PATIENTS unable to use the toilet without asking and bare, unwelcoming rooms — a Healthwatch report has revealed the full extent of failures at the Island’s dementia unit.
Work is currently underway to refurbish Shackleton Ward at St Mary’s Hospital after it was branded inadequate by Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors.
The ward is set to reopen in June following a nine-week, £200,000 renovation which is hoped will create a more ‘homely’ and appropriate environment.
A report released this week by Healthwatch, the Isle of Wight’s health and social care watchdog, listed a catalogue of failures at the ward prior to the refurbishment works.
After Healthwatch inspected the ward in January, it escalated its concerns to the CQC.
The report stated: “The first lounge on the ward contained a television which was secured to the wall in a wooden cabinet and six plastic covered chairs. No other furniture or fittings were evident in the room and the walls were bare.
“An occupied bedroom that was viewed was stark, unwelcoming and spartan with bare walls. It was not personalised and no personal possessions were evident in the room.
“The only furniture observed was a hospital bed and a wardrobe secured to the wall.”
There were no light switches in the room, only on the wall outside, making it difficult for patients to turn their bedroom lights on and off.
Toilet, bathroom and bedroom doors were all locked during the day, with patients having to ask staff if they wanted to use the bathroom or enter their bedroom.
Staff acknowledged the environment was poor, and tried to take residents outside the ward, on visits to the seaside, when possible.
During the visit, three of the four staff on duty were agency staff.
Patients were unable to access food or drink independently and would have to ask staff if they wanted something to eat or drink.
Responding to the report, the Isle of Wight NHS Trust said it was grateful to Healthwatch and fully agreed with the assessment.
A spokesperson said: “The environment was not appropriate for this type of specialist service, and we have therefore worked with staff, carers and partners, including Healthwatch, to develop plans to refurbish the ward and create a dementia-friendly environment.
“We look forward to welcoming Healthwatch to carry out a follow up review of Shackleton ward once it is reopened to see the improvements made.”
Manager of Healthwatch, Joanna Smith, said: “We are pleased to see that the trust has acted promptly to address the serious concerns we raised and Healthwatch is looking forward to working closely with the Trust to ensure that all recommendations made within the report are met and sustained.
“Good dementia care should be a right not a privilege.”
The full ‘enter and view’ report for Shackleton Ward is available
online.
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