Enter and view: Derbyshire County Council summary report

Healthwatch Derbyshire conducted a series of Enter and View visits as part of a schedule of commissioned unannounced visits to residential care homes by the Derbyshire County Council. Seven visits took place between July 2018 and November 2018. Six of the homes supported older persons who were living with varying degrees of dementia and commonly additional mobility problems. One service was for people who have learning disabilities, some of whom had additional complex needs including mobility difficulties, offered short term/respite care and independent living assessment and training facilities. Questionnaire based interviews were conducted with 21 residents, 13 relatives and 24 staff members.

The summary report identified that there were good overall care standards maintained and a range of individual improvements

noted. Residents and relatives continue to express an appreciation of the high quality of care experienced and confidence in the staff delivering care. Residents felt safe and both residents and relatives felt confident in raising concerns if they had any. Building maintenance (internal and external) was of a high standard although, improvements in the maintenance of the garden areas were noted across the homes. There were concerns with organised programmes of activity as five of the seven homes indicated the wish for a greater range and frequency to be offered. Residents continued to speak positively about the quality of food/meals received and the choices offered.

A number of recommendations were made to provide an update on the progress of the tender for hearing loop services; To advise on the provision of staff training with respect to resident’s oral hygiene care needs; To advise how residents are ensured of regular therapeutic mobility and exercise programmes; To advise of strategies in place to ensure that residents ‘at risk’ of becoming isolated are suitably monitored; To confirm that practices are consistently in place to ensure that residents are reminded of their care choices and rights; To provide a progress update and actions further to the review conducted of external security fencing and gates across the service provision; To provide an update on the senior care worker role implementation review with particular reference to the effectiveness in ensuring residents receive an adequate and stimulating programme of leisure, recreational and therapeutic activities; and to advise of actions in place to address the CQC rating of ‘requires improvement’, particularly where this applied to all five CQC domains, which included one of the newest residential & Community care centre services.

Each recommendation has been responded to by the service provider and details an action plan addressing them.