Enter and view: Wood Green Nursing Home

Healthwatch Sandwell conducted an Enter and View visit to Wood Green Nursing Home in Wednesbury on 30 August 2018 to assess the quality of care, residents' experiences, and how dignity and respect were promoted within the home. 

At the time of the visit, Wood Green Nursing Home was undergoing refurbishment and modernisation works. Despite the ongoing renovations, Healthwatch found the environment to be clean, tidy, and well maintained, with efforts made to minimise disruption to residents. The home accommodated older people requiring dementia care, rehabilitation, and end-of-life care, and had 34 residents living there on the day of the visit.

Healthwatch found evidence of a good level of care, dedicated staff, a wide range of activities, and a clean and welcoming environment. As a result, no recommendations for improvement were made. 

Residents who spoke with the visiting team were positive about the service. They described staff as friendly, helpful, and caring, and said they felt well looked after. Residents were generally satisfied with the food provided, which was adapted to meet cultural preferences and dietary requirements. 

The report highlighted a stable and experienced workforce, with some employees having worked at the home for up to 28 years. Staff received induction training and ongoing development in areas such as dementia care, medication management, falls prevention, continence care, and phlebotomy. Regular supervision and appraisals were also in place. 

Feedback from relatives was limited, as no questionnaires were returned. However, one relative interviewed during the visit reported visiting daily and expressed satisfaction with both the care provided to his wife and the overall quality of the home. 

Inspectors observed positive interactions between staff and residents, noting that staff responded promptly to call bells and gave residents appropriate attention and support. Privacy, dignity, and respect were promoted throughout the home, including measures taken to reduce the impact of refurbishment works on residents. 

Residents had access to NHS services, including GP support and multidisciplinary rehabilitation teams where appropriate. The home reported generally positive relationships with NHS services, although there were delays in accessing chiropody services.

Care planning involved residents and their relatives, with plans reviewed monthly. Relatives were invited to regular meetings, although attendance was low, and one-to-one discussions were often preferred. The home's feedback systems included an open-door policy, and only one formal complaint had been received and resolved in the previous year. 

The report also praised the home's approach to nutrition and hydration. Residents were offered varied menus with options for different dietary needs, and nutritional status was monitored regularly with dietitian support available when required. 

A particular strength of the home was its extensive activities programme. Residents could participate in gardening, crafts, flower arranging, exercise sessions, shopping trips, afternoon teas, cinema activities, and outings to places such as the Sea Life Centre and the Black Country Museum. Activities were tailored to residents' interests and abilities by a dedicated Activities Coordinator. 

Overall, Healthwatch Sandwell concluded that Wood Green Nursing Home was providing a positive standard of care in a clean and supportive environment, supported by committed staff and a broad programme of activities, with no immediate areas identified for improvement.