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Inspection on 01/09/09 for 19 Alexandra Road

Also see our care home review for 19 Alexandra Road for more information

This is the latest available inspection report for this service, carried out on 1st September 2009.

it is an annual review prepared by CQC after examining previous reports and information from the provider. At the time of this report, CQC judged the service to be Good.

The inspector made no statutory requirements on the home as a result of this inspection and there were no outstanding actions from the previous inspection report.

What follows are excerpts from this inspection report. For more information read the full report on the next tab.

Annual service review Name of Service: 19 Alexandra Road The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: two star good service 2 3 0 9 2 0 0 8 A quality rating is our assessment of how well a care home, agency or scheme is meeting the needs of the people who use it. We give a quality rating following a full review of the service. We call this review a ‘key’ inspection We do an annual service review when there has been no key inspection of the service in the last 12 months. It does not involve a visit to the service but is a summary of new information given to us, or collected by us, since the last key inspection or annual service review.   Has this annual service review changed our opinion of the service?   No You should read the last key inspection report for this service to get a full picture of how well outcomes for the people using the service are being met. The date by which we will do a key inspection: Name of inspector: Michele Etherton Date of this annual service review: 0 1 0 9 2 0 0 9 Annual Service Review Page 1 of 6 Information about the service Address of service: 19 Alexandra Road St Leonards-on-sea East Sussex TN37 6LD 01424446914 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address:   www.eastviewhousing.co.uk East View Housing Management Ltd Name of registered provider(s): Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : learning disability Conditions of registration: Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 3 0 The maximum number of service users to be accommodated is 3 The registered person may provide the following category of service only: Care home only(PC) to service users of the following gender: Either whose primary care needs on admission to the home are within the following category: Learning disability (LD) Have there been any changes in the ownership, management or the No service’s registration details in the last 12 months? If yes, what have they been: Date of last key inspection: Date of last annual service review (if applicable): Brief description of the service 19 Alexandra Road is a three storey terraced Victorian house in a residential area of St Leonards on sea. It benefits from a small patio garden to the rear of the property that is access only through the kitchen. The home is conveniently situated a short distance from local amenities, including public transports and shops. The home is part of the East View Housing Organisation (EVH) and provides care for three younger people with learning disabilities. 2 3 0 9 2 0 0 8 Annual Service Review Page 2 of 6 Service update since the last key inspection or annual service review: What did we do for this annual service review? We looked at all the information that we have received, or asked for, since the last key inspection or annual service review. This included: The annual quality assurance assessment (AQAA) that was sent to us by the service. The AQAA is a self-assessment that focuses on how well outcomes are being met for people using the service. It also gave us some numerical information about the service. Surveys returned to us by people using the service and from other people with an interest in the service. Information we have about how the service has managed any complaints. What the service has told us about things that have happened in the service, these are called notifications and are a legal requirement. The previous key inspection and the results of any other visits that we have made to the service in the last 12 months. Relevant information from other organizations. What other people have told us about the service. What has this told us about the service? The home sent us their annual quality assurance assessment (AQAA) when we asked for it. It was clear and gave us most of the information we asked for; but would benefit from additional detail to illustrate how the service has addressed specific requirements issued at the last inspection. We looked at the information in the AQAA and our judgment is that the home is still providing a good service and that they know what further improvements they need to make. The service is managed alongside two other houses in the same group by one manager, this post has until recently been vacant for a short period. Temporary management arrangements to ensure this and the other services are appropriately managed had been implemented pending the appointment of a new manager. We are advised that a new manager has been appointed and commenced employment with the service from 17th August 2009. The AQAA informs us that there have been no complaints or safeguarding alerts in the last twelve months, this is incorrect as we are aware of a safeguarding alert for this service which is now closed. Whilst this issue may have been resolved it is important to reflect on issues that may have arisen as a result of such investigations and where improved practices may have been implemented. From our knowledge of these events we are satisfied that the organization has acted decisively in addressing issues which impact on the well being of residents, but care needs to be taken to ensure the accuracy of information provided. The AQAA informs us that People who live in the service are provided with opportunities through meetings and 1-1 sessions to express their views on the service Annual Service Review Page 3 of 6 and to make known their own wishes and aspirations. Feedback is also sought from families about service quality, and advocacy is available to people living in the home if they wish to take advantage of this. The AQAA informs us that the service uses a variety of communication tools and methods to ensure People living in the home can become fully involved in discussion and decision making processes within the home. Annual review processes are currently being re-examined so that a more person centered approach can be implemented. People in the home are encouraged to write their own views about living in the home and areas of their lives that are important to them, this enables them to have a greater control and say in the their care planning and review process. The AQAA informs us that in the last twelve months: the kitchen has been replaced, new life plan formats have been implemented and are now in use, one person living at the home is now keeping fish. In response to a resident request for additional support in attending church and related activities this person has been supported with this. Another person living at the home has expressed interest in attending a writing group and this is currently being explored on their behalf. Service and college staff have helped one person at the home obtain voluntary work each week. Staff of the service are encouraging of the people living at the home to be as independent as they can be, and has ensured that each person living at the home has their own bedroom and front door key, they now have in their bedrooms their own lockable medicine cabinet and a lockable safe for personal possessions and money. The AQAA tells us that any restrictions or limitations placed on people living at the home has been developed alongside appropriate training of staff to provide support and in keeping with mental capacity assessments. One person at the home now self medicates. The service continues to provide an active and varied activity programme for residents including opportunities for physical exercise, they have an active community presence in the community. The service staff have been proactive in working with people living in the home to understand the importance of healthy lifestyles and as a consequence they are routinely involved in the preparation and cooking of meals. People in the home are supported to access routine health care and staff are working with one person to manage a health condition, including undertaking some health checks for themselves on a daily basis. The whole of the Ground floor has been upgraded and plans for further upgrades and refurbishment are planned over the next 12 months. The AQAA informs us that people living at the home are actively involved in the selection of new staff and that their views are taken account of. The AQAA dataset informs us that at present none of the three staff allocated to the service have achieved NVQ2, and this is an area that the organization will need to progress within the staff training programme. Staff have access to both mandatory and specialist training to help inform their support of people living in the home but there is some recognition that updates for this training are sometimes overdue. Annual Service Review Page 4 of 6 The home continues to let us know about things that have happened since our last key inspection and they have shown that they have managed issues well. They work well with us and have shown us that their service continues to provide good outcomes for the people who use it. What are we going to do as a result of this annual service review? We are not going to change our inspection plan, and will do a key inspection by 23rd September 2010. However we can inspect the service at any time if we have concerns about the quality of the service or the safety of the people using the service. Annual Service Review Page 5 of 6 Reader Information Document Purpose: Author: Audience: Further copies from: Annual service review CQC General Public 0870 240 7535 (national contact centre) Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. The content of which can be found on our website. Helpline: Telephone: 03000 616161 Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk Web: www.cqc.org.uk We want people to be able to access this information. If you would like a copy of the findings in a different format or language please contact our helpline or go to our website. Copyright © (2009) Care Quality Commission (CQC). This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, free of charge, in any format or medium provided that it is not used for commercial gain. This consent is subject to the material being reproduced accurately and on proviso that it is not used in a derogatory manner or misleading context. The material should be acknowledged as CQC copyright, with the title and date of publication of the document specified. Annual Service Review Page 6 of 6 - Please note that this information is included on www.bestcarehome.co.uk under license from the regulator. Re-publishing this information is in breach of the terms of use of that website. Discrete codes and changes have been inserted throughout the textual data shown on the site that will provide incontrovertable proof of copying in the event this information is re-published on other websites. The policy of www.bestcarehome.co.uk is to use all legal avenues to pursue such offenders, including recovery of costs. You have been warned!