When Minster first purchased Diamond House, it was a loss making home with low occupancy, struggling with compliance due to a poorly maintained building and poorly trained, unmotivated staff. The decision was made to close the home and undertake a comprehensive refurbishment programme, which added an extension but reduced the number of operational beds from 57 to 44 but with much improved bed spaces. A new manager and staff team were then recruited.
Such has been the scale of the turnaround, that Diamond House now has a Good rating from the CQC and won Care Home of the Year for Leicestershire, at the Carer of the Year Awards 2017.
Discussing the approach to care at Diamond House, manager Julie Wilkinson says,
“The most important thing to residents is that they feel safe. We listen to them and take on board what they want, their interests and their history. Seeing residents happy is the most rewarding thing.”
A key part of our value-creation model is to work with our tenants to identify and implement active asset management opportunities. One of our most significant projects in 2019 was the construction of specialist dementia care facilities at Diamond House, operated by Minster Care. The new facility offers care to existing residents of the homes who develop dementia symptoms and need more support, and will also provide places for new residents with dementia needs.
The new dementia care facility has been named Sapphire House. Construction completed in January 2020, within budget, with CQC registration secured the following month, enabling Sapphire House to open to residents. Sapphire House has 30 bedrooms, all of which have en-suite wet rooms. The facility has been decorated and furnished to meet the needs of people living with dementia, to create the optimum environment for providing care.
Bewcastle Grove
Leicester
LE4 2JW