Beechwood Place Nursing Home, Malton
Healthwatch North Yorkshire has a legal power to visit health and social care services and see them in action. This power is known as 'enter and view' and offers a way for us to meet some of our statutory functions and to identify what is working well with services and where they could be improved. We also get a response from the care homes to our recommended actions.
Purpose of the visit
- To visit and gather views of the residents and their relatives and the experiences of the services provided.
- To observe the ongoing care being provided for the residents and their interaction with staff and their surroundings.
Who we spoke with
Our authorised representatives visited the home and spoke with residents, residents’ relatives and friends, and care home staff, as well as conducted a planned observation.
We heard from:
- 8 residents
- 8 residents’ friends or family members
- 11 members of staff
Key findings
Observation
Healthwatch North Yorkshire volunteers observed a welcoming and friendly environment where personalised and considerate care was evident. Staff, friends and family and residents are well looked after and content as evidenced by the findings below. There could however be improvements made to encourage more socialisation and engagement in activities for all residents that would like to participate.
What is working well
- Beechwood Place Nursing Home in Malton is welcoming, with staff appearing friendly and approachable.
- Residents felt the home is clean and comfortable.
- Staff were knowledgeable of residents and their families likes and dislikes.
- Lots of information on notice boards about staff including well-being and dementia champions.
- The activities co-ordinator organised activities tailored to residents’ interests, which were appreciated by residents and friends and family.
- Friends and family were able to leave feedback about the home at the entrance.
- Friends and family appreciated the newsletter outlining any news or activities.
Areas for improvement
Clearer signs
Recommendation: Clearer signage of visitors’ toilet and larger print on signs for rooms and floors would help navigating what could be a confusing floor layout
Response: Signage throughout the home has been improved, and we will continue to seek feedback from residents and visitors to ensure the building's layout remains as easy to navigate as possible.
Socialising
Recommendation:
The communal space could be improved with comfortable seating arranged to encourage socialising.
Response:
The arrangement of chairs and tables in the lounge is adaptable to suit the activities planned each day. The setup is intentionally flexible and can be adjusted easily to encourage socialisation. Additionally, new lounge chairs and extra coffee tables have been added to create a more homely and welcoming atmosphere.
Assist with hearing aids
Recommendation:
Some training on checking that hearing aids are working would be beneficial i.e., low battery.
Response:
Posters have been made for each resident’s room where they require hearing aids. The communication care plans on the Person-Centred Software system have also been reviewed and now include information on recognising a low battery and how to replace these.
Outside space
Recommendation:
The garden area would benefit from being enclosed to provide a safe outdoor space for residents due to being accessible from the car park.
Response:
At present, there are no plans to enclose the garden area; however, this may be explored in the future as part of potential expansion plans. In the meantime, residents are always supported when accessing the garden.
Online information
Recommendation:
Ensure the website is kept up to date. For example, the staff information is out of date.
Response:
New photos have been taken for the website following the redecoration project in the home, and these will now be sent to the group’s website developers to update. Staff information will also be reviewed in line with this.
Activities
Recommendation:
Residents' feedback and observations suggested more could be done to get residents involved with meaningful activities, where possible, out of their rooms and engaging with each other. Perhaps all staff should consider activities as part of their responsibility.
Response:
A monthly activity planner is shared with all; residents are encouraged to participate whenever possible. The activities are selected by residents during the monthly residents’ meetings. Additionally, the activities coordinators are working to establish connections with more local community groups, which residents will be supported to access. We will work with the team to explore ways to further integrate activities into daily routines and encourage working together to enhance residents’ experiences. Feedback from residents will continue to guide our efforts in this area.
