Enter and view: Cherry Garth Care Home, Bucks

Healthwatch Bucks conducted an unscheduled Enter and View on Cherry Garth, a purpose built 60 place care home over three floors for those with dementia on 14 November 2015.

The visit was arranged with up to two weeks’ notice of intention to visit as part of Healthwatch Bucks Enter and View Dignity in Care project.

Observation by the representatives reported that: the large bedrooms accommodated residents’ personal furniture and smaller items, there were a number of notices throughout the building reporting regular events for residents in-house and in the local community. Volunteers were utilised too. It appeared there was lots to do and the garden area was well maintained with seating areas and verandas. One negative observation was that the home did smell of urine on the ground floor and parts of the first floor. In addition it appeared that there was a lack of staff in communal areas, the result of which was that authorised representatives were asked to get help by residents who needed support during the visit.

Residents reported that they were happy and that the staff were good and caring. Staff were observed asking permission to enter a resident’s bedroom.

The report made two recommendations: to reassess staffing on all floors in the home to allow for more focused 1:1 care for all residents; to use best efforts to eliminate the odour from the ground and first floors. The service provider responded that the budget will be addressed imminently to address staffing and that the household team is working hard to eliminate odours.