A nursing home on the outskirts of Harrogate has achieved the top food hygiene rating after a major refurbishment of its kitchen.
Bilton Hall Nursing Home on Bilton Hall Drive was given a rating of just one out of five after an inspection in March, but has now achieved the top rating of five after a revisit.
Tracey Turner, interim manager at the home, owned by We Care Group, said the improved rating was down to the hard work of the kitchen staff.
She told the Stray Ferret:
“I’ve been here for four weeks. I came in as a new manager, had a look around and decided the kitchen should be a priority. In the last three weeks, we’ve turned it around.
“The company have invested in new flooring and new equipment. That kitchen team really, really worked and it has paid off. It’s so much better.”
The original low-scoring report found “poor levels of cleanliness” and said there was a lack of food safety systems and monitoring.
Both the inspector and the home’s former manager said some of the problems were linked to the use of agency workers, after it had struggled to recruit permanent staff for the kitchen.
Ms Turner said those problems had now been resolved and the restoration of the full five-star rating was a reflection of the effectiveness of their work.
A new permanent manager is set to take up the post in the next few weeks, she added.
Meanwhile, other areas of the historic building are also being refurbished, she said, to ensure it offers the best possible living accommodation to its 52 residents.
The latest food hygiene inspection and rating had been celebrated by staff and residents alike, Ms Turner said.
She added:
“[A poor rating] quickly gives the place a bad reputation, which it doesn’t really deserve.
“It just goes to show in a couple of weeks how, as a team, you can pull it together. That’s what care is about. It’s wonderful.”
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‘Immediate action’ required after critical food hygiene report for Harrogate nursing home
A nursing home in Harrogate has said it is making improvements after it was given the lowest score in a food hygiene inspection.
Bilton Hall Nursing Home scored just one on the five-point rating system when environmental health officers visited its kitchen.
The inspectors’ report, released by North Yorkshire Council last week, said:
“Overall, a disappointing visit. I have little confidence in food safety management within the kitchen. My inspection revealed poor levels of cleanliness to all food areas and equipment. A deep clean and disinfection is required without delay.”
The inspector also said:
“There was no food safety management system available for me to inspect at the time of my visit and staff were not implementing systems in practice. Monitoring records were inadequate and incomplete; some staff were not checking or recording temperature checks.
“I appreciate there has been recent staff changes in the kitchen and you have struggled to recruit suitable food handlers and kitchen assistants. However, I expect immediate actions to improve overall food safety to ensure vulnerable residents are not exposed to any food safety risks.”
The report called on the care home, part of the We Care Group, to act on the findings “without delay”.
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A return visit was held two days later, at the beginning of March, when the inspector confirmed the deep clean had been completed.
That report – also released by the council last week – said a food safety system needed to be implemented and all food handlers had to be trained.
Responding to the report on Friday, Bilton Hall Nursing Home manager Steve Edgar said:
“We had staffing issues at the time of the inspection and the agency staff were not following our home’s kitchen protocol, which led us to achieve a 1 in the inspection.
“The kitchen was also due to have the flooring changed which had been arranged but unfortunately did not happen prior to the inspection by [environmental health].
“The building is a listed building therefore has posed a few structural challenges with regards to refurbishment; however, we are making the appropriate changes necessary.
“We have since had another unannounced inspection from [environmental health] and, since making the changes, the inspector expects us to achieve a 4 when we are next scored.”
Bilton Hall Nursing Home is on Bilton Hall Drive, off Knaresborough Road. Photo: Geograph / habiloid
Mr Edgar said the revisit had found the “comprehensive” food safety management system was in place and available for inspection, with monitoring records “much improved”.
Vacancies in the catering department had been filled, he said, and additional training completed by members of the team.
The kitchen floor was expected to be replaced this month, he said, adding:
“We will need to request another official visit in which the published score will change for the public to see; as of this week we have applied to North Yorkshire Council for a rescoring [environmental health] visit.”