Enter and view: Abbotsbury, Bedfordshire

Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire conducted an announced Enter and View visit on 29 January 2015 to Abbotsbury Residential Care Home. The home has 32 beds providing care for people with mild memory loss, dementia and frail older people. All residents are over the age of 65. Four residents as well as several family members and staff were engaged with using survey and observation methods.

The findings show that at the time of the visit, the home was operating to a good standard of care with regard to cleanliness, dignity and respect. Residents looked tidy, clean and well cared for, representatives saw no evidence of dignity not being respected. Residents were generally happy with the meals which appeared to be balanced and nutritious. Residents were given the option of taking part in organised activities along with their relatives. Relatives were appreciative of the care given, however, they were all concerned about the level of staffing, particularly the shortage of permanent staff and current use of agency staff. Relatives (and some staff members) spoke of their concerns regarding the standard of care delivered by agency staff. Recommendations were made concerning the urgent need for recruitment of permanent staff and for all new staff to undergo rigorous training in the levels of care and compassion expected of them. Representatives felt the home to be urgently in need of redecoration or refurbishment and recommended that it be redecorated.

It was also recommended that the report be shared with residents and their relatives to allow them the opportunity to comment further should they wish to do so.

The service provider responded positively to the report and its recommendations. The home plans to look at utilising staff in a different way so as to ensure they are being as efficient as possible. Details of staff induction periods, supervision and training as well as a description of the process to support agency staff were shared. The manager stated that they would undertake an assessment of all living spaces and put in place a programme for redecoration over the following 12 months and that the report would be widely distributed and placed in the reception for relatives/family members to read and comment on.