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Inspection on 08/12/09 for Abigail Lodge Care Home

Also see our care home review for Abigail Lodge Care Home for more information

This is the latest available inspection report for this service, carried out on 8th December 2009.

CQC found this care home to be providing an Good service.

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.

What the care home does well

The home is suitably equipped and has most aids and adaptations that it needs. The staff are knowledgeable about service users needs and treat them with respect. Service users have good access to local health services. Service users have a good social programme and are able to interact well with each other and with staff. The home provides appetising food and drinks are freely available. The home provides a good induction and training. The home has safe and accessible garden areas. The home is well managed by an experienced team.

What has improved since the last inspection?

The home now has a permanent manager and deputy manager in post. The home now employs and activities coordinator and has an improved social programme for service users. The home is developing community contacts and service users have link to local church groups and visits from organisations such as choirs The home has been redecorated on the 1st floor and many carpets have been replaced. Staff have received additional training including NVQ, and safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults. The morale of the staff is much improved and they feel supported by their manager. The home has appointed dignity champions to unsure the dignity of service users is always upheld by care practice. Care planning has been improved and a service users social history is being recorded.

What the care home could do better:

It is important that the manager is registered with The Care Quality Commission and this process is underway

Key inspection report Care homes for older people Name: Address: Abigail Lodge Care Home Gloucester Road Delves Lane Consett Durham DH8 7LB     The quality rating for this care home is:   two star good service A quality rating is our assessment of how well a care home 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 full review a ‘key’ inspection. Lead inspector: Tom Moody     Date: 0 8 1 2 2 0 0 9 This is a review of quality of outcomes that people experience in this care home. We believe high quality care should • • • • • Be safe Have the right outcomes, including clinical outcomes Be a good experience for the people that use it Help prevent illness, and promote healthy, independent living Be available to those who need it when they need it. The first part of the review gives the overall quality rating for the care home: • • • • 3 2 1 0 stars - excellent stars - good star - adequate star - poor There is also a bar chart that gives a quick way of seeing the quality of care that the home provides under key areas that matter to people. There is a summary of what we think this service does well, what they have improved on and, where it applies, what they need to do better. We use the national minimum standards to describe the outcomes that people should experience. National minimum standards are written by the Department of Health for each type of care service. After the summary there is more detail about our findings. The following table explains what you will see under each outcome area. Outcome area (for example Choice of home) These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. that people have said are important to them: They reflect the things This box tells you the outcomes that we will always inspect against when we do a key inspection. This box tells you any additional outcomes that we may inspect against when we do a key inspection. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: This box tells you our opinion of what we have looked at in this outcome area. We will say whether it is excellent, good, adequate or poor. Evidence: This box describes the information we used to come to our judgement. Care Homes for Older People Page 2 of 22 We review the quality of the service against outcomes from the National Minimum Standards (NMS). Those standards are written by the Department of Health for each type of care service. Copies of the National Minimum Standards – Care Homes for Older People can be found at www.dh.gov.uk or bought from The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Crispins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering from the Stationery Office is also available: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop The mission of the Care Quality Commission is to make care better for people by: • Regulating health and adult social care services to ensure quality and safety standards, drive improvement and stamp out bad practice • Protecting the rights of people who use services, particularly the most vulnerable and those detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 • Providing accessible, trustworthy information on the quality of care and services so people can make better decisions about their care and so that commissioners and providers of services can improve services. • Providing independent public accountability on how commissioners and providers of services are improving the quality of care and providing value for money. Reader Information Document Purpose Author Audience Further copies from Copyright Inspection report Care Quality Commission General public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) 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. www.cqc.org.uk Internet address Care Homes for Older People Page 3 of 22 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: Abigail Lodge Care Home Gloucester Road Delves Lane Consett Durham DH8 7LB 01207502405 01207502439 abigail.lodge@fshc.co.uk www.fshc.co.uk Tamaris Healthcare (England) Ltd care home 60 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Type of registration: Number of places registered: Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 dementia old age, not falling within any other category physical disability Additional conditions: Three persons within the category of PD aged 55 years and over may be accommodated commensurate with the home`s Statement of Purpose. Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home Abigail Lodge is a care home with nursing. It has two units, each with 30 beds. One is registered to provide care (including 24 hour nursing care) for people aged 65 or older, together with convalescence and palliative care for people aged 55 or older. The other accommodates people with dementia care needs (including 24 hour nursing care). The home is located on the edge of Consett, close to a supermarket and a public house. It was opened in 1995 and is a purpose-built, two storey building. All bedrooms 0 9 1 2 2 0 0 8 30 0 3 Over 65 30 30 0 Care Homes for Older People Page 4 of 22 Brief description of the care home are single with en suite facilities. There is a passenger lift in each unit. The home has large gardens that are well maintained and easily accessible. Care Homes for Older People Page 5 of 22 Summary This is an overview of what we found during the inspection. The quality rating for this care home is: Our judgement for each outcome: two star good service Choice of home Health and personal care Daily life and social activities Complaints and protection Environment Staffing Management and administration peterchart Poor Adequate Good Excellent How we did our inspection: The quality rating for this service is two star. This means the people who use this service experience good quality outcomes. Before the visit We looked at information we have received since the last visit on 1st April 2009. how the service has dealt with any complaints since the last visit any changes to how the home is run the providers view of how well they care for people The Visit An unannounced visit was made on 8 December 2009 During the visit we talked with people who use the service, relatives, staff, the manager and visitors saw residents having a meal and looked at how staff support the people who live here looked at information about the people who use the service and how well their needs are met looked at other records which must be kept checked that staff had the knowledge, skills and training to meet the needs of the people they care Care Homes for Older People Page 6 of 22 for looked around parts of the building to make sure it was clean, safe and comfortable checked what improvements had been made since the last visit We told the manager what we found. We have reviewed our practice when making requirements, to improve national consistency. Some requirements from previous inspection reports may have been deleted or carried forward into this report as recommendations, but only when it is considered that people who use services are not being put at significant risk of harm. In future, if a requirement is repeated, it is likely that enforcement action will be taken. Care Homes for Older People Page 7 of 22 What the care home does well: What has improved since the last inspection? What they could do better: If you want to know what action the person responsible for this care home is taking following this report, you can contact them using the details on page 4. The report of this inspection is available from our website www.cqc.org.uk. You can get printed copies from enquiries@cqc.org.uk or by telephoning our order line 0870 240 7535. Care Homes for Older People Page 8 of 22 Details of our findings Contents Choice of home (standards 1 - 6) Health and personal care (standards 7 - 11) Daily life and social activities (standards 12 - 15) Complaints and protection (standards 16 - 18) Environment (standards 19 - 26) Staffing (standards 27 - 30) Management and administration (standards 31 - 38) Outstanding statutory requirements Requirements and recommendations from this inspection Care Homes for Older People Page 9 of 22 Choice of home These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People are confident that the care home can support them. This is because there is an accurate assessment of their needs that they, or people close to them, have been involved in. This tells the home all about them and the support they need. People who stay at the home only for intermediate care, have a clear assessment that includes a plan on what they hope for and want to achieve when they return home. People can decide whether the care home can meet their support and accommodation needs. This is because they, or people close to them, have been able to visit the home and have got full, clear, accurate and up to date information about the home. If they decide to stay in the home they know about their rights and responsibilities because there is an easy to understand contract or statement of terms and conditions between them and the care home that includes how much they will pay and what the home provides for the money. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The home receives good information about prospective service users that enables them to judge that they can meet the needs of the service user, service users and relatives can visit the home to make an informed decision about staying there prior to moving in. Evidence: There is a good assessment of service users physical, mental, spiritual and social needs in their care plans. This contains information from referring agencies. There is a personal profile which is kept in service users rooms. this contains information unique to the individual and service users and family are encouraged to contribute to this. The home has a good service users guide that contains all of the necessary information. It contains information about staff and key workers. This service does not provide intermediate care. Care Homes for Older People Page 10 of 22 Health and personal care These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People’s health, personal and social care needs are met. The home has a plan of care that the person, or someone close to them, has been involved in making. If they take medicine, they manage it themselves if they can. If they cannot manage their medicine, the care home supports them with it, in a safe way. People’s right to privacy is respected and the support they get from staff is given in a way that maintains their dignity. If people are approaching the end of their life, the care home will respect their choices and help them feel comfortable and secure. They, and people close to them, are reassured that their death will be handled with sensitivity, dignity and respect, and take account of their spiritual and cultural wishes. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Each person has a detailed plan, which explains how their care they will be given and peoples health care needs are met. The homes policies and procedures for dealing with medication protect service users. Service users feel that they are treated with respect by the staff Evidence: There is a good assessment of service users physical, mental, spiritual and social needs in their care plans. This contains information from care specialists from many different disciplines. Service users and their relatives are able to help with this and care plans have examples of information from both. Records in the care plan indicate service users have access to health services such as hospital specialists, doctors, dentists and other practitioners. Nutritionist screening is carried out and evaluated and weights recorded. Staff who were spoken to know about the service users history and condition and they confirmed they had had training and induction. This was also evident from looking at their care practice and their interactions with service users. Care Homes for Older People Page 11 of 22 Evidence: Medications, received, stored, administered and disposed of within the home are done so following the company policy and procedures for medication. Service users are well dressed in everyday clothes. They are addressed respectfully by staff and the home has appointed Dignity Champions to promote this as part of the homes philosophy of care. Care Homes for Older People Page 12 of 22 Daily life and social activities These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: Each person is treated as an individual and the care home is responsive to his or her race, culture, religion, age, disability, gender and sexual orientation. They are part of their local community. The care home supports people to follow personal interests and activities. People are able to keep in touch with family, friends and representatives. They are as independent as they can be, lead their chosen lifestyle and have the opportunity to make the most of their abilities. People have nutritious and attractive meals and snacks, at a time and place to suit them. There are no additional outcomes. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The homes provision matches service users recreational, social and cultural needs, and helps them maintain contact with the surrounding community. They are able to exercise choice and control over most aspects of their lives and they enjoy nutritious and appetising food. Evidence: A variety of activities are arranged for our clients to encompass all tastes. There are photographs showing past events and the notice board outlines several events that are due to take place. Social activities are discussed and evaluated at service user and relatives meetings. there is an activities coordinator in post and service users were taking part in seasonal craft work at the time of he site visit. Cultural and religious needs are met and religious services were listed on the notice board. There are no restrictions to visiting. Clients may take visitors to their own rooms or use a quiet lounge. Clients are encouraged to personalise their rooms. The meal that was seen was appetising and of a traditional type, appropriate to the age and experience of the service users. The kitchen staff were seen during the preparation and the meal was cooked from fresh ingredients. Service users were supported by staff when they needed help to eat. they were asked Care Homes for Older People Page 13 of 22 Evidence: if they had enough to eat and staff talked, and encouraged them while they were helping them eat. Service users told me they enjoyed the food and that the portions were ample. One person said, Oh we have a good cook, very good. Visitors were seen coming into the home throughout the day and visiting times are not restricted. The home has plans for further innovative contact with the community including using some of the garden area as allotments and encouraging volunteers to helps service users with this. Care Homes for Older People Page 14 of 22 Complaints and protection These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: If people have concerns with their care, they or people close to them know how to complain. Any concern is looked into and action taken to put things right. The care home safeguards people from abuse and neglect and takes action to follow up any allegations. People’s legal rights are protected, including being able to vote in elections. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The service users and relatives know how to raise issues and they are confident staff and managers will act on their concerns. Training and procedures ensure service users are protected and that their rights are upheld. Evidence: Staff said they had received training in Protecting Vulnerable Adults (POVA) and they had a good awareness of these issues. The deputy manager confirmed staff had had training from the local safeguarding team and they maintained regular contacts with them. This was confirmed by training records. The Home holds regular meetings with service users and relatives and records of these were seen. The deputy manager says this tends to explore problems before they reach the stage of complaints. The deputy manager and other staff said that the manager had an open door policy and was very approachable. Relatives and service users said they would be happy to approach the manager or staff if they had any concerns. Care Homes for Older People Page 15 of 22 Environment These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People stay in a safe and well-maintained home that is homely, clean, pleasant and hygienic. People stay in a home that has enough space and facilities for them to lead the life they choose and to meet their needs. The home makes sure they have the right specialist equipment that encourages and promotes their independence. Their room feels like their own, it is comfortable and they feel safe when they use it. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The home provides a safe and comfortable environment with good access to all areas. The home is very well equipped in most respects, and well furnished. It is spacious, clean and meets most of the service users needs Evidence: Abigail Lodge is a purpose built care centre. It provides a safe, comfortable environment. The home is clean and well maintained. The company has a programme of maintenance of equipment and services. there has been considerable redecoration on the first floor and many carpets have been replaced. The home has very generous communal space with wide corridors and ample lounge space. There is also a variety of environments including a quiet lounge The home is well ventilated light and comfortably warm. The home is clean and hygienic and free from offensive odours. The control of infection policy is adhered to. Appropriate laundry, sluicing and domestic cleaning facilities are available. There is a secure and sheltered patio area that service users enjoy in fine weather Care Homes for Older People Page 16 of 22 Staffing These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People have safe and appropriate support as there are enough competent staff on duty at all times. They have confidence in the staff at the home because checks have been done to make sure that they are suitable to care for them. Their needs are met and they are cared for by staff who get the relevant training and support from their managers. There are no additional outcomes. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The staffing of the home meets service users needs. They are supported in a safe manner, by staff who are properly recruited, and have the appropriate training. Evidence: Staff rotas were seen and there were a suitable amount of staff on duty at the time of the site visit. Service users needs were met, call buzzers were answered within a reasonable time and care was given in an unhurried manner. Almost all staff who were spoken to confirmed they held NVQ qualifications and some were wearing badges to indicate the level of qualification they had achieved. The deputy manager said that just under fifty percent of staff held NVQ level 2 or higher and six more staff had almost completed this training. Staff also said they received an induction, and training, and records confirmed this. Staff records indicate all pre employment checks are carried out including Criminal Records Bureau, Protection Of Vulnerable Adults list and previous employer references. Records also show that staff are interviewed and they receive terms and conditions. Care Homes for Older People Page 17 of 22 Management and administration These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People have confidence in the care home because it is led and managed appropriately. People control their own money and choose how they spend it. If they or someone close to them cannot manage their money, it is managed by the care home in their best interests. The environment is safe for people and staff because appropriate health and safety practices are carried out. People get the right support from the care home because the manager runs it appropriately with an open approach that makes them feel valued and respected. The people staying at the home are safeguarded because it follows clear financial and accounting procedures, keeps records appropriately and ensures their staff understand the way things should be done. They get the right care because the staff are supervised and supported by their managers. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The home is managed by an experienced person who has service user,s interests at heart. The home is run in the best interests of service users. They are kept safe and their welfare and rights are protected by good record keeping and the promotion of good practice Evidence: The home has recruited a permanent manager and deputy manager. Both are first level registered nurses. The manager has a suitable management qualification but is not yet registered with CQC. The manager was on annual leave at the time of this site visit. The home is supported by the parent company that has a national profile. it provides appropriate support systems such as policies and procedures. Discussions with the deputy manager reveal that they were knowledgeable about the client group and well motivated. Staff and relatives both spoke of being aware that the manager has an open door policy. Care Homes for Older People Page 18 of 22 Evidence: Morale is high in the home and staff said, The manager is dead approachable, and, Its much better now, we are a team. Records showed that staff received regular supervision and that residents and relatives meetings took place. Staff are trained in first aid. the home displays Health and safety information for staff and staff were seen to adopt safe working practices while carrying out their work. Care Homes for Older People Page 19 of 22 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? Yes £ No R Outstanding statutory requirements These are requirements that were set at the previous inspection, but have still not been met. They say what the registered person had to do to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Care Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Care Homes for Older People Page 20 of 22 Requirements and recommendations from this inspection: Immediate requirements: These are immediate requirements that were set on the day we visited this care home. The registered person had to meet these within 48 hours. No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Statutory requirements These requirements set out what the registered person must do to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Care Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must do this within the timescales we have set. No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Recommendations These recommendations are taken from the best practice described in the National Minimum Standards and the registered person(s) should consider them as a way of improving their service. No Refer to Standard Good Practice Recommendations 1 31 The manager should complete the registration process with CQC as soon as possible. Care Homes for Older People Page 21 of 22 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 summary 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. Care Homes for Older People Page 22 of 22 - 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!