Enter and view: Multiple care home experience report
Download (PDF 426.52 KB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Darlington carried out five enter and view visits on residential care homes in their area. The homes visited in this report are Middleton Hall retirement village, Wilton House care home, Springfield care home, Willow Green care home with nursing and Eden Cottage care home, all of which are located in Darlington.
Each of the visits were carried out on a different day and were part of a series of visits across premises throughout Darlington for Healthwatch Darlington to ascertain the quality of life and choices offered to residents living in a care home and how staff and relatives feel about working or having their friend/relative living in a care home.
Overall observations suggested the majority of residents felt safe in the respective homes they lived in, the majority of residents thought there was enough staff and most of the residents felt that staff knew them, giving some very positive comments about staff members.
Resident comments included:
About safety - “feel very safe”, “there is always someone looking after me”, “couldn’t be happier”
About food - “we always seem to be eating and they are very tasty”, “lovely meals”, “you get choice, get something else if you don’t like it”.
About decisions about care and dignity - “Yes, I often like to stay in my room”, “very respectful and they do respect my decisions”, “Yes, I’m
always asked but sometimes I would ask staff to speak with my family”
The report included five recommendations:
- Promote ratio of staff to number of residents so that the staff delivering the service, the residents receiving the service, and relatives of residents visiting understand the requirements set out by the Home regarding the number of staff per number of the residents.
- For staff to spend more time with residents where possible, giving a better 1 to 1 service.
- For residents to be given the opportunity to get out doors in the fresh air more, either in the garden or by trips out.
- For staff to be more mindful of their team listening skills and to act on any perceived communication breakdown.
- Being aware of small housekeeping issues as these can make a big difference to residents if rectified
The report does not contain a response from any of the providers.