January 2012 - Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals

SWBTB (1/12) 276 (a)
highly about the treatment they had received and the way in which staff dealt with them
and met their needs. However, during both reviews on Newton 4 we found shortfalls in
care delivery and witnessed situations which confirmed that some people's needs were
not being met and their dignity was not being promoted or respected.
Following our August 2011 review the trust have provided us with updated action plans
and have told us about the changes they have made to improve care delivery.
We carried out our December 2011 review which included Newton 1 the acute stroke
assessment ward and Newton 4 which is now dedicated to stroke rehabilitation and
found that improvements have been made.
We made general observations on both wards. We saw that staff were available to
supervise and support people at all times. We saw and heard staff asking people if they
needed anything rather than people having to call for staff. Staff were responsive to
people's needs. We did not hear call bells ringing for any length of time. We saw that
call bells were within easy reach for people and this meant they were able to summon
assistance if needed.
We saw that curtains were pulled around beds when personal care was being provided
and that signs were available to alert staff not to enter bed spaces when the curtains
were drawn.
We observed staff talking with people; they were friendly and polite to them. Records
confirmed that the preferred form of address had been determined for each person and
we heard staff addressing people by their preferred names.
We heard staff giving people choices about what they wanted to eat and wear.
We saw that hospital pyjamas and nightgowns were available for people who were
unable to bring their own from home. We saw signs on walls and in individual care files
encouraging relatives to bring people's own clothes in for them to wear. We saw that a
number of people on the ward were wearing their own clothes and footwear. One
person told us; "My daughter brings me some clean clothes everyday. I think it is much
better. I like wearing my clothes". We saw that where people were sitting in chairs their
legs were covered with a blanket to protect their dignity.
We spoke with people and asked them their views on the way they were treated.
Everyone we spoke with confirmed that staff treated them well. People told us that they
were informed about their situations and treatments and that they were satisfied with
the care that they received. One person told us; "They are all very good. They are kind
and polite. All staff treat me very well that's the doctor, ward staff and therapists. When
they wash me or move me in the hoist they close the curtains and cover me up. They
tell me what is happening all the time".
We spoke with one person who was being cared for in a side room. We asked this
person if they minded being in the side room. The person told us that it had been their
choice. They had told staff that they wanted a quiet room and they had been allocated
that one.
We spoke with another person who was in another side room. They told us that they
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