The Hamptons continues to be Covid-free

Stringent infection control and the ability to care for its residents in small communities or ‘bubbles’ has ensured one Lancashire care home has remained completely Covid-free during the recent pandemic – without having to move its employee team in.

Part of the award-winning New Care portfolio, The Hamptons on Main Drive, off Heyhouses Lane, in Lytham St Annes has not needed to make many changes to the way in which it already operates to successfully keep the virus at bay.

For its dedicated team of more than 90 permanent employees, good practice is the norm; robust infection control, comprehensive daily cleaning using an evidence-based micro fibre and steam cleaning system and exemplary hygiene and cleanliness procedures ensured that the home consistently achieved a score of 95% or more on its infection control audits. 

Having the space and facilities to operate in ‘bubbles’ has also been integral to the home’s success, with groups of residents cared for in small communities that benefit from their own shared spaces, lounges and dining areas and are looked after by the same employees on a daily basis. 

Government guidelines, including the wearing of masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) were followed from the start, and thanks to the unswerving commitment of the team, the home successfully negotiated the early stages of the pandemic without having to fully lockdown and move its employee team in.

Chief executive officer at New Care, Cath Fairhurst, commented: “Completely unexpected, the coronavirus crisis has been hard to navigate for the care sector where isolation and social distancing is not always possible.  However, thanks to the professionalism and dedication of the team at The Hamptons, we’ve been able to successfully manage the situation and I am delighted to report that we have remained completely Covid-free since the outbreak began.”

Mrs Fairhurst continues: “There are no secrets to our success, we already had our own stringent policies in place which we adhere to rigidly, but we took time to understand the Government guidelines and ensured that we were also following them closely.  The crisis is far from over, but we hope this provides ongoing reassurance for our residents’ families and friends who have just recently been able to come back into the home for carefully managed visits with their loved ones.”

Home manager Suzanne Scholz added: “The health and happiness of our residents is of utmost importance to us, and working together as a team, we made some small adjustments to our normal way of working to establish community bubbles with dedicated employees who did not move around the home thereby significantly reducing the risk of infection transmission.

“Our wellbeing team continued to offer a full programme of activities ensuring residents were busy, active and engaged.  The team facilitated regular video contact with their families despite the difficult circumstances and we enjoyed many events including Easter, VE Day and birthdays.  Thanks to New Care, we could also rely upon a constant supply of PPE which was reassuring for both residents and the employee team.”

The Hamptons is an expertly designed, state-of-art 76-bed care facility with an exceptional clinical offering, including residential, nursing and dementia care services.  The care home features elegant private bedrooms with en suite wet rooms, stylish communal lounges and dining rooms, plus secure beautifully landscaped gardens.  For further information, or to arrange a viewing, please contact Tracy or Cheryl on 01253 720052 or email [email protected].  Alternatively, please visit www.newcarehomes.com.