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Inspection on 12/10/09 for Astral Lodge Residential Home

Also see our care home review for Astral Lodge Residential Home for more information

This is the latest available inspection report for this service, carried out on 12th October 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: Astral Lodge Residential Home The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: two star good service 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: Carolyn Delaney Date of this annual service review: 1 2 1 0 2 0 0 9 Annual Service Review Page 1 of 7 Information about the service Address of service: 35 Ailsa Road Westcliff On Sea Essex SS0 8BJ 01702345409 01702340262 astrallodge1@aol.com Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address:   Name of registered provider(s): Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : dementia old age, not falling within any other category Conditions of registration: Mrs Aunjali Johar,Mr Navneet Singh Johar Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 0 0 4 14 Accommodation and personal care may be provided to no more than 14 older people over the age of 65 years (OP). Accommodation and personal care may be provided to no more than 4 service users over 65 with Dementia (DE(E)). Number of service users to whom personal care is to be provided shall not exceed 14 (fourteen). To provide suitable changing and storage facilities for staff within 12 months of registration. Total number of persons over 65 years to be accommodated must not exceed 14. Have there been any changes in the ownership, management or the Yes 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 None Annual Service Review Page 2 of 7 Astral Lodge is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to fourteen people. Within this number the home is registered to provide care for up to four people with dementia. The home is conveniently located in a pleasant residential area of Westcliff on Sea. The home is within easy access to shops, bus routes, main line stations, the seafront and Southend and Leigh town centres. Accommodation is provided on two floors in fourteen single bedrooms. Residents can access the first floor via a passenger lift. A copy of the Statement of Purpose, Service Users Guide and the last Inspection Report are available in the entrance hall of the home. A copy of the Service User Guide is also available in each bedroom. Fees, as confirmed at the site visit, range between 421.75 to 500.60 pounds per week. Extras charged are for chiropody, hairdresser, toiletries and newspapers/magazines. Annual Service Review Page 3 of 7 Service update since the last key inspection or annual service review: What did we do for this annual service review? We carry out an Annual Service Review for services which have 2 star good or 3 star excellent ratings and who provide good outcomes for people they serve. In carrying out this review we looked at all of the information that we have received about the home, or asked for since the last key inspection. We last inspected the home on 19th November 2007 and we carried out an Annual Service Review on 2nd October 2008. We reviewed the information in the homes Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA), which was returned to us on 20th July 2009. The AQAA is a self-assessment in which the manager is legally required to tell us how well outcomes are being met for people who live in the home. It also provided some numerical information about the service including numbers of staff who work there, the number of complaints received etc. We sent surveys to residents, staff and health care professionals to complete. At the time of completing the review we had received surveys from six people who live in the home, five members of staff and three health care professionals. The views and comments of these people were used within the final report. We also reviewed any information we have received about how the service has managed any complaints or safeguarding (protecting people) issues. We looked at the information that the manager told us about things that have happened in the home such as illness or injury or any other event which would affect people who live there. These are called notifications and the manager must legally inform us of them. What has this told us about the service? The manager told us in the Annual Quality Assurance Assessment that they regularly consulted with people who live in the home, their relatives and commissioners (people who purchase places at the home). They told us of the things they had improved as a result of listening to residents. They told us that menus had been changed and that more activities had been provided to suit the needs and wishes of residents. They told us in that people who were looking for a home were provided with a brochure and service users guide with information about the home to help the person make an informed choice. They said that before a person moved into the home that a detailed assessment of their needs would be carried out. They told us that there had been two breakdowns of placement in the home within the previous twelve months. We were aware that a person had been admitted who had mental health needs, which the home could not meet. This person was transferred to another of the providers homes locally. One health care professional told us that they felt the homes assessment arrangements always ensured that accurate information was gathered and the right service was planned. The other two said that it usually was. Each of the six people who live in the home and who completed surveys told us that they had received enough information to help them decide if the home was the right place for them. They also told us that they had been given written information about the homes terms and conditions (contract). The manager told us that they delivered a high standard of care to people and that Annual Service Review Page 4 of 7 each person had comprehensive care plan. They told us that residents and / or their families were involved in developing the care plans and that these were reviewed and amended if needed at least once each month. Staff told us that they always were given up to date information about residents needs. Two health care professionals told us that the social and health care needs of people were usually met and that the service sought appropriate medical advice and acted upon it when necessary. Five residents told us that they always received the care and support they needed and one person told us they usually did. Two health care professionals told us that the home usually respects residents privacy and dignity. We looked at the notifications of incidents we received over the past twelve months, which affect the people living in the home. We were informed of a n outbreak of influenza and an outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting in the home. We saw that appropriate actions were taken to minimise the spread of infection and protect residents, staff and visitors. Other notifications related to the deaths of residents in the home. The manager told us that they spent time listening to residents and gave them choices about how they spent their time. They told us that they had improved the activities provided by the home as a result of taking into account the views of residents. They told us that more could be done so that staff understood the need for social contact and that they were looking to source training for staff in this area. Four of the six residents told us that the home usually arranged activities, which they could participate in. The manager told us that residents had a choice each day from a daily menu and that snacks, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks (where appropriate) were available for residents. All of the residents told us that they enjoyed the meals provided by the home. People commented that there are lots of activities and that the meals here are very good. The manager told us of the arrangements in place for safeguarding people who live in the home from abuse. They told us that all staff received safeguarding training and that all staff were recruited thoroughly and all appropriate checks including references from previous employers, Criminal Records Bureau disclosures and PoVA First checks were obtained before a person commenced work at the home. We had received no safeguarding alerts about the home within the previous twelve months. The manager told us that there was a complaints policy and procedure and that the home had an open door policy where people could freely express concerns or make complaints should they need to. The manager told us that they had received eight complaints since the last inspection and that all had been investigated and responded to in line with their policy and procedure. We had received one complaint about the home since the last inspection. This was around the way in which the home dealt with a resident for who they could no longer meet their needs. The complaint was referred to the homes owner to investigate, which they did in line with their policy and procedure. Health care professionals told us that the service responded appropriately to any concerns raised. People who live in the home told us that they knew who to speak to if they were unhappy or if they wished to make a formal complaint. The manager told us that the home provided a homely and welcoming environment, which was clean and free from odours. They told us that relatives were always welcomed and offered drinks when they visited. The manager identified that Annual Service Review Page 5 of 7 improvements could be made with new furniture and choice of decor and colour in residents bedrooms. All of the people who completed surveys told us that the home was fresh and clean. The manager told us that they had a robust system for recruiting staff and that once staff commenced work at the home that they completed a period of induction so as to help them to familiarise themselves with the homes policies and procedures and the needs of people living in the home. They told us that there was a staff training and development plan to ensure that staff could meet the needs of residents. They said that they aimed to increase the numbers of staff with National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ). Staff who completed surveys told us that their employer had carried out all of the appropriate checks such as Criminal Records Bureau disclosures and references before they commenced work. They told us that their induction had covered everything they needed to know about the job when they started work. They also told us that they received training, which was relevant to their roles, helped them understand the needs of residents, kept them up to date with new ways of working and gave them enough knowledge about health care and medication. Residents told us that staff were usually available when they needed them. Health care professionals told us that staff had the skills and experience to meet the needs of residents. The manager told us that the home was run in the best interests of the people who lived there. They said that as manager they had over twelve years in care home management. They said that there were policies and procedures in place, which underpinned the management of the home and that there was an open and inclusive approach to management, which meant that people could be involved in making their views known and make suggestions for improvement. As part of gathering information about the service we asked people in surveys what the home did well and where improvements could be made. People told us that the home was clean, residents needs were met and that they were happy overall with the service. Some people commented that there could be more activities provided and more interaction with residents. Following a review of the information available we judge that Astral Lodge continues to provide good outcomes to people who live in the home. 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 18th November 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 6 of 7 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. 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