Enter and view: Nairn House care & Nursing Home

Healthwatch Enfield conducted an announced Enter and View visit to Nairn House Care and Nursing Home in November 2018, as part of a planned strategy to look at a range of care and nursing homes within the borough, to assess the quality of care provided. Observations and unstructured interviews were used to gather information on care, choice and the environment from 9 residents, 11 relatives and 4 staff and management.

The report found that staff were open and understanding towards residents and their visitors. The home has arranged for health professionals to visit residents in the home, such as GPs, dentists and hairdressers. The home was clean and welcoming with a full-time activity coordinator organising activities for the residents. Although, it was observed that the activity room was not particularly accessible for those who require additional support. Residents reported that they were able to practice their religion and felt comfortable doing so in the home. However, relatives and residents reported that the staffing levels and response times varied. Relatives reported that their loved ones felt safe and well cared for in the home. They also stated that they felt their relative could choose when and what to eat, activities and could go to bed when they chose. Additionally, Healthwatch Enfield identified areas of good practice that the home displayed, for example, the home has dentists that visit the home, residents are able to personalise their rooms and there is involvement and interaction between the home and the local community.

Healthwatch Enfield made a number of recommendations based on the observations and feedback. These included

Ensure that staff are clear about their role and performance is carefully monitored, so they all provide the highest level of care; residents are able to have an alarm pendant or similar so that those who are more mobile can wear these as they move around the Home. Staffing levels should be closely monitored ensuring hours allocated are sufficient to meet BUPA’s call response policy and provide a more

responsive level of care; Arrange for the dentist to provide an annual check-up to all residents; Ensure that residents have a means for raising issues and giving feedback on a regular basis; Consider ways to fully involve all residents and offer more personalised activities to each resident including ensuring that residents who have limited mobility and who wish to join in activities in the main lounge are supported to do so on a regular basis; Build on existing work with the wider community in order to increase resident’s opportunity to engage in social interaction; A risk assessment should continue to be carried out on all residents moving around the home. Clear systems including staff responsibilities,should be put in place so that residents who are unable to move can be moved around the building safely, especially to access activities or other forms of stimulation if they wish; and Review all signage so that they are sufficiently large, clear and accessible, including for those with visual impairment, including colour-blindness.

The service provider informed Healthwatch Enfield that most of the recommendations are in the process of being actioned or have already been actioned. For example, the Activities co-ordinator role has since been filled, the staffing concerns are being addressed, they now have call bell pendants and new signage is due to be put into place.