Staff/resident ratio

[meowli]

Does anyone know if there is a minimum staff : resident ratio in Nursing or Care Homes?

I worked in a nursing/residential home for about 10 years. I am not sure if you can have a ratio really. It would depend on the needs of the residents and the time of the day. On the nursing wing we used to have about 30 high needs residents, who required a lot of assistance due to mobility and cognitive issues. During the day 8-6, we had 1 registered nurse, 1 manager/matron and 4 HCA's.

No, there isn't a legal ratio. I can't remember the exact wording but the official guidance is that they should be staffed so they can suitably meet the needs of the people they are caring for.

If you have concerns that somewhere isn't staffed sufficiently to meet needs then contact the CQC or if you feel abuse or neglect is occurring you could also contact social services adult safeguarding.

Where I work it is one registered nurse, one senior carer (most of ours are qualified nurses overseas but have decided not to convert their qualifications) and three/four carers for 23-25 high need nursing clients. High need due to a variety of mobility, cognition, learning disability and end of life care needs.

That's on the day shift. During the night it is one registered nurse, one senior carer and one carer.

Thanks all, for your replies.

During the night it is one registered nurse, one senior carer and one carer.

In your professional opinion, do you think that's enough where you work, Damson? What counts as the night shift?

I've had my Mum at home for over 3 years, now. There have been various periods of 'respite' care at different homes. None successful, imo. The latest for three weeks, following a short hospital stay. This was a 'good' home, £1000 per week, beautiful setting. I would visit every evening about 7(I felt I had to), and it was like the Marie Celeste. I can't understand why staff are cut at what must be a very busy time - collecting supper plates, bed, toileting, medicine rounds etc. Well, I can understand, but it shouldn't be permitted.

Mum would invariably be distressed and confused, usually for a good reason - not being able to access her meal, coffee soaked pyjamas, no tv on, just anxious and wanting reassurance. She's not high dependency in a nursing sense, but being completely immobile and very anxious, is very high maintenance if she is to be kept happy. And why shouldn't she be at 94? I think for a thousand pounds a week, she's entitled to more input than she was evidently getting.

What these places need, especially in the evenings, is 1 or 2 staff who are not there for personal care, but just to go round having a chat to people that want to, reassure those who are down/upset etc. get out of reach drinks, tissues, turn tv on/over etc. The staff simply don't have the time to do anything but the basics, and Care is so much more than that. Evenings in Care Homes must seem like a hellish eternity to many of the residents.

Sorry, this turned into a bit of a rant, but I really could cry, sometimes.

I genuinely feel your pain Op. Nursing homes are notoriously understaffed, and ime the happiest residents as those whose relatives visit daily. It shouldn't be this way, but it is generally the case.

I do agree with you. In fact the early evening is when most dementia and Alzheimer's patients become stressed and anxious. My mum barely kept it together during the day but once the evening came she would constantly repeat that she was scared.

She was in a very small home, where the Manager's desk was in the residents lounge. So there was always one of the senior staff available.