Enter and View: Thornton Lodge Care Home

Healthwatch Salford carried out an Enter and View visit to Thornton Lodge, a nursing and residential care home with places for up to 34 residents.

The home was evaluated against eight quality indicators: strong, visible management; staff with the time and skills to do their jobs; good knowledge of each individual resident and how their needs may be changing; a varied programme of activities; quality, choice and flexibility around food and mealtimes; ensuring residents can regularly see health professionals such as GPs, dentists, opticians or chiropodists; accommodating residents’ personal, cultural and lifestyle needs; and being an open environment where feedback is actively sought and used. 

findings

Authorised representatives conducted interviews with seven members of staff at the care home, plus the registered manager. Topics such as quality of care, safety, dignity, respecting and acknowledging the resident and families’ wishes and staff training were explored. Authorised representatives also approached twelve residents at the care home to ask them about their experiences of the home and, where appropriate, other topics such as accessing health care services. No family members or friends were spoken to as there were none present at the time of visit.

Overall, from the twenty individuals Healthwatch spoke to and from what they observed at Thornton Lodge, it was clear that the management team acknowledge there are areas requiring improvement following a CQC inspection in March 2017 (report published in May). The residents and staff were very positive about the care home but identified issues around providing personalised care, meals, access to activities, staff training and support and the environment which need to be addressed.

Recommendations

• Care Plans – continuing to improve the care plans so that residents' needs and personal preferences are reflected by the care but also when planning activities and meals.
• Activities – more staff support should be put in place to help residents to engage in activities in the home, carry on past hobbies where possible; and to go outside or arrange trips.
• Food – more choices of meals should be made available for residents and more staff put in place to encourage sociable meal times.
• Training – more opportunities to access training and providing opportunities for professional development should be put in place and this should be during paid work time.
• Staff Support - staff would benefit from daily handovers as shifts end and start to make sure they are aware of residents’ changing needs.
• Environment – the care home would benefit greatly from internal painting, changing flooring and improving the outdoor spaces so that residents can fully utilise communal areas.

There is a positive response from the care provider to the recommendations.