Enter and View: Belton House Retirement Home, Rutland

Healthwatch Rutland conducted an Enter and View on Belton House Retirement Home, Rutland, a home that caters for up to 20 residents, many of whom have dementia with most residents being self-funding. The home is also used by the local authority for re-enablement following hospital discharge so allowing patients, who are not well enough to return to their own homes, to vacate hospital beds.

The visit was conducted on 18th January 2017 and was arranged as part of Healthwatch Rutland’s enter and view schedule.

Observation by the enter and view representatives reported that:

Belton House is a retirement home used by privately funded residents and by the council for re-enablement. We were met by friendly staff and happy residents.

Disabled access to the building is challenging.

Internally the home presents as a converted country house with little evidence of recent redecoration/refurbishment.

There is no internet access for residents and only limited functioning electronic security for patients with dementia.

Activities for residents and information for residents and their families is restricted but an activities coordinator has been appointed.

The absence of a well understood and displayed whistle blowing policy could make the reporting of any lapses of care problematic

Following the visit, the enter and view teams suggested some recommendations for the home to consider including reviewing accessibility for those in wheelchairs, giving attention to the physical environment, reviewing activities and the communication needs of residents, look at the safety and well-being of residents in terms of security equipment on the home and also review the wellbeing of both staff and residents.

The service provider then provided feedback to show how these recommendations have been addressed.