The Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care in England has visited Royal Star & Garter in High Wycombe.

Professor Deborah Sturdy OBE was given a tour of the state-of-the-art Home, meeting residents and seeing the nursing and dementia care on offer. She also talked to staff, including a Lead Healthcare Assistant about to start her Student Nursing Associate (SNA) course, and another who is about to complete it.

Royal Star & Garter is a charity which provides loving compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia, and also has Homes in Solihull and Surbiton.

Professor Sturdy visited the 74-room Home on Thursday November 10, and was given a tour by the charity’s Chief Executive, Andy Cole, Head of Care Quality, Walter Chikanya, and Home Manager, Reggie Ballos. She later said: “It was great to see such good care happening in such a lovely place.”

Professor Sturdy also spoke to Chelsea Batchelier, who has just begun her two-year SNA course, and Mercy Sharp, who is nearing the end of her Nursing Associate studies. Royal Star & Garter was one of the first care homes in the country to accept Nursing Associate placements and is now actively supporting staff to qualify in their own right.

A ‘truly heartening’ visit

After her visit, Professor Sturdy said: “It was truly heartening to meet so many fantastic people and hear about their commitment and passion for social care. It was great to hear about the Nursing Associate programme and speak to Chelsea and Mercy about the journey they are on with their course. They spoke passionately about the support they’re getting, both at a senior level and day-to-day. Credit must go to Royal Star & Garter for this. I recognised a commitment at the top to grow their own staff and to invest in individuals.”

‘A privelege’

Chief Executive Andy Cole said: ”It was a privilege to welcome Professor Sturdy to our Home, and I was pleased to show her the person-centred care provided by Reggie and her fantastic team. Nursing Associates will play a vital role in the sector going forward, so I was really happy that Professor Sturdy spoke to Mercy and Chelsea about their SNA journeys, and how important the programme is to them.”

Home Manager Reggie Ballos said: “We are proud of the award-winning care provided at Royal Star & Garter, and we were delighted to have Professor Sturdy come to our High Wycombe Home to see the work we do, meet residents and speak to staff.”

Professor Sturdy was appointed Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care in England in 2020.

Royal Star & Garter in High Wycombe is welcoming new residents. For further information on this, or to work at the home, please go to: www.starandgarter.org/highwycombe