Enter and view: St Mary's Nursing Home

Healthwatch Staffordshire carried out an Enter and View visit to St Mary's Nursing Home following a Care Quality Commission inspection that had rated the service as requiring improvement. The visit focused on whether residents were treated with dignity and respect and whether medicines were managed safely. Healthwatch found the home to be clean, well maintained and welcoming, with 53 residents living in a calm and pleasant environment. Staff interactions with residents were observed to be friendly, respectful and person-centred. 

Residents appeared well cared for and appropriately dressed, with staff supporting individual preferences around daily routines, clothing and bedtime. Healthwatch observed evidence of privacy being respected, including staff knocking before entering bedrooms and notices being displayed during personal care. The home also offered a range of activities, outings and events, supported by a dedicated activity coordinator, alongside flexible visiting arrangements for families. 

The visit reviewed concerns previously raised about medication management. Managers explained that issues identified by CQC had been investigated, staffing changes had been made and new systems introduced to ensure medicines were stored, administered and monitored safely. Healthwatch was told that pharmacy arrangements had also been changed to reduce delays in obtaining medicines when urgently required.

Overall, Healthwatch found a positive atmosphere throughout the home and concluded that significant improvements had been made since the earlier CQC inspection. Staff spoke positively about changes under the current management team, and Healthwatch did not identify any issues requiring a follow-up visit.