Falkirk Council: Grangemouth care home praised by inspectors

The chief officer of Falkirk’s Health and Social Care Partnership, Patricia Cassidy, said she was delighted to report to the board’s latest meeting the positive news for Cunningham House in Grangemouth.

Last November, Falkirk Integration Joint Board, which oversees health and social care locally, took the decision to gradually transform Cunningham House from a home for the elderly into a “homely” setting for people who need rehabilitation following time in hospital.

They said the aim was to reduce the number of people who are stuck in hospital when they don’t need clinical care and give them support that will allow them to move back home eventually.

At the time, head of integration, Gail Woodcock, promised relatives of the home’s residents that they would continue to have a home there for as long as was needed. She stressed that the transition would be “handled sensitively” and current staff would not be moved.

Since the previous inspection, all new admissions have been for reablement. The inspectors noted that means for some people, Cunningham House is their permanent home while others are there on a temporary basis while they receive reablement support from a team of professionals, including physios and occupational therapists.

The inspectors spoke to residents and their families and reported that many positive comments. One person told the inspectors that “the staff are all excellent”, whilst another said, “Being here has changed my life … staff are smashing”. One relative told them: “The home’s above and beyond attitude puts our minds at rest”.

The people who spoke to the inspectors told them that they enjoyed the meals and if they didn’t like what was on then the kitchen would make them something else. The inspectors were also impressed with the leadership shown by the manager who “everyone spoke very highly of”.

Ms Cassidy said: “It’s of particular note that the leadership, through Gail and her team at Cunningham House, has managed to successfully transition but have retained the high standards and the ratings with the Care Inspectorate.”

Members of the IJB also heard there had been very positive inspection reports for other Falkirk Council care homes, Dorrator Court and Burnbrae House.

Ms Cassidy reminded the board that these reports were the reason that Falkirk had been named ‘the best place in Scotland to grow old’ by the Sunday Times.

Councillor Fiona Collie, chair of the IJB, said the performance of the care homes was a “great testament to the staff involved and the amount of work they have put in”.