A care home in Shinfield has been rated as ‘Good’ by health watchdogs in a recent inspection.

Rookery Cottage at 249 Shinfield Road, Reading was visited by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which is in charge of reviewing the service provided at care facilities.

The care home caters for six adults with learning disabilities, autism and physical and sensory impairments, cared for by 20 staff employed by Voyage 1.

The clients of the adapted home live across two floors who have their own bedrooms, and share bathrooms, lounge room, dining room a kitchen and spacious garden.

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Rookery Cottage was inspected in part due to concerns received about falls and serious injuries which the care home itself was investigating.

The CQC therefore visited to exam the risks, but found no evidence that people were currently at risk of harm from these concerns.

Fire safety risks which were identified were pending remedial works to begin.

Inspectors recommended making adaptations to the layout, design and decoration of the care home to better suit client needs and allay safety concerns.

Inspectors judged the care home ‘requires improvement’ in the area of effectiveness.

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Although the inspectors agreed a quality system to improve was in place, remedial work to improve had been delayed by the pandemic.

However, staff were praised for being appropriately trained to meet their clients needs, particularly providing food and drink to prevent malnutrition and dehydration.

The report states: “The staff were kind and caring. People were encouraged to remain as independent as possible.

“People’s dignity and privacy was respected and protected by staff.

“There was a positive workplace culture. There were clear aims and objectives for the care and support people received.

“People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.”

The management of the clients’ medicines was judged as safe, with any errors regarding medicine administration appropriately reported.

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The inspection was also undertaken to determine what its coronavirus and infection prevention procedures were like.

Managers were praised for keeping up to date records of vaccinations.

When people did need to self-isolate, staff supported their wellbeing by maintaining people’s links with families and friends and through using sensitive communication and planning suitable indoor activities while people had to remain inside.

Furthermore, any visitors were checked for their COVID-19 vaccination status and a lateral flow test checked before entry.

The inspection report was published on Thursday, April 21, with its rating being reviewed on Sunday, May 5.

Rookery Cottage’s infection management procedures were inspected on Wednesday, February 23.