Amberley Nursing Home

The entire building was one-storey, with people’s bedrooms situated at intervals along two wide corridors. There were two spacious communal lounges, an outdoor area which was wheelchair accessible, a laundry room and a kitchen.

We found that staff and leaders were always kind and compassionate and went the extra mile to ensure people led fulfilled lives. Staff and leaders genuinely cared about improving people’s lives and this showed in the interactions we observed, the atmosphere of the nursing home, and the feedback we received from people, their relatives and professionals. The caring culture was embedded in every aspect of the nursing home, from the care plans and risk assessments to the comprehensive training staff received. Staff and leaders were proud to introduce us to people and had brought their personal interests to work in order to enrich people’s lives. For example, by bringing their pets in to visit people, or by working with people to create wall displays using photos of various flowers they had taken in their own time. Some staff and leaders had worked at the service for decades, which was a testament both to their commitment to people, and to the positive working atmosphere that had been created. People and their relatives told us that this was their home, and the friendship and familiarity between people and their relatives, staff and leaders all contributed to a warm friendly atmosphere.

People were kept safe, with any risks being mitigated and incidents being treated as learning opportunities. Staff and leaders were skilled, experienced, and passionate, with an extensive training programme in place for all staff. Leaders had good oversight over all aspects of the nursing home and had systems in place to manage effectively. Leaders were approachable and created a positive learning culture for staff. Processes were in place to ensure the provider maintained best practice at all times. People were engaged in activities both at home and out in the community which improved their wellbeing. Food and drink choices were healthy and varied. There was flexibility in the menu, offering person-centred choices and ensuring people’s dietary requirements were catered for.