St. Mary’s Care Home

St. Mary’s has operated from its currently building since the mid 1980s. It is a 59-bed facility operated by a 100 strong team of dedicated nurses, carers, management and domestic staff all focused on provided 100% resident-centred care. St. Mary’s provides residential, nursing and palliative care and has a respected reputation locally.

With one of its high traffic bathrooms requiring significant modernisation, St. Mary’s commissioned Gainsborough to install a welcoming ergonomic wet room to benefit residents and care staff alike.

G360 is a complete accessible wet room service provided by Gainsborough Specialist Bathrooms.  Gainsborough is traditionally respected for its bath manufacturing which began over 35 years ago and still proudly remains in the West Midlands. With the largest specialist production line in Europe, multi-brand Gainsborough is responsible for providing the very latest in assisted bathing solutions from care homes and hospitals to domestic bathrooms.  Its expert team has the capabilities to deliver total bathroom projects from concept to completion so adults and children with restricted mobility retain dignity, hygiene and safety.  This proven track record and the company’s attentive approach appealed to St. Mary’s which led to the project commission and a successful outcome.

St. Mary’s has a leading reputation for care with a CQC rating of ‘outstanding’ for one of its criteria. With an overall ‘Good’ rating, the team at St. Mary’s never waiver from a commitment to putting the needs of residents first. Operating as a charity, the care home is non-profit which means greater investment reaches residents and commercial pressures never compromise care.  This approach dictated the need to provide better washing facilities and hence St. Mary’s began the search for the best wet room specialist to complete the task.  Jo Nott, Finance and Administration Manager, picks up the story: “We identified that the previous bathroom was tired and needed upgrading in all areas, hence we began researching possible suppliers.  A few quotes were obtained and Gainsborough’s was competitive, not the cheapest, but it was the whole approach that swung it for us.  Ian Trotter from G360 was brilliant; he explained everything so clearly and we felt reassured that Gainsborough would deliver on their promises. Looking at previous specialist projects on their website, it was clear they had the ability to meet our needs; G360 felt the right fit for us.”

The G360 wet room installation began in September 2021 following approval of Gainsborough’s proposed design concept.  The lead time and works took longer than normal due to the pandemic; however, Gainsborough persevered on behalf of St. Mary’s. When all fixtures and fitting were available, the two specialist fitters began and completed the wet room within four weeks instead of a normal two. Nevertheless bearing in mind all the challenges faced, this timescale remained impressive.  Due to heightened infection control procedures, all Gainsborough representatives adhered strictly to the Covid policies set by St. Mary’s so residents and staff were safe. Despite being a complex build in a live care zone, Gainsborough diligently achieved what was expected and its attitude was commended by the whole care home team.

Right: Seamless wall joints and angles for superior hygiene

Jo continues: “The Gainsborough guys were superb; they followed our Covid polices to a tee.  They tested everyday, continually wore masks and were sensitive to the needs of surrounding residents.  They completed all the work as quietly and efficiently as possible, so distribution was kept to a minimum.  Their working practices are to be fully recommended to any care provider seeking an accessible wet room or bathroom. As our dedicated account manager, Ian oversaw all the work and he made sure the difficulties faced, particularly with drainage, were resolved without delay. His communication was spot on.  We knew our building was older than most and would present difficulties; however, G360 got round them and we are 100% satisfied with the end result – it looks fantastic.” 

Now installed and in constant use, St. Mary’s new wet room incorporates the latest in accessibility innovation. It is lighter, spacious and more welcoming – providing a better bathing experience for residents. 

The overall G360 design has made a significant improvement to the working environment for care staff. Jim Rushton, Senior Care Worker, says:

“All the staff find the new G360 wet room far easier to use and keep clean. We can deliver care more effectively without risking back injury and everyone feels more positive about the bathroom experience.  There are additional grab rails to reassure our residents and several have commented on the difference it has made. Sometimes we used to encounter resistance from residents who were not keen to have a shower; these challenges have now been significantly reduced.”

The room includes a range of specialist fittings including an AKW SmartCare Lever White shower unit with advanced care features, a wheelchair accessible semi pedestal sink with TMV taps and a low surface temperature radiator. Hygiene is robust through the inclusion of slip-resistant Altro flooring with welded joints and skirting, plus high quality Altro Whiterock wall panelling.  These surfaces provide a seamless finish, even around corners such as windowsills, so no bacteria can harbour in joints. Considerately positioned ergonomic grab rails offer additional support to ambulant residents especially when toileting. There is ample space for wheelchair and shower chair manoeuvring so transfers are seamless with moving and handling processes simplified through an improved layout of equipment.  The whole room has been designed holistically – providing the best environment for both resident and carer. Natalie Dibble, Registered Manager, concludes:

“We have been and always will be passionate about high quality care.  Our new G360 wet room perfectly complements this ethos.  As we operate as a true team here at St. Mary’s, we asked several staff members what would help in a new wet room, from a resident and carer point of view.  We took all feedback onboard and combined with Ian’s suggestions, the result is the design you see today. It is making a huge improvement to our level of care and underlines our commitment to making St. Mary’s a place to enjoy living.  We are an ethical, honest and transparent organisation who are proud of our service quality and thanks to Gainsborough we have taken our specialist bathing to the next level.”

From left to right: Andy Williams, Gainsborough Healthcare Group; Natalie Dibble, Registered Manager; and Jo Nott, Finance and Administration Manager. Right image: Ergonomic grab rails offer extra support where needed

www.stmarysstone.com