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Inspection on 10/12/09 for Charnwood House

Also see our care home review for Charnwood House for more information

This is the latest available inspection report for this service, carried out on 10th December 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: Charnwood House The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: two star good service 2 2 1 0 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: Janice Patrick1 Date of this annual service review: 0 6 1 1 2 0 0 9 Annual Service Review Page 1 of 6 Information about the service Address of service: 49 Barnwood Road Gloucester GL2 0SD 01452523478 01452523478 mel_holland123@yahoo.co.uk Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address:   Name of registered provider(s): Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : old age, not falling within any other category Conditions of registration: Apsley Park Ltd Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 0 35 The maximum number of service users who can be accommodated is 35. The registered person may provide the following category of service only: Care home with Nursing - Code N to service users of either gender whose primary care needs on admission to the home are within the following category: Old age, not falling within any other category (Code OP) 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 This care home is registered to provide predominantly nursing care to 35 elderly people. There is a qualified nurse on duty at all times. Accommodation is over three floors and there is a shaft lift and stair lifts to help with access. The home provides a mixture of single and double bedrooms. There are two communal lounge areas, a conservatory and dining area, all with access to enclosed gardens and paved courtyards. The home has been extensively extended and is set back from the main road. There are gardens to the front of the house and Annual Service Review Page 2 of 6 None 2 2 1 0 2 0 0 8 some off road parking is available. The care home is situated on a road leading to Gloucester City. It is therefore on a well serviced bus route. It is close to a doctors surgery, local chemist, public house, petrol station and local shops are approximately five minutes away by car. Gloucester railway station is accessible by bus. The current care fees can be obtained from the service. The service can also make available information about the services provided on request. The Commissions previous report is also available on request within the home. Annual Service Review Page 3 of 6 Service update since the last key inspection or annual service review: What did we do for this annual service review? We have considered all of the following before producing this report. All the information that we have received or asked for since the last key inspection; either from the service or other interested parties. The previous inspection report and any outstanding requirements made during that inspection. The information given to us in the services most recent annual quality assurance assessment (AQAA). An AQAA is a self assessment completed by the service telling us about their current practices, of any improvements they have made to these in the last twelve months and there future plans to improve the outcomes for people using the service. It also gives us some numerical information about the service. How the service has managed any complaints or concerns that have been forwarded to them by the Commission or those forwarded from other sources, that we have been aware of. Information sent back to us on the questionnaires we forwarded to people living in the service before we commenced this inspection. This is their opportunity to tell us what they think about the quality of the services being provided and what they feel could be done to improve this. Information from staff questionnaires also sent to them prior to this inspection. All notifications sent to us from the service. These are a legal requirement and inform us of any adverse event in the home that may have happened to a person or effected a person living in the home. The service also informs us of anyones death and includes the circumstances leading up to this. What has this told us about the service? The last inspection which involved a visit to the service was completed in October 2008 when the service was assessed as providing good outcomes to people. The Commission only issued one requirement which was for the service to submit an improvement plan outlining how it was going to address outstanding improvements to the environment. This has been received and gave a detailed explanation. The current AQAA tells us that the environment continues to be audited and that improvements will continue in respect of decoration and lighting. People living in the home have told us that that they receive the care and attention they require. Comments included the caring side is done very well, I feel well looked after and the carers are very helpful. The AQAA tells us that there are comprehensive systems in place for the assessment of and planning of peoples needs. It tells us that the service wish to continually improve how people are afforded opportunities to make choices. The AQAA tells us that the service is taking part in a pilot being held in the county to improve the skills of staff and the quality of end of life care throughout all health care services. The majority of the people in the home, who returned a questionnaire, told us that activities are usually available, one person commented activities are part time. The AQAA tells us that there is an activities coordinator but it does not state how many hours a week this person works or how they are deployed within the home. The AQAA Annual Service Review Page 4 of 6 does tell us that this person is trained in the Sonas Program. This is an approach to activities that aims to stimulate people who suffer from dementia. It is done through other senses rather than just verbal communication; such as reminiscence, food tasting, readings, singing and experiences through touch. One visitor who helped their relative complete our questionnaire said there is plenty of laughter. The activities coordinator helped most of the people to complete their returned questionnaires. The AQAA tells us that the service has a Complaints Policy with Procedures and that this is prominently displayed in the home. The questionnaires returned by those who live in the home told us that some people are aware of how to make a complaint and others are not. The one questionnaire completed by a relative said they knew how to make a complaint. The AQAA tells us that the service have received two complaints in the last twelve months and that both were managed within the policys agreed timescale and that neither were upheld. The Commission forwarded one complaint to the home, which was investigated by the Registered Manager and responded to in the same manner. The Commission has not received a high volume of complaints or concerns about this service since the last inspection. The AQAA tells us that staff are trained in the Protection of Vulnerable Adults and that all appropriate arrangements are in place to help protect people from harm or abuse. Some people in the home said staff are always available when needed, others stated they are usually available. The staff questionnaires nearly all said there were usually enough staff on duty to meet the needs of the people living there. One comment from a person living in the home said getting up time in the morning can be inconsistent due to agency staff being employed. The AQAA tells us that staff retention is getting better but it still needs improvement. The Commission are also aware that the home has just had to manage a period of very high staff sickness, which has now passed over. The AQAA explains that staff are trained and supported to do their jobs well and all questionnaires returned from staff confirmed this. The AQAA states that this is one way of helping staff to remain with the service. The Registered Manager is well respected by people within the home and by visiting health care professionals. The AQAA tells us there has been improved communication between the Registered Manager and the Registered Provider and that there is an effective quality assurance system in place. The Commission is aware however that the Registered Manager of this home has currently left to manage one of the companys sister homes. Alternative arrangements have been made to ensure this home is managed on a day to basis and the company are actively seeking a new Manager. What are we going to do as a result of this annual service review? We are not going to change our inspection plans based on the current information. We will continue to monitor all information given to us. Subject to any changes in registration and inspection practice following implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, our current plan is to do a key inspection by 22nd October 2010. 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. 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