Enter and view: Franklyn Lodge Care Home

Healthwatch Brent carried out an announced Enter and View visit on 21st March, 2016, to Franklyn Lodge Care Home. This was part of a planned strategy to look at a range of care and nursing homes within Brent to obtain a better idea of the level of care. Franklyn Lodge is owned by Residential Care Services Ltd and the residents are placed by the local authority. The nine residents in the home, are adults with sensory impairment and learning and physical disabilities.

The report describes the forecourt and approach to the house as neglected and uncared for while the rooms felt gloomy with dated furniture, and the dining room furniture looked old and tired. A long-term plan for the home was to make residents more independent through activities and daily tasks. While some residents go out to see the GP, there are times the GP is asked to come to the home as do the chiropodist and the optician. One of the care assistants described working in the home as ‘It is like being at home.’ The staff receive training annually and most of the staff are long term for the benefit of the residents. Although the Healthwatch team only observed one activity taking place, the home did have a sensory room and they were told the residents have a full program of activities. The residents are visited by their relatives from time to time, and they are taken on annual holidays with 1:1 support through with extra agency staff. The residents could not be interviewed as they could not express themselves verbally. The report identifies that the staff interacted with the residents warmly and compassionately.

The report makes the recommendation that the care home was in need of refurbishment and redecoration to give it a more welcoming and brighter look.

In response the Manager did not agree with the statements about the neglected approach/forecourt and explained that there were building works being carried out and consequently building materials have been safely and neatly arranged to the left of the forecourt. The manager also disagreed that the rooms were dark as the curtains are to prevent strong sunlight in the summer and to keep the rooms warm in the winter. An order has been placed for new chairs for the dining room. The Manager said they are happy to take on board recommendations and objective comments, that will improve their service.