Enter and view: The Mews Care Home

Healthwatch Rochdale conducted an announced Enter and View visit on 3rd June 2019 to The Mews Care Home. The representatives interviewed four members of staff, three residents and one family member alongside observations of the home.

The report found that staff members felt supported by their manager and that visitors regarded the manager as friendly and helpful. Residents and visitors reported that the care staff provided good care, while staff reported that they felt they had enough time to care for residents. Staff felt they knew the residents as individuals and the residents felt that the staff knew their likes and dislikes well. There was a range of activities available to residents including trips to the cinema. The activities co-ordinator was observed taking a resident out on an individual trip to a location of their choice. Mealtimes were calm and that residents were always offered a choice of food and where to eat. Residents are regularly visited by health professionals, including a dentist and an optician. The manager explained that the home celebrates all the different denominational celebrations and residents confirmed there was respect for their religion or culture in the home. Feedback from residents, staff and visitors was encouraged during regular meetings and suggestion boxes. The environment had been altered to be dementia-friendly, with signage and cutlery. 

Recommendations were made in the report and included that the home continue to research electronic care plan systems and continue to switch from paper to electronic care plans; share their skills and experience on providing individualised activities to allow other homes to learn from good practice; introduce a "you said, we did" board for feedback; and that the report be shared with family members to encourage them to contact Healthwatch Rochdale.

The service provider responded well to the report.