Wisteria Lodge in Horndean rated as outstanding by the Quality Care Commission as it is praised for its proactive and personalised care

A nursing home is celebrating after its rating was upgraded from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Wisteria Lodge based on London Road in Horndean was inspected between July 27 and August 4 with the CQC praising its staff and leadership for its proactive and personalised care.

The home, run by Wisteria Lodge Limited, supports older people who require nursing care, some of whom live with dementia. Having previously been rated as ‘good’, the new inspection upgraded them to ‘outstanding’ for the effective, caring, and well-led categories. The ratings for safe and responsive remained rated as ‘good’.

Following the inspection, the CQC said that staff should be “extremely proud” of what they have achieved.

Neil Cox, CQC deputy director of adult social care in Hampshire, said: “When we inspected Wisteria Lodge, we found a home where people didn’t just feel cared for, they felt at home. Several people told us they’d only planned to stay for respite care but had decided to make it permanent because of the atmosphere and the standard of care they experienced.

“Staff had taken the time to understand people as individuals, and used what mattered most to them to shape good, personalised care. One person who loved birds of prey was able to hold one when a handler was brought in specially, which staff told us led to happy tears.

“Another person, a keen tennis player, was supported to enjoy strawberries and cream, adapted to their dietary needs, while watching Wimbledon. A retired nursery nurse was supported through doll therapy, while a former secretary was helped to check staff rotas, so people could hold onto the identity and purpose that mattered to them.

“We also saw how staff extended their compassion to families. One relative told us how staff had recognised his own emotional struggles and regularly checked in on him, not just his loved one. Another spoke of staff supporting a husband to reconnect with his wife’s memories using their wedding album, after he became saddened by the change in their relationship.

“That same compassion continued after people had died, with staff attending funerals, creating memory boxes, and lighting a candle in reception as a lasting mark of remembrance.

Mr Cox added: “Staff and leaders at Wisteria Lodge should be extremely proud of what they’ve achieved. They’ve shown that when people are really known and understood, care can transform not just how someone is looked after, but how they feel about the place they call home.”