Ridgegate Home

Ridgegate Home is a care service set over three floors in Reigate, providing accommodation and personal care for up to 25 older people, with 17 residents living there at the time of our visit. The home features communal areas including a lounge, a dining area, and a garden room used for meetings with visitors. This targeted inspection specifically examined how the service managed infection control, visiting arrangements, and staffing pressures during the pandemic, without issuing an overall numerical or descriptive rating for the service.

When it comes to safety and infection prevention, the service maintained clean and hygienic premises, supported by additional cleaning staff recruited since the pandemic and regular audits. Staff had access to numerous personal protective equipment stations throughout the building and had attended training on its proper use.

Regarding how effectively the home operated, there were enough staff available to meet people's needs and keep them safe, although vacancies meant regular agency workers had to be used. The registered manager successfully mitigated risks by ensuring these agency staff worked solely at Ridgegate Home to help them get to know residents and reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

On the caring side, the home actively supported residents to maintain vital contact with their relatives through video and telephone calls. Residents were also encouraged to take trips out with family members while being gently reminded to remain cautious in public places.

For being responsive to residents and families, the provider converted a garden room into a dedicated visiting pod with a separate entrance. Safe visiting measures were strictly enforced, requiring visitors to show negative lateral flow tests, complete screening, and plan visits so multiple visitors were never in the home simultaneously.

In terms of leadership and management, staff reported feeling well supported by management and able to speak up at any time regarding COVID-19 concerns. The service successfully met government requirements by ensuring that all non-exempt staff and visiting professionals were fully vaccinated against COVID-19.