WORKING TOGETHER
BWT & COLTEN CARE

The Care Sector has seen a big change in recent years with Care Homes now focusing more closely on what goes into designing a Care Home, ensuring the final service meets the needs of the residents. 

Care Homes are starting to recognise the importance of selecting the right facility partners to ensure their Homes run smoothly, that any repairs needed are carried out quickly and efficiently and that the products/services they order not only represent value for money but also more importantly, do the job they are intended for.

BWT has been working with the Home Care Sector since 2010 in identifying and supplying a range of solutions to treat hard water that is likely to cause limescale related issues in the future as well as providing a variety of drinking water solutions. BWT has recently started working with Colten Care. With more than 30 years’ experience, Colten Care is a family-owned Care Home company, who own and operate high-quality Care Homes across Hampshire, Dorset, West Sussex, and Wiltshire. Their services include residential, nursing and dementia care. Their aim is to be both the south coast’s Care Home provider of choice and the Care Home employer of choice.

BWT recently sat down with Fergus Davitt, Colten Care’s Hotel Services Manager, to discuss the journey the company takes from one simple idea to a completed, high quality, residential Care Home and the importance of great service. 

“The idea develops more so when a buyer has gone out to look at land for a potential Care Home. Usually the buyer will scout areas that fit in near places that are easy for staff to get to and where there seems to be a demand for a Care Home. The board will make the final decision but our aim is to open a new Care Home every two years.” 

As our population continues to age, demand for care will increase and the types of care needed will change. The Office for National Statistics predicts a 36% growth in persons aged 85+ between 2015 and 2025, from 1.5 million to 2 million. As a result, a substantial increase in the demand for Care Home services is to be expected (1)

When asked why Colten constantly works hard to improve their services, Fergus had this to say, “Quality is at the heart of Colten Care. Every Care Home is unique in its way of doing things. Colten has a completely different model compared to other Care Homes. Because we are a family business, we take into account the needs of each resident. From the way the Care Home is designed, to the facilities we have within the Care Home – everything is developed with the residents in mind. Colten Care is all about quality, individuality, choice, flexibility and respect. These are our core values and we work hard to instil them in every new Care Home we open.”

In the past, the Care Sector has been criticised for not investigating fully, the implications of there being inadequate Care Home services. According to a study by CQC, the Care Quality Commission, in 2017, almost four out of five adult social care services in England were rated as good or outstanding overall. However, nearly a fifth of services were rated as requires improvement. In addition, 37% of Care Homes failed on safety. The CQC also reported that, just below a quarter of Care Homes and home helps were rated not safe enough, while in community support, 17% fell short. (2)

It is understandable then, why providing a great service is so important to Colten and why they constantly work hard to improve their Care Homes. The results of their efforts show with the CQC recently rating five of Colten Care’s Homes, as Outstanding with the remaining homes rated as good.

We spoke to Fergus about Colten’s association with BWT, who recently installed water coolers for the newest Colten Care Home, Bourne View, in Poole. “One of our mains concerns when designing and developing a Care Home is making sure residents are comfortable. When a resident decides to stay in one of our Homes, we want them to feel at home and that means giving them access to the right facilities. Water is essential for our residents, especially as Care Homes can become a warm environment, so constant hydration is key.

Taking in the unique design of Bourne View, Fergus reflected that, “The design of Bourne View was developed to mirror the ‘coming home’ feeling that residents would have when they first entered. From guest suites and private seating areas to a private hair salon, every part of Bourne View was created specifically to provide a personalised experience for each of our residents. Allowing residents to feel independent is crucial; our care and hospitality staff are trained to provide the highest quality of service for that very reason.”

The dedication and effort that goes into designing and developing a Colten Care Home is clear to see, every part of the decision-making process focuses on one important thing: making sure residents are happy and comfortable. Part of providing the right service means getting the right facilities and Colten has shown why having the right facilities, allows them to cater to the needs of their residents, more efficiently.

Links

1. Competition and Markets Authority: Care Homes Market Study, summary of final report
2. Care Quality Commission. 2017. The state of adult social care services 2014 to 2017