Enter and view: Westcombe Park Nursing Home

Healthwatch Greenwich undertook an Enter and View visit to Westcombe Park Care Home on 8 May 2018. Overall, the home was found to be welcoming, clean and well maintained, with residents providing largely positive feedback about the care they received. Staff appeared to know residents well and were observed interacting with them in a caring and respectful manner. 

The home offered a wide range of facilities and activities, including communal lounges, quiet areas, a hair salon, exercise and pottery sessions, intergenerational activities with local schools and nurseries, and an attractive garden. Residents generally reported being happy living at the home and appreciated the support provided by staff. The catering provision was also viewed positively, with culturally diverse meal options available and flexibility around dining arrangements. 

A small number of issues were identified. One bedroom had a noticeable odour, some rooms were relatively small for residents' equipment needs, and bedroom doors lacked personalised dementia-friendly features. Healthwatch also found that not all residents appeared to be aware of or involved in their care plans, and concerns were raised about ongoing difficulties with transport for trips outside the home. 

Overall, Healthwatch concluded that Westcombe Park Care Home provided a positive and homely environment with good standards of care and a varied activities programme. Recommendations focused on improving room environments, increasing resident involvement in care planning, introducing more personalised dementia-friendly features and resolving transport issues to support residents' access to the community.