Enter and view: Birkdale

Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin undertook an announced/unannounced enter and view visit to Birkdale Residential Care Home on 31 July 2025. It aimed to understand the quality of care, environment, and resident experience.

Birkdale is a 29‑bed residential home supporting people with a range of needs, including dementia, physical disabilities, and sensory impairments. The home consists of two floors and two connected sections, and residents are encouraged to personalise their rooms. Decoration and refurbishment are ongoing.

Externally, the home has a small car park with limited and uneven parking spaces. A small rear garden is maintained with resident involvement. Internally, the environment includes good use of contrasting colours to support residents with visual or cognitive impairments. During the visit, representatives noted outdated CCTV signage and a locked door incorrectly marked as a fire exit. Both issues were raised with the manager.

Essential services are supported through Oakengates GP Surgery, with residents typically seen by paramedics during home visits. A weekly multidisciplinary team meeting supports care planning. Medication is managed smoothly through Oakengates Pharmacy. Dental care is provided via the Care to Smile programme, and the home has achieved an award for meeting its standards.

The home had 23 residents at the time of the visit. Staff were observed to know residents well and involve them as much as possible in daily life. Complaints are acknowledged within three days and resolved within 28. However, some staff were not wearing name badges, which could make identification difficult for visitors.

Care plans are currently paper‑based, with daily handovers and a staff WhatsApp group used to share updates. Staff expressed interest in adopting digital care planning now that connectivity has improved. Concerns were raised about fire exits located inside two bedrooms, where keys are kept in coded boxes, although the Fire Service confirmed this was acceptable given the building’s layout.

Residents are offered choice in meals and activities, with a two‑week rolling programme and opportunities for individual participation, including gardening, knitting, puzzles, and social activities. Both residents and relatives have regular meetings, and relatives receive a weekly newsletter. Residents interviewed during the visit expressed strong satisfaction with their care and daily life.

Healthwatch made three recommendations: remove redundant fire exit signs, ensure all staff wear name badges, and remove CCTV signage where cameras are no longer present. The provider confirmed that all three actions had been completed.