Enter and View Report: 16 Crompton Street

In October 2024 we visited 16 Crompton Street, a small 6 bed residential care home for females aged 18-65 with a mental health diagnosis. Accommodation is provided in single bedrooms. Management advised that staff are available on site 24/7 and there is a staff sleeping room for overnight staff.

Summary

16 Crompton Street is a care home with female residents who have mental health problems as a primary diagnosis, so staff and residents face different challenges than in other environments. We were only able to speak to one resident during our visit, but they made it clear that they liked living there and that they felt safe. They did raise some points about their day-to-day life and how the recent staffing changes have had some effect on this.

The management team that we met seemed very keen on making 16 Crompton Street a good environment to both live and work. The commitment to training was great to see and encouraging and supporting staff who have experience of both the residents and care home to take on senior roles helps build on these existing relationships. During our short time at the care home the staff seemed open and honest about past staffing changes and had a set plan to improve things further.

One of the residents mentioned that they did feel like food was not as good as it had been previously or that they have were kept up to date with what meals were upcoming. They mentioned that due to personality clashes they did not always want to take part in food preparation when others were using the kitchen. The care home’s focus on independence and residents assisting in food preparation is commendable, but this may sometimes mean friction for some residents

We feel that 16 Crompton Street seemed like a pleasant, accessible and safe environment and that was mirrored by the one resident we spoke too. We do feel that there are some changes that could make day-to-day life a little easier on residents and staff. We also recognise that with a new leadership team there will be new ideas and procedures, and we are sure they will involve the residents in any changes.

Recommendations 

1. Easy read menus
   • We feel that the creation of an easy read menu for the week would allow more freedom for residents to make decisions about their food choices and allow for more stability. One of the residents advised that they were not great at reading and the national literacy trust advises that ‘In England, 16.4% of adults have very poor literacy skills.’ (1). Using an easy read menu will allow residents to engage with the upcoming food choices on offer.
   • We would suggest that the care home creates a weekly menu with choices made visual to residents. Involving residents in creating the menu is a good way of getting feedback and assuring it meets people’s needs. 
2. Open discussion of meals and food preparation with residents
   • We only spoke to one resident during our visit, and they had lived at the care home for some time. They felt that the quality of meals had dropped compared to before. Some of this was linked to staff leaving who may have cooked meals more in line with their tastes. The resident also did not always feel comfortable preparing meals when other residents were present. They also said that residents’ meetings had not been as frequent limiting their ability to provide feedback.
   • We would recommend that staff have a resident meeting to discuss meals and see if other residents also have concerns and come up with a plan for improvements. Ideas could include-
     • A suggestion box so people can put in what meals they want.
     • A recipe book so residents can browse and show staff (we have linked some easy read recipes below)
     • A rota for residents who want to have solo time in the kitchen with staff

Positives and good practice

• 16 Crompton Street advised they create one-page profiles for staff members that residents can access. This shows a commitment to being open with residents and helps in establishing a trusting environment. 
• Staff at the care home put a lot of thought into encouraging and maintaining the independence of their residents which is great to see. Encouraging skills to take part in day-to-day activities such as cooking and laundry is a great step towards independence for those well/able enough to take part.
• Training seems to be comprehensive at the care home with a commitment to upskilling staff. The inclusion of expert training from the positive behavioural support team sounds like it could really support staff and residents.