Enter and view: Darlington Court

Healthwatch West Sussex conducted an enter and view visit to Darlington Court on 8th April 2015. The purpose of the visit was to understand and report on the experiences of residents of the home, their relatives, supporters and staff; in relation to dignity within the home.

Healthwatch West Sussex spoke to a number of staff, covering a broad range of roles and levels of responsibility which included the care home manager and members of the Rehabilitation team. Spoke to five residents and one relative, in several locations across the home. Healthwatch West Sussex did not speak to any of the rehabilitation patients as they were in their rooms. In addition Healthwatch West Sussex only spoke to residents on the first floor as the manager said the residents in the dementia unit would not be able to give informed consent to participate in the survey.

Darlington Court is a nursing home owned by Care UK Community Partnerships Ltd, which currently has 61 residents. It is CQC registered to provide Caring for adults over 65 years, those with Dementia, Learning Disabilities, Mental Health conditions & Physical Disabilities.

Recommendations

Policies, Procedures and Training - Consideration should be given to closure of the rehabilitation beds. Ensure that all care home staff who cover rehabilitation wards at weekends have received training appropriate to this specific area. Coordination between care home staff and the rehabilitation team members should be improved to ensure that patient needs identified in individual rehabilitation plans are followed. Specific training should be offered in this regard. The rehabilitation team would benefit from improved facilities such as provision of

a kitchen which would allow more privacy.

Choice & control - Consider whether rehabilitation patients could have breakfast earlier whilst still

letting the care home residents keep their current breakfast time.

Communications - Ensure staff have a little more time at meal times to communicate with the residents. Ensure there are sufficient night staff and staffing is adequate when beds are closed. Signs for the visually impaired should be included on notice boards.

Personal hygiene - Introduce a checking system for patients left on commodes.

Social inclusion - Consider introducing WiFi in resident’s bedrooms or other parts of the home. Improved practice in care. Provide a more dignified method for transporting the deceased and residents who are unwell between floors within the home.

Service Provider Response

Policies etc - We do not see how Healthwatch can make such a radical statement re the future of the rehab beds after a 4 hour visit. However we can advise that the rehab contract is now coming to an end and therefore the other items in this category are now irrelevant in respect of my response.

Choice and Control - This has been discussed fully on several occasions as stated above and it is our view that resident choice is the most important.

Communications - Staffing rotas are continually assessed to ensure there are sufficient staff in the right place as required. However it is accepted that there is always the possibility that there may still be occasions when this does not appear to be adequate dependent on the levels of assistance being provided to other residents. As stated before our rotas clearly identify that we operate the home with sufficient and often higher levels, of staffing, including night cover. Signs for visually impaired, as stated by the manager would be available if required as would any other aid that was required for a resident. The home was also asked whether we train our staff in Makaton to which we gave the same response in relation to providing it as and when it is required.

Personal Hygiene - As we have no background information in relation to this comment it is difficult to say whether a checking system would be suitable. Obviously if, after we are provided with further details on this matter, we find that this is an issue in the home we will take stringent steps and checks to prevent such a lack of dignity and respect occurring. Similarly, this is another issue which could constitute abuse and we feel that these details should have been handed to us on the say to enable us to report and ensure a thorough investigation was held.