A DAWLISH care home has been praised for setting a benchmark for outstanding dementia practice across the social care sector.

Sefton Hall, a Southern Healthcare home, received the praise from Meaningful Care Matters auditors who were assessing the care home’s Butterfly programmes.

Meaningful Care Matters (MCM) auditors said the company’s flagship dementia care home, Sefton Hall reflected exceptional standards of person-centred care and awarded it a Level 1, Outstanding rating.

One of the auditors and MCM managing director, Peter Bewert, said: ‘With strong leadership, cultural inclusivity, and consistent excellence in care delivery, Sefton Hall continues to embody the ethos of being ‘free to be me’, setting a benchmark for outstanding practice across the social care sector in England.’

MCM rate care providers on care delivery, individual care plans (including the restricted use of medication) and the meaningful relationships between staff and residents.

Those dementia care providers which demonstrate a high number of meaningful interactions against a long list of criteria are awarded the status of a ‘Butterfly Home’.

Peter added: ‘Every team member contributes meaningfully, embodying the home manager’s philosophy that every person matters.

‘Head carers and nursing staff actively ensure that care is relationship driven, meaningful and emotionally authentic.’

Auditors also praised their ‘consistently exceptional standard of person-centred care’, the culturally and linguistically diverse workforce, the unhurried and sociable mealtimes and the way in which activities are woven into daily life.

Geoffrey Cox, managing director of Southern Healthcare, said: ‘A Level 1, Outstanding rating from Meaningful Care Matters is an amazing outcome made even more exceptional by the auditor’s comments, which truly reflect the skills and knowledge of the people in our team, their compassion, heart, and meaningful connection to the people they are caring for.

‘To borrow the auditor’s words, ‘Sefton Hall is underpinned by a deeply embedded culture of person-centred, relationship-driven care where both people living and working in the home truly flourish’.’