Enter and view: The Gables Nursing Home

On the 5th November 2019, Healthwatch carried out a semi-unannounced Enter and View visit to The Gables Nursing Home. The visit was undertaken following feedback from members of the public who had highlighted areas of concern about the environment of the home. From both postal surveys and speaking to residents and relatives during our visit, we received 13 responses, from a total of 22 residents (or their relatives) currently living at the care home.

The people who gave their feedback spoke very highly of the care at The Gables. The vast majority of respondents said that staff were available when they needed them and 12 out of 13 rated their overall experience of the care home as either ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. No cause for concern was raised regarding dental care at The Gables, but there is little clarity among residents and relatives as to what provision is available. There were good levels of satisfaction with the amount and variety of activities on offer from the full time Activities Co-ordinator. People were generally aware of the activities on offer, and said they took place when they were supposed to. The majority of people felt involved in their or their relative’s care, saying they had a positive relationship with staff who would talk to them regularly about any changes to their care plan. People said they felt that they had the opportunity to share their views and opinions about how the care home is run. The home demonstrated good practice with the use of the ‘This is Me’ 4 form for residents transferring to hospital. Healthwatch also observed some good examples of how information in the home was made accessible for residents with dementia. Some areas of the home had clearly not been refurbished for some time, however, Healthwatch were told by the manager about the plans in place to improve The Gables’ interior and assured that work was underway.