A CARE home has been given the seal of approval by a watchdog after residents praised the 'caring' team members.

Colne View care home in Halstead received an overall 'Good' rating by the Care Quality Commission, who published a report on July 13.

The care home in Dame Mary Walk was inspected in May, and it was found to have a "friendly and pleasant atmosphere".

It provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care to up to 70 elderly people.

According to the inspector’s report, residents said they feel both safe and cared for.

It was recognised that residents and their families were involved in planning and renewing their care.

They received a 'Good' rating in safety, the level of care, responsiveness and leadership.

The report highlighted the varied programme of social events and activities at Colne View, and that residents are encouraged to keep their independence and to pursue their interests and hobbies.

The nearby Colne View club offers personalised day care, giving older people the chance to socialise and take part in activities.

Omar Taylor, home manager at Colne View, said: “We strive to create a welcoming home from home at Colne View and I’m so pleased our efforts have been recognised by the CQC’s inspectors.

“Everyone here works incredibly hard to support residents with compassionate, person-centred care, and to be rated ‘Good’ shows just how committed the team is to making a positive difference to residents’ lives each and every day.

“I’m extremely proud of everybody at the home and I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the team for their hard work and dedication, which I know is also greatly appreciated by residents and their families.”

The home was last inspected in October 2013, when it was found the care met the standard.

This year it was however noted that the home requires improvement in the level of effectiveness.

The report said: "We found nursing staff did not have the necessary skills and knowledge to manage people's pressure care effectively. When first opened it is good practice to name and date wound care products so that staff know how long they have been in use. This was not consistently being done.

"Where people were at risk of malnutrition a record of what they eating and drinking was documented. There were some concerns that staff were not consistently taking the appropriate action to protect people against the risk of malnutrition and dehydration."