Enter and view: Swinton Hall Nursing Home

Healthwatch Salford carried out an Enter and View visit to Swinton Hall Nursing Home, a nursing care home with places for up to 62 residents.

The home was evaluated against eight quality indicators: strong, visible management; staff with the time and skills to do their jobs; good knowledge of each individual resident and how their needs may be changing; a varied programme of activities; quality, choice and flexibility around food and mealtimes; ensuring residents can regularly see health professionals such as GPs, dentists, opticians or chiropodists; accommodating residents’ personal, cultural and lifestyle needs; and being an open environment where feedback is actively sought and used.

At the time of this visit, the evidence was that the home was operating to a variable standard of care in relation to dignity and respect. However, the bulk of the residents seen on the day of the visit required some level of nursing support so their ability to function independently e.g. setting table, going out shopping, was limited by their own health needs rather than by any difficulties presented by the home staff. Positive feedback was received about some aspects of the care at home. However, staff were often too busy to offer fully personalised support; there was evidence of poor hygiene and basic information about such important matters as complaints procedures not being shared appropriately with residents and relatives.

Based on these findings, Healthwatch Salford made a number of recommendations around: staffing levels; managing hygiene and unpleasant odours; reviewing the menu choices available; choice of time for residents to get up and go to bed; increasing activity outside the home; improving the WiFi; and providing more information and arranging opportunities for residents to access a GP and other health professionals. The report includes a response from the service provider.