Horsham care home staff celebrate after health regulators rate it 'Good'

The Care Quality Commission in a report on Skylark House in St Mark’s Lane gave the care home its seal of approval after hearing from residents and relatives commending staff.

The report spotlighted one resident informing the inspectors that the team is “amazingly kind and can’t do enough for you.”

Inspectors noted residents’ needs and preferences are included in detailed care plans which are personalised and support positive outcomes for those with diverse needs.

Skylark House manager Dorota Woloszyn said: “We have residents who are hard of hearing. We communicate with those residents using whiteboard and pen, and picture cards – as those are their preferable ways of communication. In the past we had a resident on a respite stay who was profoundly deaf, we introduced him to use a tablet with the Google Transcribe app for communicating. Since using this, the resident’s life changed completely. Even now, he contacts us and says thank you for making his life so much better.”

Residents are also supported with activities and trips – some were helped to visit a local farm and others enjoyed spending time in the garden. Another requested to visit a local historic site which the team then arranged.

Care home staff were praised for their knowledge of individual requirements and their strong relationships with residents and their relatives.

The inspectors were also impressed by the level of training and effective leadership with praise of manager Dorota Woloszyn for her clear oversight of the home and implementation of effective management systems.

Dorota said: “Everyone has contributed to making Skylark House an unparalleled place to live and work, and this rating stands as a testament to everyone’s dedication to brightening each resident’s day.

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“Our commitment to delivering high-quality care is unwavering, and we are proud to see this endorsement from the CQC. We believe that every resident deserves the best possible care and support, and this rating validates our ongoing efforts to meet and exceed these standards.

“I look forward to celebrating this achievement with the team and continuing to build on our success in delivering exceptional care.”