Archived: Ainslie and Highams Inpatient Facility

3 Friars Close, Chingford, London, E4 6UW (020) 8539 5522

Provided and run by:
Barts Health NHS Trust

Important: This service was previously managed by a different provider - see old profile
Important: This service is now managed by a different provider - see new profile

All Inspections

1 March 2013

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We spoke to nine patients and four relatives. Patients told us that they were happy with the care they received. One patient said "The carer's are wonderful. I can't fault them. My daughter wrote to tell the manager how much we appreciate all the help I have received.' A relative said 'The care is ok. Staff don't always respond rapidly but I am quite happy with the treatment."

We found that call bells were answered in a timely manner and that there was always a staff member in the lounge. Staff also had pagers so that they could hear the call bells and respond appropriately. We found that one staff had left their pager on a table for over 7 minutes. We notified the managers of this and found that another staff picked up the pager and returned it to the staff member.

We spoke to two therapists, two managers, two nurses and two support workers. Nursing staff had received appropriate training in continence, safeguarding and dementia care. Staff told us that they felt supported by the interim managers and told us they worked well as a team. Both people and staff thought that staffing was adequate to meet the needs of the people.

We found that though patients had risk assessments these were not always scored or completed properly. Care standards were pre printed and did not always accurately reflect the needs of the individual. Continence at night was promoted, as evidenced by one care plan that read, 'a commode is used at night on the left side of the bed."

6 August 2012

During an inspection in response to concerns

We spoke to sixteen people who used the service and four relatives. People told us that staff were very polite and kind. One person said, "I am quite pleased with the treatment I have received so far.' Another said "the staff are very helpful. They told me I will have carers coming in three times a day when I go home.' Another person said, "Staff treat me with respect. They come and ask me what I would like to eat and help me when I need help.'

Several people said they had to wait for long periods for call bells to be answered. A person who used the service said 'sometimes you have to wait half an hour to go to toilet." Other people said: 'When you are sat up here [in the dining area] you feel abandoned'; 'Sometimes I wait two hours to be taken back to my room after breakfast', and 'they are busy getting people up, there's no time for them to come back for me.'

Relatives told us that they were kept up to date with the progress of their relations. One relative said "We feel well informed and think the staff try to keep us up to date with any progress.' Another relative told us that staff were, "very helpful and always answered any question we raise.'