Scotland tops rankings for residents’ care home satisfaction

Conducted by market research organisation Ipsos MORI, the 2016 Your Care Rating survey obtained views from 821 residents, in 43 care homes, run by seven different operators across Scotland. Analysed to give each care home an Overall Performance Rating (OPR) out of 1,000, across Scotland the average score was an OPR of 897, above the national average score of 880, with the highest home achieving 981.

The 2016 Your Care Rating survey expanded its scope to also include the views of residents’ families and friends as well as the residents themselves. Almost 11,000 took part in the Family and Friend’s survey, across 650 homes, producing an average UK OPR of 828 out of 1,000. In Scotland specifically, 31 care homes, with 658 residents across four providers participated, resulting in an average OPR of 835.

Alex Wilson, divisional director for the north division at Barchester Healthcare, said: “We are delighted that one of our care homes, Seaview House Care Home in Wick, was ranked the highest in Scotland by its residents with a score of 981. While we are very pleased with these results, we continue to improve our services and strive to ensure that all of our homes provide care which is highly rated by residents and their relatives.”

Another of Barchester Healthcare’s homes, Archview Lodge Care Home in Dalkeith is the second highest ranked in Scotland by the families and friends of the residents with a score of 928, just a point behind Countrywide Care Home’s Thorntree Mews Nursing Home in Falkirk.

“The care home sector often receives a negative perception in the UK but our latest findings paint a broadly positive state of UK care homes,” said Douglas Quinn, chairman of Your Care Rating. “This is our fifth annual survey and has always given those who are in the best position to judge the standard of care, the residents themselves, a chance to air their views.

“For the 2016 Your Care Rating survey we included the views of almost 11,000 family members and friends as well as the residents to give a more rounded view. It still shows that most care homes in our survey are doing a very good job but I’m very aware that there is no room for complacency.

“Whatever score a care home receives we should applaud it for taking part because it publicly demonstrates their transparency and commitment to our sector, while offering them an insight into where they can still improve.”