The Great Hospital is set in beautiful grounds and all main garden areas are accessible to those who have limited mobility or use a wheelchair. There are grassed areas, flower beds, calming water features and a number of summer houses where one can sit and relax. The site boasts its own church (St Helen’s), a community hall and various lounges, a restaurant, a site shop, a hairdressing salon, a launderette and a bowling green. The Great Hospital provides a diverse range of social activities as well as providing links to the external community. Many of the medieval buildings and the cloisters are still present and are used extensively by the community adding to the unique experience of being a resident here. For those needing slightly more help, our extra care and supported living accommodation, Prior Court, contains 23 flats all with full kitchen and bathroom facilities and with care staff in the building 24 hours a day.
At the Great Hospital, our most important resource is our staff, who, across the board, offer a dedicated support to our residents. We provide our own in-house care, domestic, maintenance and catering teams. Our care staff are based on site and are all trained in line with the requirements of the Care Quality Commission and the ‘Care Certificate’. The majority of our care staff hold an NVQ 2 or 3 in Care. All Great Hospital staff receive formal induction training and also receive training on safeguarding.
Extra care and supported living services are available to all residents at the Great Hospital on payment. Our emphasis is on promotion of independence and ensuring that residents are treated with respect, dignity and privacy. We ensure that each resident is valued as a person with individual needs, hopes and expectations. Whether you require an occasional visit for companionship and household cleaning or daily assistance with more practical tasks, our service will be customised around your specific needs and we aim to make a positive difference to each resident.
Delivery of Your Care
Our staff will have a general idea of how we can help you before your care package starts. The Care Manager will visit you prior to the start of your care package to assess your needs.
Issues that may arise or be discussed include:
- Personal care and physical well-being
- Family involvement and other social contacts
- Sight, hearing and communication
- Continence
- Mobility, dexterity and the need for disability equipment
- Mental health and cognition
- Medication requirements
- Personal safety and risk
- Specific condition-related needs and specialist input
- Dietary requirements and preferences
- Social interests, religious and cultural needs
- Costs, charges and method of payment
Information from the care needs assessment forms part of your care file which will be left in your accommodation and should be made available to care staff only so that they are aware of any special needs, the activities they are required to assist you with and the outcomes to be achieved.
The following documents will be provided for you:
- A copy of your contract
- Breakdown of costs and charges
- A Great Hospital Residents’ Handbook
- A Domiciliary Care Users Guide
- A care plan
- A risk assessment
- Emergency numbers and procedures
Your care plans/risk assessments are continually monitored by the staff, reviewed monthly or as any care needs arise or change and formally each year. A new assessment may be undertaken at any time, if a care need changes.
Care Services we provide
Care services are provided by our carers making personal visits throughout the day to meet your needs. Visits can vary in length and can be up to 7 hours care per week in our extra care and supported living accommodation.
- Assistance with getting up and going to bed
- Assistance with washing and showering
- Assistance to have a bath
- Assistance with shaving
- Hair, hand or foot care (excluding anything that requires the attention of a registered chiropodist)
- Preparation of light meals / drinks during short periods of illness
- Assistance to manage your own continence needs
- Monitoring the taking of medication – prompting the use of a pharmacy filled dosset box (in accordance with the Great Hospital protocol)
- Managing and administering medication from original patient packs
Additional Domestic Services that can be provided
Domestic services are carried out and charged for separately
These include:
- Cleaning
- Taking/ collecting laundry (to and from the site laundry)
- Shopping (site shop only)
- Bedmaking
Services we do not provide
- Night visits (excluding care in the extra care and supported living accommodation) – unless an emergency call out
- Assisted feeding by means of machine/pump
- Wound care dressings (first aid is included)
- Injections and pessaries
- Giving of suppositories/enemas
- Mouth suction
- Any invasive procedure
- Moving and handling that requires equipment not in the resident’s home or where there is a risk of injury to either you or our staff
Meals
Residents in sheltered housing who become unable to cook for themselves during a short illness, and who are unable to use our restaurant, can order and purchase meals through the carer on duty or through the receptionist in the Master’s Office.
What you can expect form us
We aim to provide the care and support agreed in a manner that enables you to feel confident, reassured and satisfied.
We aim to involve you and your relatives as much as possible so you will feel valued, respected and involved in the evaluation of the services you receive.
All Great Hospital staff are required to adhere to the Great Hospital Code of Good Practice.
At the Great Hospital, we are very interested in your feedback. We regularly audit our services in a number of ways and you may be asked to help.
Our audits consist of:
- One to one meetings
- General residents’ meetings
- Trustees house visits (organised as required)
- Formal audit of those residents in receipt of care
Key Policy and Procedures
Confidentiality: At the Great Hospital, we use personal data (information that relates and identifies living residents) and other information to help us carry out our caring role and comply with the regulations of the Care Quality Commission. We will always make sure that the information is protected in line with the General Data Protection Regulations. If you are concerned in any way, you should discuss those concerns immediately with the Care Manager.
Decision Making: The Care Manager is normally responsible for making care-related decisions. In her absence, decisions will be made by the Senior Carer on duty and will subsequently be reviewed by either the Care Manager.
Handling your money: No financial transactions will be carried out on your behalf by the Great Hospital staff unless it is part of your identified care needs.
On occasions, you may wish to express your thanks to a care worker by making a small gift. At the Great Hospital, we feel that it is extremely important to maintain a professional service and we do not allow our staff to accept gifts other than a very small token gesture. We do hope that you will provide us with feedback about our staff so that we can ensure they know how much they are valued.
Staff are not allowed to accept bequests under wills nor are they allowed to act as witnesses on wills or other legal documents. Should countersignatures be required, you should contact the Great Hospital office staff for advice.
Our staff are not allowed to undertake any work for you as a private arrangement even though you may offer to pay for this.
The Great Hospital aims to satisfy the needs of residents by providing equal opportunities for everyone irrespective of their sex, age, marital status, racial or ethnic origin, physical disability or sexual orientation. We cannot accept any conduct that leads to a discriminatory practice. If any such issues arise, you should discuss this with the Care Manager.
Circumstances in which our care services to you may be refused to be provided and the licence to occupy Great Hospital accommodation terminated
After discussion with you and or your family or representative, the following circumstances may result in a notice of withdrawal of care service and/ or termination of your licence to occupy Great Hospital accommodation.
- Failure to pay accommodation or other charges associated with your support or care.
- If your needs have increased beyond those which we are able to provide in relation to the skills, knowledge, and competence level of the Great Hospital staff.
- Any breach of the Great Hospital’s zero tolerance policy with regard to abuse of our staff by any resident or any member of the family or representative.
- If the resident is no longer assessed by the Care Manager as being in need of the level of support provided.
Complaints
The Great Hospital views all complaints in a positive manner as they aid us in providing a better service to all residents.
We will always deal with a complaint as quickly as possible and in a sensitive manner.
All our complaints are documented and audited.
If you are dissatisfied with the service/ care offered as part of your extra care and supported living package, you should raise the matter initially with the Care Manager or, in her absence, a Senior Carer. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, please address a written complaint to or arrange a meeting with the Master. If you are still not content, you can contact the Care Quality Commission at the following address:
Care Quality Commission Eastern
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA
Tel: 03000 616161
Complaints to the Great Hospital will be responded to within seven working days. Complaints to the Care Quality Commission are subject to their own defined legislative standards.
Meet the People:
Registered Care Manager:
Mrs Anne Johnson
Deputy Care Manager:
Mr Marco Dela Cruz