Visits to Care Homes in Hertfordshire - Phase 2
Our reports are public documents and we share them with the commissioners and providers of the service we are visiting. We also share them with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Healthwatch England.
During 2014 to 2017 we ran a project to look at the quality of life of individuals living in care homes in respect of environment, leisure and services, digital inclusion and food and drink. We also wanted to see if NICE guidelines that recommend that older people in care homes are given support and opportunities to express themselves as individuals were being considered.
This is Phase 2 of a rolling programme of care home visits in order to review outcomes at defined intervals.
What we found
Similar to our Phase 1 visits, residents generally felt well cared for and involved in the daily life of their home. Quality of activities and access to the Internet varied across the homes visited and once again a few homes were in much need of refurbishment.
We made recommendations for improvement in each of the homes we visited.
What changed as a result of our visits
- Carpets replaced in the sitting room in one care home.
- Garden areas enhanced in some care homes, for example a new patio and seating area, refreshed flower beds and new hanging baskets.
- Additional activities commissioned and engaging residents and their relatives in decisions about these in several care homes .
- One home improved digital inclusion following our visit by buying a computer and setting it up in the café area and another purchased an iPad for residents to connect with friends and family via Skype.
- Refurbishment plans of some care homes incorporating recommendations from our reports.
Visit Reports
If you require any of these reports in another format, please get in touch.
Are you looking for current information about a care home in this article?
The Care Quality Commission monitors, inspects, and regulates services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety and publish what they find, (including performance ratings) to help people choose care.
Click on the button below to access the Commission's 'find a care home' search engine and read the most up to date quality report published by their inspectors.
