Enter and view: St Catherine's Rest Home

Healthwatch Waltham Forest undertook an Enter and View visit to St Catherine's Rest Home on 7 November 2017. The visit found that the home provided a relaxed, welcoming and person-centred environment for older people, including people living with dementia. Residents spoke positively about the care they received, describing staff as respectful, helpful and responsive, and Healthwatch observed caring and compassionate interactions throughout the visit. 

The home had recently undergone refurbishment to make the environment more dementia friendly and residents were encouraged to personalise their rooms. Healthwatch found that care plans were regularly reviewed, residents were involved in decisions about their care, and the home worked with external health professionals to support residents' needs. Meals were freshly prepared, residents were involved in menu planning, and dietary, cultural and religious needs were accommodated. Activities were available daily and included both group and one-to-one sessions. 

Residents and relatives reported high levels of satisfaction with the service and felt able to raise concerns if necessary. Staff described receiving regular training and support and spoke positively about management. Healthwatch also observed good communication between staff and residents, including appropriate support for people living with dementia and examples of staff responding sensitively to residents experiencing distress.

Healthwatch concluded that the home was providing a high-quality service but made several recommendations. These included updating the service user guide, creating more opportunities for relatives to contribute to service development, reviewing staff induction arrangements, ensuring skips used during future building works are covered for safety, and developing partnerships with local community organisations to expand activities and opportunities for residents.