Key inspection report
Care homes for adults (18-65 years)
Name: Address: Frinton House 22 Buckhurst Road Bexhill on Sea East Sussex TN40 1QE 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: Caroline Johnson
Date: 2 9 0 4 2 0 1 0 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 Adults (18-65 years)
Page 2 of 27 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 Adults (18-65 years) 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) © Care Quality Commission 2010 This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any format or medium for non-commercial purposes, provided that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context. The source should be acknowledged, by showing the publication title and © Care Quality Commission 2010. www.cqc.org.uk Internet address Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 3 of 27 Information about the care home
Name of care home: Address: Frinton House 22 Buckhurst Road Bexhill on Sea East Sussex TN40 1QE 01424214430 01424214431 frinton@consensussupport.com www.consensussupport.com Consensus Support Services Limited Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Name of registered manager (if applicable) Mr Patrick Mooney Type of registration: Number of places registered: care home 8 Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 learning disability Additional conditions: The maximum number of service users who can be accommodated is: 8 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 Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home Frinton House is a detached property situated a short walk from Bexhill town centre and railway station. Bedroom accommodation is provided in five single rooms situated on the ground and first floors. In addition there is a one bedroom flat on the first floor. A shaft lift is fitted to assist access to first floor accommodation. The home is registered to accommodate eight adults with a learning disability; the registered owners are Consensus Support Services Ltd. The fees charged start from 1,350 pounds per week and include all day care provision and 250 pounds towards the cost Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years)
Page 4 of 27 Over 65 0 8 1 9 1 1 2 0 0 9 Brief description of the care home of a fully supported annual holiday. If residents require one-to-one support these costs would be negotiated separately. The cost of basic toiletries and chiropody are also included in the fees but residents pay themselves for hairdressing. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 5 of 27 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 Individual needs and choices Lifestyle Personal and healthcare support Concerns, complaints and protection Environment Staffing Conduct and management of the home
peterchart Poor Adequate Good Excellent How we did our inspection: For the purpose of this report the people living at Frinton House will be referred to as residents. As part of the inspection process a site visit was carried out on 27 April 2010 and it lasted from 10:05am until 13:00pm. The registered manager was not available so access to certain records that needed to be followed up at this inspection were not available. A second site visit was then carried out on 29 April to complete the inspection process and this lasted from 10:00am until 14:00pm. Over the course of the inspection there was an opportunity to meet with one of the residents in private and to observe other residents as they were supported by staff. In addition time was spent talking with one member of care staff in private. A senior carer facilitated the inspection on the first site visit. One care plan was examined in detail. A wide range of records were also seen including - staff rotas, staff training, medication, menus, health and safety documentation, quality assurance and leisure activities. This inspection report needs to be read in conjunction with the inspection report carried Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years)
Page 6 of 27 out on 19/11/09. Not all standards have been covered at this inspection. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 7 of 27 What the care home does well: What has improved since the last inspection? The homes statement of purpose and service user guide has recently been updated and there are plans to make the guide even more user friendly. Improvements have been noted in relation to the management of residents healthcare needs and where appropriate specialist advice and support is sought and guidelines obtained are included in care plans. The manager keeps up to date with changes in care practises and ensures that the staff team are trained on any relevant courses both for individual and the homes development. The use of agency staff has decreased significantly and the turnover in the staff team has reduced. The homes quality assurance system has improved and residents and staff views have been obtained and published in the updated statement of purpose. Systems for monitoring the quality of the care provided have also improved and the manager receives regular supervision and support in his role. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 8 of 27 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 Adults (18-65 years) Page 9 of 27 Details of our findings
Contents Choice of home (standards 1 - 5) Individual needs and choices (standards 6-10) Lifestyle (standards 11 - 17) Personal and healthcare support (standards 18 - 21) Concerns, complaints and protection (standards 22 - 23) Environment (standards 24 - 30) Staffing (standards 31 - 36) Conduct and management of the home (standards 37 - 43) Outstanding statutory requirements Requirements and recommendations from this inspection Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 10 of 27 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, what they hope for and want to achieve, and the support they need. People can decide whether the care home can meet their support and accommodation needs. This is because they, and people close to them, can visit the home and get full, clear, accurate and up to date information. 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 the person 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. Prospective residents are provided with detailed information about the services available within the home. Evidence: The statement of purpose has been updated since the last inspection and it gives very comprehensive information about the home and the services provided. One aspect in relation to use of the telephone was queried and the manager advised that he would review the statement made. There is also a service user guide in place and available in a pictorial format. It was reported that further work would also be undertaken to produce a more simplified version. There have been no new admissions to the home since the last inspection. There is a detailed admission procedure in place and the manager was clear that he would be fully involved in the assessment of any prospective residents and would ensure, as far as it is possible to, that they would be compatible with the current residents. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 11 of 27 Individual needs and choices
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 needs and goals are met. The home has a plan of care that the person, or someone close to them, has been involved in making. People are able to make decisions about their life, including their finances, with support if they need it. This is because the staff promote their rights and choices. People are supported to take risks to enable them to stay independent. This is because the staff have appropriate information on which to base decisions. People are asked about, and are involved in, all aspects of life in the home. This is because the manager and staff offer them opportunities to participate in the day to day running of the home and enable them to influence key decisions. People are confident that the home handles information about them appropriately. This is because the home has clear policies and procedures that staff follow. 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. Care plans provide detailed information about the abilities and needs of the residents. Evidence: A full inspection of care plans was not carried out at this inspection but one care plan was examined in detail. This included a wide range of information relating to the needs of the individual and guidelines on how the needs were to be met. The individuals needs had changed significantly over the previous few months and whilst there was comprehensive information included in the care plans, the folder could do with some more organisation to be able to track the changes more easily. Having said this, it was noted that as needs changed new risk assessments had been put in place to highlight any new risks identified. Daily notes are also kept which show details of any changes that staff need to be aware of. Attention needs to be given to ensuring that all handwriting is legible as a lot of the documentation seen was very hard to read. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 12 of 27 Evidence: Residents meetings are held regularly and records are kept of the outcome. More recent records showed that due to the changing needs/abilities of the residents it is mainly one resident who does the talking and consideration should be given to looking at different ways of encouraging residents to share their views if a group meeting is not working. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 13 of 27 Lifestyle
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 can take part in activities that are appropriate to their age and culture and 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 and the home supports them to have appropriate personal, family and sexual relationships. People are as independent as they can be, lead their chosen lifestyle and have the opportunity to make the most of their abilities. Their dignity and rights are respected in their daily life. People have healthy, well-presented meals and snacks, at a time and place to suit them. People have opportunities to develop their social, emotional, communication and independent living skills. This is because the staff support their personal development. People choose and participate in suitable leisure activities. 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. Residents have opportunities to make use of their local community on a daily basis. Evidence: One of the residents attends a day centre two days a week and another attends college and has a part time voluntary job for a few hours two days a week. In addition the home arranges activities for the residents on a daily basis and each resident has the opportunity to go out each day. A resident spoken with stated I like my room and the food is good. A staff member spoken with stated that they are planning the annual holiday which will be to Pontins. Three of the residents have chosen to go on this holiday and the fourth resident has stated that she would prefer to go to see a show and have a night in a hotel. One of the residents now uses a wheelchair for any journeys that require a lot of
Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 14 of 27 Evidence: walking and a second resident is currently being assessed in relation to having a wheelchair. There is a four week menu in place which is varied and well balanced. The deputy manager stated that she has just drawn up a new seasonal menu, yet to be introduced, that incorporates the views and wishes of the residents. There are a range of picture cards in place to assist those residents who have limited vocal communication. The home has fresh vegetables and meat delivered weekly and online shopping is also done weekly. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 15 of 27 Personal and healthcare support
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 receive personal support from staff in the way they prefer and want. Their physical and emotional health needs are met because the home has procedures in place that staff follow. If people 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. If people are approaching the end of their life, the care home will respect their choices and help them to 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. The systems in place ensure that residents healthcare needs are met. Evidence: The arrangements in place for the storage and handling of medication were examined. Medication is stored appropriately and it is possible to carry out a clear audit trail of all medication that is brought into the home. Record keeping in relation to medication administered to residents is detailed and the home is good at recording any necessary information at the rear of the mar(medication administration record) chart. There is a system in place to ensure that staff delegated responsibility for the administration of medication are accountable for the task. A list of staff signatures for all staff assessed to administer medication is now kept. The temperature of the storage for medication is also recorded daily. The arrangements in place for the management of medication provided when residents are on social leave have been reviewed and are in order. The manager advised that the home has a good rapport with the local GP and pharmacy and the pharmacy provide ongoing training for staff as required. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 16 of 27 Evidence: The manager and some of the senior staff will be completing advanced training on medication. The deputy manager advised that she is taking on the role of overseeing the medication in the home and will be devising a format for the purpose of carrying out regular audits in this area. Two of the residents have had significant health changes in the past six months and the home has ensured that appropriate professional advice and support has been obtained and that any support guidelines obtained have been included in residents care plans. Suitable equipment had also either been obtained, or arrangements are in place to obtain, to ensure that needs can continue to be met appropriately. Records showed that the home is good at ensuring that residents have opportunities to attend health care appointments such as dental and chiropody. Each residents individual weight is monitored and where appropriate professional advice is sought in relation to weight loss. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 17 of 27 Concerns, 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. Their concern is looked into and action taken to put things right. The care home safeguards people from abuse, neglect and self-harm and takes action to follow up any allegations. 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. Systems are in place to enable anyone wishing to make a complaint to do so. Evidence: There is a detailed procedure in place in relation to complaints. It was reported that there have been no complaints since the last inspection of the home. The complaint folder was stored in the office and it was suggested to the manager that the folder should be stored securely. Staff stated that if they had a concern they would be able to approach either the manager or the deputy to discuss. All the staff team have had training on adult protection and prevention of abuse and a staff member spoken with was clear about what action she should take if she suspected abuse. Five staff including the manager and deputy have attended training on the Mental Capacity Act and the Deprivation of Liberty standards. The remaining senior staff will also attend this training. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 18 of 27 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, comfortable, 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. People have enough privacy when using toilets and bathrooms. 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. Residents live in a home that is well maintained and decorated to a very good standard. Evidence: This standard was not fully inspected on this occasion but all communal areas were seen and were decorated to a good standard. Since the last inspection the dining room has been refurbished and an office has been created on the ground floor. No decision has yet been reached regarding the use of the flat on the first floor and it was reported that some minor work would need to be carried out should a decision be made to accommodate a resident in this area. All of the staff team have had training on infection control and all areas seen during the inspection were clean and free from any odours. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 19 of 27 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, qualified 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. People’s needs are met and they are supported because staff get the right training, supervision and support they need from their managers. People are supported by an effective staff team who understand and do what is expected of them. 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 staff team are well supported and have been provided with appropriate training to meet the needs of those accommodated. Evidence: There are four residents accommodated and the rota showed that generally there are three to four staff on duty in the mornings along with the manager and sometimes the deputy. The deputy manager works a variety of shifts across the day and evening. It was noted that all staff have either completed or are booked to attend mandatory training courses. The manager advised that all staff will be completing the learning disability qualification training. Four of the staff team have completed NVQ (national vocational qualification) at level two or above. Agreement has been reached for another four staff to complete this training but no definite timescale for commencing has been provided yet. The manager advised that two staff that he is about to appoint hold this qualification. He is also in the process of appointing bank staff and those selected all hold this qualification. Recruitment records were seen in relation to two staff members employed to work in the home and all records seen were in order. The manager is in the process of putting
Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 20 of 27 Evidence: together a supervision matrix, but currently planned supervisions are recorded in the diary and written records are stored in each staff members files. A number of files were checked and in each case there were recent supervision records. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 21 of 27 Conduct and management of the 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 have confidence in the care home because it is run and managed appropriately. People’s opinions are central to how the home develops and reviews their practice, as the home has appropriate ways of making sure they continue to get things right. The environment is safe for people and staff because 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. They are safeguarded because the home follows clear financial and accounting procedures, keeps records appropriately and makes sure staff understand the way things should be done. 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 run well in the interest of the residents accommodated. Evidence: Since the last inspection the manager has been successful in his application for registration with the Commission. He brings a wealth of experience to his role and has completed NVQ level four and the Registered Managers Award. Regular staff meetings have been held and minutes seen were detailed and covered a wide variety of topics. It was also noted that each staff member present was aked if they wished to contribute to the meeting. A staff member spoken with stated that these meetings are very helpful and that the manager and deputy are very supportive and approachable. Since the last inspection the managers line management has changed. The manager advised that he receives supervision every other month and he also stated that his manager is always available to speak by phone and is very supportive. The responsible individual visits the home monthly unannounced, to check that the home
Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 22 of 27 Evidence: is being run appropriately and a written report is carried out to document his findings. In addition the manager must write a monthly report providing statistical information to the organisation. One issue seen in the Reg 26 reports was discussed with the manager and this related to a statement saying that residents were responsible for the management of their own finances. The manager agreed that this was not the case and he confirmed the management arrangements that are in place for each individual resident. Arrangements have altered recently and written risk assessments and support plans are to be drawn up once further information from the relevant appointees has been clarified. As part of the homes quality assurance system surveys were sent to residents and to staff to seek their views on the running of the home. Results were very positive. In relation to residents it was noted that there was only one action point and that related to a resident stating that they would like to have more involvement in the management of their own finances. The staff survey was also very positive showing that the staff team felt supported. There were no surveys from relatives or any visiting professionals and the manager was not sure if these surveys could have been sent out via their head office. A detailed home audit was carried out in January 2010 and the outcome was fairly positive but the manager had only been in post a short time and he was confident that if the audit were to be repeated the results would now be much better. In advance of the inspection process a range of surveys were sent to the manager for distribution to residents, staff, relatives and any visiting professionals. Responses included two from residents, three from relatives and four from staff. In one of the resident surveys a staff member supported the resident to complete the form but acknowledged that the resident was unable to understand most of the form. The second resident also received some staff support and responded positively to the questions raised. Relatives surveys - questions require a ticked response from a choice of always, usually, sometimes or never and there is also a space to record any comments. In one survey the response was wholly positive and there were no comments. In the second survey the response was usually to all but one question where the response was sometimes. This was in relation to the care service keeping in touch. No comments were provided. In the third survey the responses were a mixture ranging from fully Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 23 of 27 Evidence: positive in some areas to sometimes in one area. Comments included lovely house, lovely room, lovely kitchen and some staff are not careful when giving medication improving. Staff surveys - One person on a positive note stated, it provides good care and opportunities for residents. It is a pleasant place to work. There are lots of training opportunities. In relation to a question about how the home could improve, they stated Communication between the staff team. Another staff member stated that since starting in post there have been a lot of changes within the organisation and since November it has vastly and increasingly is improving. There is very good management. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 24 of 27 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 Adults (18-65 years) Page 25 of 27 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 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 26 of 27 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. © Care Quality Commission 2010 This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any format or medium for non-commercial purposes, provided that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context. The source should be acknowledged, by showing the publication title and © Care Quality Commission 2010. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 27 of 27 - 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!