'I would rather be here'. Our review of the Extra Care Service
In March 2023 our trustee board met to decide upon the priority areas of focus for the oncoming year April 2023 – March 2024. At the request of MCC commissioners, the board approved the review of Manchester’s Extra Care service (‘the service’) and it was included in the annual work plan for the organisation beginning immediately on 1st April 2023.
We wanted to know what the quality of care and lifestyle was like whilst living at an Extra care venue from the residents point of view. This report aims to present the findings and recommendations from a qualitative analysis of the experiences of residents in receipt of Manchester’s Extra Care service.
Therefore, in June 2023 we visited five of these Extra Care venues and used a survey of 17 questions to guide our discussions. The venues we visited were:
- Whitebeck Court
- Gorton Mill House
- Brunswick Village
- Westfields Extra Care Housing
- Elmswood Park
A final Extra Care review was conducted in a different manner to the previous reviews. The residents at Shore Green have a diagnosis of organic memory loss with some people having being assessed as not having full capacity. Through a conversation with the Project Manager there, it was agreed that they would conduct the interviews due to their familiarity with residents there and the increased likelihood of gaining constructive feedback. We are very grateful for this level of cooperation.
Overall, the majority of respondents reported that the Extra Care service they received was of good quality and there were no significant complaints or concerns regarding the Extra Care service.
However, some respondents told us that they were not in receipt of in-house dental treatment and/or found difficulty accessing dental care in their locality. Moreover, the location of the service determined how integrated and active respondents were with their local communities.
To read our full report including the findings from each individual Extra Care service(see appendix A-F), follow the download link below.
