Care Homes in Stafford

Stafford has 15 CQC registered care homes. 8 are rated Good, 1 Outstanding, 6 Requires improvement. 11 of the 15 were last inspected more than three years ago.

Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.

Arranging and funding residential care in Stafford

Deciding on residential care rarely happens in a single conversation, and the practical steps behind it are best begun before any shortlist exists. Getting the formal position established early gives a family more say in which of the fourteen homes serving Stafford they end up considering, and it removes a good deal of guesswork from the conversations that follow.

Starting with a care needs assessment

Anyone who appears to need care and support is entitled to a free care needs assessment, whatever their savings. Staffordshire County Council is responsible for carrying that assessment out for people living in Stafford, and for the separate financial assessment that decides what a person contributes towards their fees. A practitioner will look at mobility, medication, personal care, memory and how safely someone manages alone, then set down in writing what level of support is needed. Homes will ask to see that document, and it saves a family from having to describe a complicated situation from scratch each time.

Fees and who meets them

Weekly fees differ between homes in Stafford and rise with the level of support required, so ask each one for a written breakdown rather than accepting a single quoted figure. Find out what falls outside the basic rate, since hairdressing, chiropody, escorted appointments and some activities are often billed separately. Where the financial assessment shows that someone must meet the full cost, the local authority still provides information and advice about arranging care. If a family prefers a home charging more than the council would ordinarily pay towards a funded placement, someone else may be asked to cover the difference, and that arrangement should be recorded in writing before anyone commits.

Choosing between the care homes in Stafford

Taking the ratings seriously without stopping there

Crispin Court Care Home currently holds an Outstanding rating, seven homes are rated Good, and six have been rated Requires Improvement. That last figure deserves attention rather than alarm. A Requires Improvement rating means inspectors identified shortcomings against one or more of the five areas they examine, covering safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness and leadership, and homes frequently address them. Read what was actually found, then ask the manager what has changed since, who is now in charge, and whether the home has been revisited. An honest, specific answer tells you a great deal; a vague one tells you something too.

What to weigh up on a visit

Consider how easily relatives can get there, because regular visitors are among the strongest informal safeguards a resident has. Notice whether staff greet people by name, whether residents look occupied, and how the place sounds at an ordinary hour rather than during an arranged tour. Ask how long the current team has been in post, since a settled staff group usually knows residents well, and ask what happens if someone's needs increase beyond what the home can provide. Homes such as Burley Heights, Little Ingestre House, Meadowfields Care Home and The Old Rectory each carry a profile here with their registration and inspection history.

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