importance an active social life has in improving health and wellbeing. People told us they were supported to enjoy a range of activities including relaxation, swimming, gym, gardening and stretching classes. Staff also supported people to do the things they enjoyed.

"One person had seen a pizza advert while watching television and commented how they loved to have one, so staff had a pizza delivered directly to the person – a meal they were thrilled to receive."