Visiting Rosebank and Leahyrst care homes

Healthwatch Sheffield gathers people’s views on health and social care in Sheffield and shares them with decision makers, to inform improvements. 

We've written about some of our recent visits to local care homes below. There is a printable version at the bottom of this page if you would prefer.

Our visits

On 20th November we went to Rosebank Care home and spoke to 6 people.  On 21st November we went to Leahyrst Care home and spoke to 5 people. 

This was part of our work to help people have their say on the NHS 10 year plan. We asked people 3 Questions about the NHS - here's a summary of what residents had to say:

What is good about the NHS: 

• They praised the NHS staff, including paramedics, nurses, and doctors for their kindness, efficiency and hard work under pressure 
• There is provision of good patient care despite challenges, such as staff shortages and limited resources 
• Appreciation for the NHS being free and accessible to everyone, regardless of whether you are rich or poor 
• Very good services like the eye clinic, prescriptions being sent directly to pharmacies and text reminders for appointments 
• The NHS provides a very good service during tough times, such as managing with a lot of people and good care in the care homes 

What is bad about the NHS: 

• Long waiting times for appointments and discharges and inefficiencies in care processes including excessive use of tablets and computers which takes away from interpersonal care 
• Mismanagement, excessive bureaucracy and lack of clear communication between departments or hospitals
• Too many managers, wasted resources (medications, time) and overcrowded facilities
• Having mixed wards for men and women which impacts on privacy
• Staff shortages and Staff being overworked and not having enough time to spend on patients with an example of a patient not being properly cleaned before leaving the hospital 
• Concerns about the impact of language barriers between the patients and some of the staff on care quality. 

What would make the NHS better:

• Increased staffing, better pay, and personal care staff training to handle the growing demand and pressure
• More resources, equipment and facilities to reduce waiting times and improve patient care
• More specialised hospitals / facilities for people with special needs like older people with mental health needs and not putting everyone in the same facility
• Improved management, better communication between hospitals and GPs and more efficient use of resources
• More flexible GP appointment schedules such as evening and weekend appointments 

The use of technology in the NHS

We also asked people about their thoughts on the NHS using more technology - one of topics in the 10 year plan. For example this could mean video appointments, better computer systems so you don’t have to say the same things to different people, or using smart watches and other technology to monitor a health condition at home. We asked if they would want to see any of these changes, and if anything worried them.  

This is what people told us:

• There is strong support for better computer systems that reduce the need to repeat information across different departments like GPs and hospitals. Many people find it frustrating to explain their issues multiple times, especially when the information is already available. 
• Much as some people like the convenience of virtual appointments and being able to receive appointment confirmations via text, some felt it is difficult to book and attend online appointments due to work commitments. 
• Face-to-face appointments are still preferable, particularly for accurate diagnoses, in-person interactions and for older people who may struggle with the technology. 
• Body language can play a crucial role in detecting conditions that might otherwise be missed. 
• There are concerns about using smart devices to monitor health conditions at home particularly among older people who may not be comfortable with technology or people who would find difficulties to use the devices without assistance. 
• There are concerns for people who may not have access to internet or smart phones and other devices and increased dependence of older people on their relatives and those who may not have relatives to help them navigate the technology.
• People are also concerned that technology doesn't end up replacing the critical human element of healthcare. 

While we were there, we also heard very positive feedback from the residents about the care home staff who support them. One resident said:

"At the care home, we have someone who does activities all week, a hair dresser and someone that comes and does make up. I do like them. The manager is fantastic, if there’s anything wrong, she tries to put it right. The deputy manager is very good as well and all the carers are excellent"

We would like to say a big thank you to Rosebank and Leahyrst Care homes and everyone who shared their feedback with us.