Enter and view: Westwood Court Care Home

Healthwatch Cheshire West conducted an Enter and View visit to Westwood Court Nursing Care Home on 1 April 2014. Westwood Court is a purpose built 56 unit (32 rooms en-suite WC) residential care home with nursing care. Accommodation includes a 27 bed Dementia Unit on the ground-floor and a 29 bed Mental Health Unit above.

The Enter and View Authorised Representatives felt that this was a well resourced residential care home, providing a caring, supportive and stimulating environment for people with dementia and mental health issues. All the staff appear enthusiastically supported by the manager. Staff were observed as caring and appear well trained. Staff turnover seems low and gives an impression of being a cohesive, happy team providing good care to its clients. Authorised Representatives reported being particularly pleased to see 1.5 full time equivalent Activity Co-ordinator/Assistant employed to support and stimulate both client groups. The building itself offers a pleasant and well maintained environment and appears cleaned to a high standard.

The report made several suggestions for improving the experience of residents at the Home including the provision of tactile board for dementia unit, which has detachable textures and shapes that can be ripped off it and replaced when finished with; spring clean away weeds in block paving near front entrance of car park and tidy up weeds in vegetable plot; tidy or remove pile of wood in garden behind garage/storage shed. The Authorised Representatives also suggested that the provision of a greenhouse would encourage clients to grow their own plants and vegetables.