Alexandra House

Reply from Alexandra House
Thu, 10 Jul 2014 16:03:43 +0100

As a professional and caring Charitable Trust we always feel concerned to have a disappointed customer. We take comments seriously so to review and improve our services, and hope that this gentleman is doing well in his present accommodation. Applicants undergo detailed pre-admission assessments by our experienced staff before deciding we could safely care for them at Alexandra House. We consider all available information including from the potential resident, family members and importantly independent professional reports. In this case there was no Social Work or any Medical reports available and we solely relied on relatives to tell us about their father’s needs. Unfortunately it soon became evident that this gentleman had severe difficulties that we had not been informed about and they impacted on his safety, and that of our other residents. Regarding the fall that took place on the 12th April, a Senior Team Leader called the Paramedics due to concerns about shoulder pain. They suspected a fractured Clavicle, administered morphine and arranged for him to go immediately to hospital. The family was contacted and an accident report completed. It wasn’t till the 18thApril that hospital staff told us a hospital based reassessment could be undertaken. But after this reassessment, healthcare professionals agreed that this gentleman should move to accommodation more suited to his needs, saying it would be inappropriate for him to return to our residential care home as we were unlikely to be able to meet his high needs. The family were informed about this decision - in the interests of their father, to preserve his safety in view of constant wandering, frequent attempts to exit the care home and behaviour towards other residents. When asked when they should empty his room they were told this could be done at their convenience, however the family arrived the next day to empty the room. Alexandra House cares for several people who have Dementia and we celebrate many very successful placements. Our staff are all properly trained in dementia care and the Home Manager is highly experienced. Dementia itself is not necessarily a concern. However it covers a wide spectrum with people exhibiting different needs and behaviours. Our service is not a nursing home, nor is it a secure locked unit and decisions will always depend on the nature of each person’s illness, its progression, and our responsibility to keep all residents safe. In this case safety had been identified as a key issue with this gentleman’s care - both before and during hospitalisation. It was therefore agreed by medical staff that it was not in his best interests to return to the Home. In such cases and while waiting for more suitable accommodation it is normal for people to remain in their current placement; in this case the hospital, pending a move. Sadly no complaint was received by the Home Manager prior to the family placing their comment on NHS Choice and this would have provided the opportunity to investigate and respond to the family’s concerns.