Enter and View: November 2017 - West Middlesex University Hospital – Crane Ward

As an Acute Frailty Unit they provide specialist care for frail patients over 65 years old. The ward consists of 28 beds (12 male, 12 female and 4 side rooms). There are separate bays for male and female patients.

Background for the visit:

The Health and Social Care Act allows HWH ‘Enter and View’ Authorised Representatives to observe service delivery and speak to patients, residents, staff, relatives, friends and carers. The visit can happen if people tell us there are concerns, but equally, the visits can take place when services have a good reputation. We can therefore learn from shared examples of what they are doing well from the perspective of the people who experience the service first hand.

‘Enter and View’ visits are not intended to specifically identify safeguarding issues. However, if safeguarding concerns arise during a visit, they are reported in accordance with the HWH Safeguarding Policy. If at any time an Authorised Representative observes a potential safeguarding concern, they will inform their lead. The lead Authorised Representative will then end the visit. In addition, if any member of staff wishes to raise a safeguarding issue about their employer, they will be directed to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Hounslow Council’s Safeguarding Team.

On this occasion, four ‘Enter and View’ Authorised Representatives (two HWH volunteers and two HWH staff members) attended the visit. The Authorised Representatives spoke with patients, staff and visitors. Recommendations have been made on how to improve the service and good practice has been highlighted.

HWH had liaised with the CQC, Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the Local Authorities (LA) to create an ‘Enter and View’ Programme. A number of health and social care providers were selected to be visited. There wasn’t a particular reason for visiting CW, the visit was part of HWH’s remit.