A Burnham-On-Sea nursing home has been recognised with a major national award – for a second time.
Burnham Lodge Nursing Home is among 20 homes from across England to win a Quality Hallmark Award, three years after receiving the prestigious honour from the National Gold Standards Framework (GSF) Centre, the UK’s largest provider of training in end of life care.
Lindsay Hammond, Manager of Burnham Lodge, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We are delighted to receive the GSF Platinum award. All of our team work tirelessly to ensure that all the residents at Burnham Lodge receive the best care. This award recognises the excellent teamwork and commitment to our residents and relatives on a daily basis.”
Lindsay added that open and effective dialogue, initiated at the earliest possible opportunity with residents and their families, helped ensure that staff could deliver the care residents’ wanted right up until the end of their life.
GSF is about engaging all staff in all aspects of residents’ care. Everyone in the home, ranging from nurses to the activities co-ordinator and catering staff, is involved in regular reviews with the residents.
Lindsay said: “Staff talk to the residents about their end of life care, giving them the opportunity to make decisions and say what they want. This has helped the residents and their families feel secure that they will be comfortable and their preferences considered at all times.”
By satisfying the team of expert assessors who visited the home that they were still meeting the necessary 20 quality standards, ranging from leadership and support to dignity and respect, Burnham Lodge Nursing Home has proved that it has embedded all the elements necessary for good care for all of its residents right up until the end of their lives. Homes that demonstrate their credential for the second time are recognised with the Platinum award.
GSF Quality Hallmark Awards are presented to homes that demonstrate real improvement in the quality of care they provide. Many halve the number of their residents dying in hospital as well as halving crisis hospital admissions, leading to greater satisfaction for families, residents and staff and significant cost savings for the NHS.
Frank Ursell said: “Residents and their families want care homes to provide them with compassionate, personalised care, in line with their wishes, right up until the end of their life. The Gold Standards Framework has been instrumental in giving the care home workforce the skills to give people that quality of care they deserve. It’s an honour to be able to present awards to those homes that are leading the way in end of life care.”
“Everyone in the home, ranging from nurses to the activities coordinator and catering staff, is involved in regular reviews with the residents. All aspects of their lives are considered including spiritual beliefs, personal interests and care preferences. Staff talk to the residents about their end of life care, giving them the opportunity to make decisions and say what they want. This has helped the residents and their families feel secure that they will be comfortable and their preferences considered at all times.”
Anne Keating, GSF Managing Director, added: “The aim of the Gold Standards Framework is to help care homes ensure they are delivering quality care for all of their residents not just today but for tomorrow and the next day. Burnham Lodge has proved that its commitment to personalised, compassionate care is long term and should be congratulated for its efforts.”
Almost 3,000 care homes have completed the GSF Care Homes programme since it was launched in 2004 and 600 have gone on to become accredited.
