A PREVIOUSLY struggling care home in Barnoldswick has cause for celebration after a turnaround in its fortunes.

Last year, Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors visiting St Andrews House Nursing Home, on Rainhall Road, rated the home as inadequate and placed it into special measures.

Watchdogs flagged up concerns about a number of areas of the home being ‘unclean’ and ‘untidy’ which presented a ‘risk of infection’, while people’s medicines were not always managed safely.

But things are looking brighter for the care home after it recently won an award and was given an improved CQC rating earlier this year.

Recently, the home won the NHS Staff Excellence Award for Constructive Partnership Working, beating off competition from across the whole of the East Lancashire health authority region.

The nomination said that the home has ‘given absolutely everything’ to turn itself around so that it can be proud of the ‘excellent care provided and look forward to a positive future.’

Ann Miller, who owns the home with her husband Dr Paul Miller, said: “As a small independent enterprise, we are humbled and very proud, both care staff and the family of residents, to have been recognised by this wonderful public accolade for this strong and beneficial partnership working.”

An inspection earlier this year also saw the care home given a ‘requires improvement’ rating, although it was rated ‘good’ for its safety, effectiveness, care and responsiveness.

Inspectors said that improvements had been made to ensure the home was a ‘clean, safe, bright and comfortable place for people to live in.’

They also said that since concerns were raised at the last inspection, the registered manager, directors and staff had worked hard as a team to introduce ‘much needed changes and improvements’.

It saw Meena Patel appointed as new manager of the care home in September last year and has seen the home work in close partnership with the NHS East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group to reshape the service into one which takes the highest standards of health and social care demands into the next decade.

While Ms Patel herself was nominated for the 2018 Inspire Transformational Women Award at the Inspire Women Awards which were held recently in Bolton.

Ms Patel said: “I am grateful to the team who have devoted their time and determination in driving the changes at St Andrews House Nursing Home in such a short space of time.

“It’s been an humbling experience working with a talented team and we are looking forward to receiving an outstanding report in the near future.”