Jarvis Court staff praised for their “genuine kindness” in Fraserburgh
Highlighting the excellent service being provided by staff at Jarvis Court very sheltered housing in Fraserburgh following an unannounced inspection by the Care Inspectorate.
Dedicated staff at a very sheltered housing site in Aberdeenshire have been praised for their “genuine kindness” following a new style of inspection by the Care Inspectorate.
Jarvis Court in Fraserburgh which is run by Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership (AHSCP) received an unannounced visit just prior to Christmas – and has retained its impressive gradings of five and six meaning “very good” and “excellent.”
Inspectors commented on the “warm atmosphere” created by staff for tenants living across the 21 on site flats, alongside the skill shown by the team.
The news comes as a glowing accolade to those working within health and social care in Aberdeenshire – following numerous challenges over the winter months which has seen determined staff navigate extreme weather in a bid to get to work.
Indeed, inspectors also noted that many members of staff at Jarvis Court are “long standing” meaning they have provided excellent care within the service for many years. This is particularly impressive given the nationwide challenges in recruiting to such roles.
“The staff group was stable with many long-standing staff members,” reads the report.
“Staff knew people very well and were respectful in their interactions; we observed them to work in a calm respectful manner with genuine kindness.”
Partnership Manager for North Aberdeenshire, Jeff Shaw, is delighted with the outcome and praised the team for their ongoing commitment to providing the very best of care.
“Jarvis Court received outstanding grades when it was last inspected in 2023, and those grades have been maintained in part due to robust leadership and a genuine passion shown by the entire team,” he said. “I can only pass on my warmest congratulations to all those involved, very well done indeed.”
His sentiments were echoed by Location Manager for Fraserburgh, Moira Geddes, who believes Jarvis Court plays an integral role within the community.
“From intergenerational work with local nurseries to a packed social calendar, visiting therapets and themed events – Jarvis Court is a lovely place to be,” she said.
“Maintaining high standards is essential to the work we do here at AHSCP, and it’s just wonderful that Jarvis Court has been rightfully recognised as a well led service where staff receive excellent and ingoing training.”
Recent initiatives which took place within the service include the aptly named “Jarvis Airlines” where tenants were taken on special trips around the world – and all from the comfort of the communal area!
Staff went the extra air miles after designing a mock-up aeroplane complete with in-flight service, stewardesses and even a sign for arrivals.
Tenants also took part in a Very Sheltered Housing Olympic Games, which saw them receive video messages of good luck from sporting legends including Gaby Logan and Clare Balding.
Very Sheltered Housing Co-ordinator, Gillian McDonald, who is based at Jarvis Court, could not be prouder of the team, saying: “We try to go above and beyond for our tenants all 365 days of the year, because we passionately believe in providing the very best of health and social care.
“Very sheltered housing offers a certain level of independence to service users, but that doesn’t mean we can’t nurture a community where everyone feels valued and included. We are so grateful to the people of Fraserburgh for their endless support, whether that’s local bands playing for our themed nights or visits from the children at J-Lo’s Early Years – which we always look forward to.
“We consistently try to think outside the box – such as when we took our tenants on around the world trip with our very own Jarvis flight. What strikes me most about the Care Inspectorate’s report is their comments on the kindness shown by staff. It costs nothing, but it really does make such a tremendous difference.”
The full Care Inspectorate report is available at https://www.careinspectorate.com/index.php/care-services?detail=CS2013317592
