A tradition of quality care

Seckford Care has a long and proud history dating back to 1587, when Queen Elizabeth I granted its benefactor, Thomas Seckford, permission to build Almshouses in Woodbridge to ‘relieve need and distress’ among older people.

Following the pandemic, social care providers continue to experience challenging times, and it can be difficult for individuals and their families to navigate the various care options available and most appropriate to them.

Seckford Care aims to make the provision of quality care services as simple and straightforward as possible, every step of the way.

It provides a variety of accommodation with tailor-made care options, which include:

 30 Extra Care self-contained apartments with access to a personalised care and support service from staff on-site.

 26 residential care rooms in Jubilee House with enhanced levels of care, inclusive of meals and activities.

 10 self-contained properties receiving a wellbeing and support service.

Seckford Care’s priorities include offering the highest levels of care and support, focussing its comprehensive five-year strategy on the following key areas:

 Constantly re-evaluating the care and services that it offers, enabling sustainability and building resilience to the challenges facing the health and social care sector.

 Aiming to deliver the highest standards of care and aspiring to retain its valued ‘Outstanding’ rating from the Care Quality Commission.

 Strengthening its connection with the local community.

Seckford Care understands the importance of creating pathways for careers in care and, as a result, is developing its own academy, which currently supports two seconded team leader positions – Rachel Page, who has been at Seckford for four years, and Abi Wiltshire, who has been with the charity since March this year.

Seckford Care is further developing its ‘Staff Champion’ roles, which include developing excellence in nutrition, caring with dignity and falls prevention, for example, as well as a number of Qualification and Credit Framework and Regulated Qualifications Framework qualifications in health and social care and specialist, accredited qualifications, such as Parkinson’s.

The charity ensures that its housing and care services are inclusive and are, not only a viable option for privately-funding individuals, but also accessible to those who qualify for Local Authority assistance.

Its 30 Extra Care apartments are set at an affordable rent, so if an individual is eligible to receive Housing Benefit, they may be able to receive help with their rent and eligible service charges.

In addition, individuals can also apply for funding for their care charges via Adult Community Services, if they meet the necessary criteria.

In the Jubilee House residential home, Seckford Care offers up to four subsidised places for those who require Adult Community Services funding, representing a value of up to £50,000 for 2022/23.

Gemma Bloomfield, Director of Care at Seckford Care, explains:

“Our priority is always to put people first. We have been able to support individuals on their personal care journeys, which includes keeping couples together and offering the option to move across into Jubilee House residential home from Extra Care. This ensures consistency in care delivery and enables the individual to remain at Seckford amongst the people that they know and are most familiar with.

“We are committed to strengthening our connections with the local community. We have been instrumental in developing the Woodbridge Dementia Project with local organisations and individuals since 2018, and members of our leadership team Seckford Care in Woodbridge is committed to providing a quality service, offering a wide range of care options to suit a variety of needs.

“As we look to the future, our intention is to offer more opportunities to connect with the community via the refurbishment of our much-loved chapel, which sits at the heart of our estate and the town of Woodbridge.”