The impact of Enter and View

Healthwatch Lancashire conduct Enter and View visits across a range of service areas, including care homes. Healthwatch collect feedback from staff and people who use the service to celebrate good practice and highlight areas to improve. This feedback informs recommendations which help to improve individual services as well as system-wide improvements.

Below are two examples of recent Enter and View visits into care homes conducted by Healthwatch Lancashire whereby recommendations have been actioned. As a result, relatives are more informed in their loved one’s day-to-day life and care, communication between staff is clearer and residents have a wider choice of activities to take part in.

Dovehaven Grove Care Home

Healthwatch Lancashire visited Dovehaven Grove Care Home in Preston on 6^th January 2023.

During the visit, Healthwatch Lancashire spoke to six residents, ten staff members and one relative. Through their feedback and observations, recommendations were made. Since the visit, the service provider has informed us that they have actioned the following:

• More frequent staff meetings to ensure staff are informed
• Production of an activity timetable which is clearly visible within the home so residents and relatives can see what activities they can be involved in
• Introduction of a monthly newsletter to keep relatives up to date with activity within the home, giving them the opportunity to partake. Relatives’ preferred method of communication is now also documented within care plans.

Douglas Bank Care Home

Healthwatch Lancashire representatives visited Douglas Bank Nursing Home in Wigan on Thursday 9^th February 2023.

During the visit, Healthwatch Lancashire spoke to four residents, nine staff and one relative. Recommendations were made and Healthwatch Lancashire have since received photographs of the changes made by the service provider to the home.

The service provider has implemented the following:

• Production of a ‘post box’ area within the home whereby residents can send postcards to their relatives, supporting residents’ to feel closer to their loved ones.
• Dementia friendly clocks have been purchased.

The service provider left Healthwatch Lancashire the following feedback:

‘The report was a positive outcome recognising the important changes we have made to Douglas Bank. We thank you for your time speaking with staff and residents and making suggestions where we could improve the service we provide.’ (Douglas Bank Nursing Home Manager).

These are just two examples of how Enter and View visits can make a positive impact to health and social care services in Lancashire; improving the lives of residents.

You can read our Enter and View reports here