West Midlands care homes top new poll for quality among residents and their families

Results from the UK’s largest survey into UK care homes show ratings of performance among both residents and their families are at their highest ever level with West Midlands homes topping the poll.

The 2018-19 Your Care Rating survey, conducted by independent market research organisation Ipsos MORI, captures the views of nearly 18,000 participants on the care received at more than 500 homes.

Your Care Rating separately assesses the views of both residents of care homes and their friends and family to generate two independent Overall Performance Ratings (OPRs), measuring the quality of care delivery in the UK. Each OPR is marked out of a possible 1,000.

Across all participating homes, results of the residents’ survey revealed an average OPR score of 882 while the family and friends’ element achieved an average OPR score of 842.

Looking at the picture across the UK, residents living in participating care homes in Warwickshire and Coventry are, on average, the most positive about the care they receive, with an average OPR of 905 out of 1,000, closely followed by those in Birmingham and the Black Country, both with an average rating of 900.

The survey also shows that family members and friends of care home residents in North Yorkshire, including York are most positive about the care their loved ones receive (885), moving up to the top spot from second place in 2018, just ahead of South Coast (865).

Now in its seventh year, the Your Care Rating survey gives residents and their families and friends a voice, putting their care at the heart of understanding more about how well care homes perform. 11,188 residents in 532 care homes across the UK responded to the Residents’ survey, which achieved a 42 per cent response rate. Meanwhile, 6,956 relatives and friends of residents living at 525 homes responded to the Family and Friends’ survey, a 44 per cent response rate.

Each care home achieved an OPR and four statistically derived ‘theme’ scores (‘Staff and Care’, ‘Home Comforts’, ‘Choice and Having a Say’, and ‘Quality of Life’) based on residents’ responses to all questions in the survey. Care homes participating in the Family and Friends’ survey achieved a separate OPR and four theme scores (mirroring those of the Residents’ survey).

In terms of performance, of the individual care homes taking part in the Residents’ Survey, Anchor’s Abbeywood care home in Aldershot, Surrey and Methodist Homes’ Cedar Lawn care home in Stratford-upon-Avon achieved the joint highest OPR scores of 998 out of 1,000. These narrowly beat Methodist Homes’ Willesden Court in North London (997) and NorseCare’s Linden Court in Thetford, South Norfolk (995).

In the Family and Friends’ Survey, Borovere Residential Home in Alton, Hampshire (Greensleeves Homes Trust) achieved an OPR score of 987, followed by Methodist Homes’ Maple Leaf House in Ripley, Derbyshire and Greensleeves Homes Trust’s Torkington House in Acton, with OPR scores of 982 and 973 respectively.

Mel Knight, Founding Director of Your Care Rating says: “All too often, the care home sector is reported and perceived negatively, but Your Care Rating continues to show that, amongst the residents and their loved ones, there are very high levels of satisfaction in care homes across the UK. The survey provides an authoritative source of information for those looking for a care home, thanks to the meaningful voices of those living in care homes, as well as their family and friends.

“For the seventh year running, 2018-19’s overall results are excellent, and the combination of the residents’ and families’ surveys provides us with an unparalleled view of the sector’s effectiveness and quality.”

The “quality of life” theme was the most highly rated in both surveys. This theme includes ratings of the safety and security, privacy, having visitors, having personal belongings around them and having things to do. This year’s Family and Friends’ Survey achieved a “quality of life” theme score of 903, up from 898 last year. The same theme was the top scoring in the Residents’ Survey at 930 this year (and 929 last year).

Mr Knight says: “The Your Care Rating survey offers care homes structured and benchmarked customer feedback, which enables them to improve where necessary. The survey is completely voluntary, so the care homes participating have made a strong commitment to transparency, continuous improvement and understanding the views of their residents and their residents’ families and friends. I am sure that all participating care homes, whether disappointed at the feedback or celebrating success, will want to analyse their results and use them to achieve even higher standards of care for their customers over the coming year.”

All this year’s results for every care home surveyed are displayed on the Your Care Rating website. All of this helps families and potential residents who are choosing a care home for a loved one by giving them vital information on what the current residents and their loved ones think of each home and the standard of care.

For further information on the surveys, including how to take part in 2019, go to: www.yourcarerating.org.

Picture – Greensleeves Homes Trust (c) Your Care Rating.