Enter and view: Westmead Centre

Healthwatch Wokingham conducted an enter and view visit to Westmead Centre. Westmead Centre caters for adults with physical disabilities, primarily those who have an acquired disability MS or a stroke, there are other service users e.g. those who are blind. Healthwatch Wokingham chose to visit the Westmead Centre as they had not been to a day service before. Healthwatch Wokingham hoped to engage with service users with physical disabilities to understand what impact using the Centre has on their independence and quality of life and to find out from users their suggestions for improving the service or expectations of the service. Healthwatch Wokingham engaged with six service users.

All of the service users spoken to on the day of the visit clearly enjoyed going to the Westmead Centre, they were very complimentary about the staff and told about how the centre had improved their independence and stopped them being isolated. The Healthwatch visiting team saw how the centre does not just provide life skills and opportunities to try out meaningful activities – it provides something so crucial – a place where friendships can be formed.

Healthwatch Wokingham found that the Westmead Centre offered a wide range of activities and some rehabilitation for people with physical disabilities. One of the key services that is not advertised is the emotional support that individuals receive from staff and other service users. The consumers were unanimous in their praise for the Westmead Centre. Everybody said that they enjoyed coming and that the centre had enhanced their independence. Many of the consumers spoke about how Westmead Centre meant they were not isolated.

Recommendations:

Optalis to consider how the centre could be utilised by other groups or organisations e.g Make the fantastic facilities like the Art room more accessible to others.

Optalis to look at alternative arrangements to cover the hairdressers maternity leave.

Residents spoke about the chiropodist not coming to the site – this would be a service that would be utilised.

Get local groups who are interested to help maintain the garden and make use of facilities e.g. the ‘incredible edible’ group.

Making the cost of attending more transparent. The Westmead Centre is a mixture of self funders and those in receipt of a personal budget. One of the service users told us “ if I could afford it I would come more”.

Service Provider Response:

As noted below, Optalis already provides access to Westmead by local community groups, without charge, where their primary purpose is consistent with the aims of our service. There may indeed be further opportunities to engage with the local community, and Optalis will explore this with our landlord, Wokingham Borough Council.

A mobile hairdresser has been out to visit a customer at Westmead since the Healthwatch visit. She is now booked to make further regular visits.

We encourage individuals to make their own appointments with Chiropodists and we signpost and support individuals to source support from other health care professionals such as Chiropodists, O.T`s, Physiotherapists and Speech and Language Therapists. We are always happy to accommodate these visits taking place at Westmead.

We have a clear pricing structure attached to bandings, which are based on the needs of the individual. When a customer is referred to Westmead, we will inform the Broker/Care manager of our prices. They will discuss financial matters direct with the customer as part of their assessment process. During the annual review or as needs change we will discuss the level of support needed with the customer and their Care manager/ Broker.