Inspection on 01/04/09 for Sandybrook House

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

CSCI found this care home to be providing an Excellent 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.

Other inspections for this house

Extracts from inspection reports are licensed from CQC, this page was updated on 07/08/2009.

Inspecting for better lives Key inspection report Care homes for older people Name: Address: Sandybrook House Sandy Lane Lower Darwen Lancashire BB3 0PU     The quality rating for this care home is:   three star excellent 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 assessment of the service. We call this a ‘key’ inspection. Lead inspector: Graham Oldham     Date: 0 1 0 4 2 0 0 9 This is a report of an inspection where we looked at how well this care home is meeting the needs of people who use it. 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. 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 Commission for Social Care Inspection aims to: • • • • Put the people who use social care first Improve services and stamp out bad practice Be an expert voice on social care Practise what we preach in our own organisation Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. Care Homes for Older People Page 2 of 25 Reader Information Document Purpose Author Audience Further copies from Copyright Inspection report CSCI General public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Copyright © (2009) Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). 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 CSCI 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 25 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: Sandybrook House Sandy Lane Lower Darwen Lancashire BB3 0PU 01254660050 01254660050 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) : Prime Life Ltd care home 25 Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 0 0 dementia mental disorder, excluding learning disability or dementia Additional conditions: 25 25 The registered person may provide the following categories of service only. Care home only - code PC, to people of the following gender:- Either. Whose primary care needs on admission to the home are within the following categories: - Dementia - Code DE Mental disorder, excluding learning disability or dementia. - Code MD The maximum number of people who can be accommodated is: 25 Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home Sandybrook House is a detached purpose built house situated near to Blackburn and Darwen Town centres. There is an easily accessed bus route to both towns. The home is operated by Prime Life Ltd, a national company. There are several shops and facilities locally including a supermarket, post office and sandwich bar. The home offers a variety of communal space such as a music lounge, movie lounge, dining room and several seating areas. There are 25 bedrooms all with en-suite toilet and washbasin facilities, 11 have a bath, shower or a combination of both. The main Care Homes for Older People Page 4 of 25 Brief description of the care home bathrooms and showers have easy access for the disabled. Outside space is accessible to the disabled and enclosed for the safety of residents. The garden has been designed for residents with dementia. There is ample car parking space to the front of the property. A statement of purpose and service users guide is available for residents or their families to be informed of the facilities and services the home provides. The fees for Sandybrook House range from £412 to £500 per week. This does not include some aspects of hairdressing or personal toiletries. Care Homes for Older People Page 5 of 25 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: three star excellent 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 3 star. This means the people who use this service experience adequate quality outcomes. A key unannounced inspection, which included a visit to the home, was conducted at Sandybrook House on the 1st April 2009. Three residents were case tracked. Case tracking gave the inspector an overall view of the specific care for the individual resident by checking the plans of care and other documentation. Two staff were questioned about the residents case tracked to ensure they were familiar with the care required for each individual. Care Homes for Older People Page 6 of 25 Paperwork examined included plans of care, assessment documentation, policies and procedures or documents relevant to each standard. A tour of the building was conducted. Prior to the visit the Registered Person had submitted information in a pre-inspection questionnaire. This gave information that was used in the planning of the inspection. Wherever possible the views of residents were obtained about their life at the home and their comments are included in the report. What the care home does well: Residents were assessed by the home to ensure they were suitably placed. Plans of care were devloped by people who used the service or their families to ensure their wishes were taken into account. Plans of care were detailed and up to date which showed the care people who used the service received met their needs. People who lived at the care home had access to specialists which ensured they received up to date treatment. The administration of medication was safe for people who used the service. Outings and activities provided a stimulating atmosphere for people who used the service. The accessible complaints procedure and open management style allowed people who used the service to raise any issues. Staff had been trained in the protection of vulnerable adults to help keep people safe. The good decor and furnishings provided a homely atmosphere for people who used the service. There were sufficient numbers of well trained staff to look after people who used the service. Policies, procedures, staff training and the maintenance of equipment helped protect the health and welfare of people who used the service. One visitor said. She has been here a year now. We looked around the home and liked it. They keep us informed if there are any problems. There are no restrictions to visiting we can come when we want. I came here a lot to begin. She has settled well. She has a nice room and has some of her own things in it. Sometimes they could maybe do with a few more staff but at other times there are plenty. The food looks very nice -. I have been here several times and it looks good. The staff are nice and very helpful. You can ask them anything and the manager is approachable. The care here is good. All in all I am very pleased here. This relative was very satisfied with the care and facililities provided at Sandybrook House. Two staff members were questioned about working at the home and said, I love it here. I like everything about it. I enjoy the activites and helping residents. I like the pamper sessions. We get suported to complete the training and I have as much training as I need at this moment of time. I think there is a good staff team. They are a responsive company and if we have problems they are there for us and I like it here because I like looking after them. I like helping them to carry out their life skills such as baking and making pitzas. I like to get them to help and we enjoy outr parties. Care Homes for Older People Page 8 of 25 Everybody joins in. They like the attention. Support is good and we are a good team we all get it done together. We do enough training to keep our skills up to date. I like it here. Staff felt supported and were happy with their work. 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 set out 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 9 of 25 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 10 of 25 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 good assessment process ensured people who used the service could have their needs met at this care home. Evidence: Three people who used the service had been assessed by a senior member of the staff team prior to admission. The plans of care were examined during the case tracking process. The plans of care showed people were assessed prior to admission and this provided proof they were placed correctly. Care Homes for Older People Page 11 of 25 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The excellent plans of care were up to date and informed staff of each persons individual needs. People who used the service had access to specialists to ensure their health care needs were met. The administration of medication was good to help protect people who used the service from possible errors. People who used the service were given care in a suitable manner to preserve their dignity. Evidence: Three plans of care were examined during the case tracking process. Plans of care had been developed with families or people who used the service. Risk assessments had been undertaken and reviewed to inform staff of each persons needs. Good daily notes ensured staff were up to date with each persons condition. Three people were case tracked. Plans of care showed evidence people were able to attend specialists to have their health care needs assessed and treated. There were policies and procedures for the administration of medication to inform staff Care Homes for Older People Page 12 of 25 Evidence: of the safe way to handle medication. The medication records were examined and contained no errors or omissions. There was a copy of the British National Formulary (a book about medication and possible side effects) and the registered manager said the local pharmacist was also available to gain advice about the effects drugs may have on people. The system for the ordering, administration and disposal of medication followed the procedures and was safe. Staff who administered medication had received accredited training to be competent to administer medication. Staff were observed carrying out their tasks in a suitable manner. Personal care was given privately. Staff approached people in a friendly manner which ensured personal care was comfortable for those who receivedi it. Care Homes for Older People Page 13 of 25 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. People who used the service were provided with activities and outings to help keep them fulfilled. Then food served at the care home was sufficiently good to meet peoples nutritional needs. A good strategy was in place to allow people with dementia to be able to have choice within the routine of the care home. Open visiting allowed people who lived in the care home to have regular unrestricted meetings with their families and friends. Evidence: Outings to areas of interest were held on a weekly basis. On the day of the inspection some people who used the service were enjoying the improved garden area. The registered manager said that they held baking days and made things like pitzas. She also said that they held activities such as board games, pamper sessions, and encouraged exercise in some of the games to keep people who used the service active. People who used the service were encouraged to assist in the garden. One new activity, which is a company directive, is to make bathing a relaxing and enjoyable experience by using oils in the assisted bath. The registered manager said people who used the service enjoyed it and were more settled. Residents were encouraged to remain active and enjoy the activities on offer. Care Homes for Older People Page 14 of 25 Evidence: The registered manager and a visitor said visiting was unrestricted to enable them to keep in touch with their families and friends. Plans of care examined during the case tracking process demonstrated peoples choice was regarded seriously and this was recorded for staff to follow. Choice is a part of the training and is centered around people with dementia to show staff what independence residents may be able to achieve. The kitchen was clean and tidy and the cook carried out all environmental health checks to current guidelines. A record of meals taken was undertook for the evening meal but not lunch time. This should be recorded to ensure the preferences of people who use the service and to allow easy reference should any problems such as food poisoning occur. The menu was suitable for the client group accommodated at the home. There was a choice of menu and the registered manager said staff were taught to monitor the preferences of people who used the service. The dining room was nicely presented and was pleasant for people who used the service. Care Homes for Older People Page 15 of 25 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. People who used the service and their families had access to the complaints procedure to be able to voice their concerns. The policies, procedures and staff training in safeguarding issues helped keep people who used the service safe. Evidence: There was an accessible complaints procedure to inform people how to complain which contained relevant timescales and regulatory body addresses. There had been one complaint made to the Care Quality Commission but this had not been substantiated. Suitable arrangements were in place for people to be able to complain. There were policies and procedures for the protection of vulnerable adults. Staff had received safeguarding training and dealing with violence in a non confrontational way. The care home had a copy of the Blackburn with Darwen safeguarding procedures to follow a local initiative. Staff were able to gain information from the No Secrets and whistle blowing documents to raise any concerns. One investigation since the last key inspection was unfounded but gave the registered manager experience in dealing with this type of scenario. Care Homes for Older People Page 16 of 25 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 clean, well decorated and homely atmosphere provided a comfortable atmosphere for people who used the service. Infection control systems protected staff and residents from possible cross contamination or illness. Evidence: The good improvement to the garden area was reaping the benefits by being used by people who used the service on the day of the inspection. A tour of the building was conducted on the day of the inspection. The home was well decorated, clean warm and homely for the benefit of people who used the service. There was a system for repairs and routine maintenance to make sure everything was in good working order. Communal areas were bright and suitable domestic type furniture made the rooms comfortable. There were aids and adaptations in toilets and bathrooms to assist the disabled. Toilets were close to communal areas and well signposted to allow ease of access for people who used the service. Care Homes for Older People Page 17 of 25 Evidence: Bedrooms visited had been personalised and contained sufficient furniture to make people who used the service comfortable. There were policies and procedures for the control of infection. Hand washing facilities and a sluice were available for staff to utilise and help minimise the spread of infection. The equipment in the laundry met current specifications. The laundry was well away from food preparation areas and had walls and floors that could be cleaned to maintain good standards. Window restrictors, radiator guards and controlled water temperatures helped keep residents safe. Care Homes for Older People Page 18 of 25 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Sufficient well trained staff were available on a daily basis to meet the needs of people who used the service. Staff had a nationally recognised induction to help staff settle and deliver care in a competent manner. The good recruitment process ensured staff were fit to look after vulnerable people. Evidence: The staffing rota showed sufficient staff were normally on duty to meet the needs of people who used the service. On the day of the inspection the registered manager, three care staff and other ancillary staff were on duty. 75 of staff had completed NVQ2 training or better. Staff files showed staff had completed all the necessary health and training such as fire awareness, food hygiene and moving and handling. There was a training matrix to assist the manager in making further training available when required. Two staff files examined during the inspection demonstrated the recruitment process was robust by containing the necessary references and checks required by the Care Quality Commission. Two staff files showed staff had completed a recognised induction program. Staff were then encouraged to enroll on a suitable NVQ course and offered training in health and Care Homes for Older People Page 19 of 25 Evidence: safety related issues to ensure they were competent in key care management areas. Care Homes for Older People Page 20 of 25 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 manager gained the views of people who had connections with the home to react to their changing views and needs. Health and safety policies, procedures, staff training and the maintenance of all equipment helped keep staff and residents safe from harm. Evidence: The manager had previously completed NVQ2 and 3 awards. She was currently completing the relevant leadership and management award. Further training included moving and handling, fire safety, mentoring and end of life training. When she has completed her managers training she will meet the requirements of the Care Quality Commission. The registered manager had sent questionnaires out to gain the views of interested parties. Recorded meetings were held regularly with staff and residents. The registered manager held a managers surgery once a week to meet relatives who may have a Care Homes for Older People Page 21 of 25 Evidence: question or concern. There is a corporate business plan. Quality assurance systems were in place and with the production of a summary will meet this standard. The financial system for people who used the service was safe. the registered manager was not responsible for the finances of any person who lived at the care home. Electrical and gas equipment and supply had been maintained and the records were presented at the inspection. Staff had undertaken all the usual health and related topics and received regular updates in these important topics. There were health and safety policies for staff to follow good practice. This meant there were good systems in place and staff followed safe practices. Care Homes for Older People Page 22 of 25 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 23 of 25 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 11 The registered manager should record the last wishes of residents to ensure they receive the care they wish at this difficult time. The registered manager should ensure the cook records the meals served so so evidence for any investigation into problems with food is easy to obtain. The registered manager should complete the relevant training to meet the requirements of the position. The registered manager should produce a summary of the views gained from questionnaires and provide them for inspection. 2 15 3 4 31 33 Care Homes for Older People Page 24 of 25 Helpline: Telephone: 03000 616161 or Textphone: or 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) Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). 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 CSCI copyright, with the title and date of publication of the document specified. 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