Coloma Court Care Home, West Wickham

Coloma Court Care Home in West Wickham, Kent has been rated outstanding by healthcare regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Inspectors visited 21 & 24 January 2019 and rated Coloma Court Care Home as outstanding in two areas, the responsive and well-led aspects of the report, and good for the safe, effective and caring elements.

Coloma Court Care Home accommodates 62 people across three separate units, with separate adapted facilities. One of the units specialises in providing care to people living with dementia.

CCQ inspectors found that the home was outstanding at responding to people's needs. The home's website states, ‘Our aim at Coloma Court is to preserve and maintain the dignity, individuality and privacy of all residents. Achieving that aim involves working with each resident to provide care in ways that suit them.’ It was evident throughout the inspection that management and staff worked hard to achieve these aims, in particular when it comes to end of life care.

Coloma Court had been accredited the Gold Standard Framework (GSF) Beacon status for the high quality of care they provided to people in their final years of life.

A nurse from the palliative care team said, "The care the home provides for their residents is individualised and dignified. Staff fully participate in training offered at the hospice and the home provides support over and above what is required. They especially excel in the care they give to residents towards the end of their life and those living with dementia, enabling them to have quality of life while they live as well as when they die. Their care extends to listening, understanding and supporting families in a unique and personal way."

Relatives could stay when a resident was approaching the end of their lives. A relative of a person being supported said, "Our loved one was in hospital and we didn't feel she was being cared for well. We spoke with the deputy manager who said our loved one could come home. That phrase meant a lot to us. We were able to stay with our loved one in a very comfortable room at no cost to us. The individualised care and attention we and our loved one are receiving at this most difficult time has been phenomenal. We are really happy our loved one is being looked after by staff that are loving and caring."