Enter and view: Grovelands, Yeovil

Healthwatch Somerset carried out an enter and view visit to Grovelands in Yeovil on 16 April 2015 to understand residents’ experiences of living in the home and accessing health and social care services. Grovelands is a residential home for up to 61 residents, including a specialist dementia unit. During the visit, Healthwatch spoke with the manager, staff and residents, although the report did not specify how many people were interviewed.

The visit found many examples of good practice. Residents described the home positively, commenting that staff were kind, caring and respectful and that they felt lucky to live there. Healthwatch highlighted the dementia-friendly environment, including memory boxes outside bedrooms, colour-coded bathroom and toilet doors, tactile displays and clear signage. Residents were encouraged to contribute to the running of the home, participate in meetings and activities, and maintain links with family and the local community.

Healthwatch also praised the wide range of activities on offer, including quizzes, exercise sessions, crafts, music and community visits. The home had strong links with local schools, churches and community organisations, and staff were observed supporting residents to remain active and independent. Residents reported good access to GPs, district nurses and other healthcare services.

Healthwatch concluded that the standard of care at Grovelands was excellent and that residents were very satisfied with the service they received. Recommendations focused on improving some signage, increasing opportunities for community involvement and outings, and addressing concerns about communication during hospital discharges and delays in social care reviews.