Enter and view: Sheltered housing Frances and Dick James, Barnet

This was an announced Enter and View (E&V) visit undertaken by Healthwatch Barnet’s E&V Volunteers, as part of a planned strategy to look at a range of Sheltered Housing Units within the London Borough of Barnet to obtain a better idea of the services provided.

Summary:

• The unit is a modern Sheltered Housing unit in a very convenient location. There are 35 self-contained flats for single tenants and 5 for couples, with 2 flats for the full-time resident House Managers. The flats are available to disabled and blind or partially sighted people from the age of 18+.

• The Management draw up a Support Care Plan for new tenants and Care Plans, if needed, are provided by a tenant’s care agency.

• The Jewish Community supports the unit with donations and volunteers to run a full programme of activities.

Recommendations:

• Consult tenants’ views on matters of general interest.

• Increase number of tenants’ meetings a year.

• Carry out a tenants’ satisfaction questionnaire yearly and feedback the findings and proposed actions to be taken.

• Arrange for chairs in the communal lounge to be professionally cleaned on a regular basis.

• Install a hot water urn in the communal lounge.

• Adjust the timing of the closure of the double set of front doors to lessen the security risk.

Recommendations For Barnet Council:

• Provision of a safe way to cross Langstone Way.