Stanton Court Care & Nursing Home has recently been awarded The Gold Standards Framework for its outstanding care and dedication to looking after those who need end-of-life care. The Home has been working towards this award for 2 years and has successfully achieved top marks.
‘We started The Gold Standards Framework in May 2021, and our accreditation inspection was in July 2023. This then went to the panel, and we were notified of the results on Thursday 17th of August. Due to COVID restrictions all our training was covered on teams meetings which were around 3 hours every month. Following our meetings, we researched what had been discussed and put the knowledge into practice by liaising with our local GP practices, and held regular meetings with all our staff to keep them updated and to ask their opinions of the service we were providing and how we could improve. We always value their opinions and put many suggestions into practice which made for good teamwork and strong morale’ Commented Home Manager Wendy Perkins.
The Gold Standards Framework (GSF) is a registered charity and has been the UK’s leading training provider for generalist frontline staff in caring for people in the last years of life for over 25 years. GSF is a practical and evidence-based end-of-life care improvement programme. It aims to enable a ‘gold standard’ of care for everyone, with any condition, in any setting, given by any care provider, at any time in a person’s last years of life.
‘Our staff team has gained knowledge and learned the importance of getting care right the first time as there is no second chance. They have also learnt the importance of being open and honest with the residents and their families and always updating them of their loved one’s conditions’ Commented Home Administrator Laura Whiteway.
‘Participating in the The Gold Standard Framework has given us the confidence and insight to find the right moments to discuss end-of-life care when people are admitted to our home. End of life may be many years away but we learned to give our families the opportunity to talk to each other and make important decisions without being pressured for answers at a difficult time. We sometimes had several meetings with a family and the resident before they were happy with their decisions.’ Commented a Care Assistant at Stanton Court.
Home Manager Wendy Perkins said: ‘We met with our residents’ families at different stages of their loved one's illness and recorded and respected their wishes. For example, we had a lady who had a terminal illness and wanted to die surrounded by her family, listening to Perry Como, with a gin and tonic, and a cigarette. We arranged a family meeting to discuss her end-of-life care and agreed to move her to a downstairs room where she could enjoy her last moments. She passed away peacefully, and the family were extremely grateful. The GSF training has helped us to structure our meetings and ensure the best possible death for people.’
‘Staff are over the moon to have received this award and I can’t thank them enough for the time and effort they have put in over the years to support myself as Home Manager, my Deputy Manager Devaki, and Senior Carer Charlotte in completing this. Also, I would like to add a special thanks to Laura my administrator for preparing our documentation, updating it as we went along, and assisting us with any technical issues.’
‘GSF for me has given us more of a definition and structure to what we do. We have more of a process in place. It has helped a lot because I have learned as I have developed in my role.’ Said Home Administrator Laura Whiteway.
To find out more about life at Stanton Court Care & Nursing Home please contact Home Manager Wendy Perkins at 01275 332 410 or contact stantoncourt@countrycourtcare.com
