Enter and view: Ridgway House, Towcester

Healthwatch Northamptonshire undertook an Enter and View visit to Ridgway House, Towcester on 19 July 2015.

The visit found that the home provided a clean, welcoming and homely environment with a calm atmosphere and pleasant surroundings. Residents appeared well cared for and were treated with dignity and respect. Staff were observed interacting with residents in a caring and respectful manner, and relatives spoke positively about the quality of care and the way residents' individual needs were supported. Residents were able to make choices about clothing, meals and daily routines, and independence was encouraged wherever possible. 

Staff reported that the home had improved under a relatively new manager, with better training, greater openness and a stronger focus on dementia care. Relatives also described positive changes and said concerns were listened to and acted upon. Activities were available and staff were encouraged to engage purposefully with residents, although there was no dedicated activities coordinator. Feedback about food and meal arrangements was generally positive, although one relative reported a delay in accessing dietetic support.

Healthwatch Northamptonshire recommended that staff use appropriate protective clothing when carrying out certain care tasks, introduce highly visible name badges to help residents identify staff, and encourage staff to become Dignity Champions and Dementia Friends to further strengthen person-centred care. The provider accepted the recommendations and reported that appropriate protective equipment was already in use and that additional dementia awareness work had since been introduced.