Question 1

How do I arrange a care needs assessment in Chester?

Accepted Answer

Contact Cheshire West and Chester Council and request an adult social care needs assessment, which the person themselves, a relative or a professional such as a general practitioner may all ask for. There is no charge and no savings threshold to meet before one is carried out. A practitioner will discuss mobility, medication, continence, nutrition and the support family members already provide, and will establish whether registered nursing is required. Mention any imminent hospital discharge when you make contact, as it affects how quickly matters are arranged.

Question 2

Can Cheshire West and Chester Council fund a nursing home place?

Accepted Answer

It can, where the needs assessment concludes that a nursing home is the appropriate way to meet the person's needs. A financial assessment of income and capital then determines what they contribute towards the weekly fee and whether public funds cover the rest. Where a resident needs care from a registered nurse, the health service normally pays a contribution towards the nursing element directly to the home. Ask Cheshire West and Chester Council about deferred payment arrangements if a property is owned but not readily sold.

Question 3

Which nursing homes in Chester appear on this page?

Accepted Answer

One hundred and seventy homes registered with the Care Quality Commission for nursing care match this search, and each has a profile you can open from here. Vacancies move about from week to week, so a home listed today may have nothing free when you telephone. Shortlisting by rating and location before making calls will save considerable time. Each profile carries the inspection history, so most of the comparison can be done in advance.

Question 4

What separates a nursing home from a residential care home?

Accepted Answer

A nursing home holds a registration that requires registered nurses to be on duty, which is what someone needs for wound and pressure care, injections, a feeding tube or clinical observation overnight. A residential care home provides personal care such as help with washing, dressing, medication and meals, but has no nurses on the staff. Where an assessment identifies a nursing need, a residential home will usually be unable to accept the placement. Establishing which registration applies before you start visiting saves a great deal of wasted effort.

Question 5

How far ahead should families start looking?

Accepted Answer

Start earlier than feels comfortable, because the needs assessment, the financial assessment and any funding decision each take time before a placement can be confirmed. Homes with strong reputations tend to keep waiting lists, and the beds free at short notice are not always in the homes you would have chosen. Where a hospital discharge is driving the timetable, families are often given only days to decide. Even three or four homes seen beforehand makes a rushed decision far less daunting.

Question 6

What should I ask when visiting a nursing home?

Accepted Answer

Ask how many registered nurses are on duty during the day and at night, and how much of that cover comes from agency staff in a typical week. Ask how pressure care, catheters, diabetes and end of life care are managed, and how promptly a general practitioner attends when called. Ask to see the most recent inspection report and then ask the manager what has changed since it was written. Arrange to be there at a mealtime, as that half hour shows you more about daily life than a guided tour will.

Nursing Homes in Chester

176 nursing homes in Chester (showing 151–176)