Who Your Relative Will MeetIt can be very confusing for a new resident to move into a new home and see so many people they have never met before. Some wear uniform in different colours and styles, whilst others wear mufti.
The next few pages will give you an overview of some of the different people your relative is likely to see during their life in their new abode.
Apart from the proprietor or managers, if the home is run by a managing company, there are four main groups of people your relative may see:
- staff
- official visitors
- residents’ visitors
- maintenance contractors and representatives.
Official Visitors
The main groups of official visitors who visit the home are:
- inspectors
- district pharmacist
- fire officer
- police officers
- ambulance crews and paramedics
- maintenance contractors.
Inspectors
Care home inspections are carried out four times a year. Extra inspections may be carried out if the inspectors are dissatisfied with any aspect of the running of the home, eg management or the residents’ well being.
The purpose of their inspection is to:
- Ensure the well being of the residents.
- Assess whether residents are contented, happy and well looked after.
- Ensure the mix of staff and staffing levels are adequate.
- Ensure the home is being run in a proper manner.
- Check all records are updated regularly.
- Check residents’ personal care plans are accurate and revised whenever there is a change in the resident’s physical or mental condition, care or treatment.
- Check the cleanliness of the kitchen(s).
- See menus are well balanced, nutritious and appetising.
- Check all parts of the home are being kept clean.
- Check all table linen, bed linen and residents’ clothing is laundered as necessary.
- See anything else they wish to.
Two of the inspections are unannounced but the inspectors make appointments with the matron for the other two. This is because they need to see all the records, care plans, etc on these visits.
It is an ideal time for residents to chat to the inspectors, particularly if they have a complaint, suggestions or want to give praise!
The District Pharmacist
The district pharmacist may not be seen by the residents as they will spend their visit checking all the drugs (medications) in the home.
Some of the things they will check are:
- The expiry date on all drugs and medications.
- Tablets, creams, ointments, medicines, etc are stored in a proper manner.
- New stocks are checked and recorded both when they arrive and when they are dispensed to the appropriate resident.
- Residents’ drug charts are kept up to date.
Fire Officers
Fire officers visit from time to time and your relative may see them checking fire extinguishers, fire hoses, smoke and fire alarms which are placed in strategic places around the home.
They will also check fire exits to make sure they are uncluttered as this could prevent a safe exit in the event of a fire.
The fire records will be inspected for frequency of staff fire training and testing of fire equipment.
Police Officers
Police officers will attend if they are called by the management, the matron or senior staff in the event of burglary, theft or other crime being committed on the premises.
Ambulance Crews And Paramedics
Ambulances with paramedics will be called into the home in the case of sudden illness or an accident to a resident or member of staff.
Hospital transport vehicles will attend to take a resident to the hospital for a hospital appointment if required.
Maintenance Contractors
Maintenance contractors carry out inspections and repairs to equipment or to the building when called in by the management.
Lifts have to be inspected at regular intervals by the manufacturer’s own maintenance team or another firm as arranged by them.
In the event of a breakdown they will be called out by the nurse in charge to carry out urgent repairs.