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Inspection on 28/04/10 for Sign Health

Also see our care home review for Sign Health for more information

This is the latest available inspection report for this service, carried out on 28th April 2010.

CQC 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.

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 manager wrote in the AQAA about what the service does well: "We provide a high quality service to a very specialised client group in a way that is appropriate to their needs and delivered in the language of their choice. Staff provide positive role models for tenants from the basis of our belief that they have a lot to offer and are able to achieve independence and realistic personal aims and goals that they had not thought possible to achieve. A skilled and sensitive staff team work with tenants to build their self esteem and confidence and encourage them to take their rightful place as active members of the community and achieve equality with everyone else. We provide an environment that enriches their experience by actively encouraging tenants to work together to support each other as well as being supported by the staff team." The manager wrote in the AQAA about what has improved over the last twelve months: "As a group the tenants have worked well together and supported each other through some difficult events. Two tenants have successfully moved into the community and will marry shortly. They continue to be supported by staff to learn the skills they need to live in their own flats and manage their own lives with support from the Outreach service." The manager wrote in the AQAA about plans for improvement over the next twelve months: "The staff team continue to work together and train in things that will enable them to provide better quality support to individual tenants. Progress and improvement is a never ending cycle and we will plan to build on the work practices that are currently showing positive results with our tenants. Staff will train in Deaf blind awareness, lone worker, benefits, Autism, child protection, risk assessment and self harm. Management training has been planned for dealing with conflict, managing difficult situations, recruitment and retaining good staff. One member of staff will continue the Mental Health Certificate to degree level in his own time and rotas will be arranged to allow for this. As a staff team we will continue to support tenants to achieve independence in whatever areas they wish." It was evident that the manager and the staff are committed to empowering the service users to live independently.

What the care home could do better:

The manager and her staff continue to provide a consistent and proactive service for this specialised client group.

Random inspection report Care homes for adults (18-65 years) Name: Address: Sign Health 2 Constance Way Leicester Place Leeds West Yorkshire LS7 1HX three star excellent service The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: 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. This is a report of a random inspection of this care home. A random inspection is a short, focussed review of the service. Details of how to get other inspection reports for this care home, including the last key inspection report, can be found on the last page of this report. Lead inspector: Catherine Paling Date: 2 8 0 4 2 0 1 0 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: Sign Health 2 Constance Way Leicester Place Leeds West Yorkshire LS7 1HX 01132457991 01132457993 constanceway@signhealth.org.uk www.signhealth.org.uk Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Name of registered manager (if applicable) Miss Susan Gill Type of registration: Number of places registered: Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : SignHealth care home 6 Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 6 6 6 learning disability mental disorder, excluding learning disability or dementia sensory impairment Conditions of registration: Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home 6 6 6 2 Constance Way provides care and support in individual purpose-built flats for six profoundly deaf people, who have additional needs due to some mental health problems. The service is managed by SIGN, a national charity specialising in this area of care, whilst the building is owned and maintained by a housing association. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 2 of 8 Brief description of the care home The service is situated in a mixed residential/business area close to the universities in Leeds and within walking distance of key facilities, such as the centre for deaf people. The two storey building stands within a development of mixed housing and there is nothing from the exterior that identifies it as anything other than a complex of flats. However, internally the accommodation has been designed around the needs of deaf people and is fully equipped for this purpose. One of the ground floor flats is also equipped to accommodate a wheelchair user, although no-one with this type of disability currently lives there. This is a highly specialised service for culturally deaf people. The language of the house is British Sign Language (BSL). People are expected to use this form of communication, as are all of the staff team, the majority of whom are deaf themselves. The service should be contacted directly for up to date information about charges. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 3 of 8 What we found: We looked at all the information that we have received, or asked for, since the last key inspection or annual service review. This included: The annual quality assurance assessment (AQAA) that was sent to us by the service. The AQAA is a self-assessment that focuses on how well outcomes are being met for people using the service. It also gave us some numerical information about the service. Information we have about how the service has managed any complaints. What the service has told us about things that have happened in the service, these are called notifications and are a legal requirement. The previous key inspection of 6th June 2007, annual service reviews and the results of any other visits that we have made to the service in the last 12 months. Relevant information from other organisations. What other people have told us about the service. We sent out a number of surveys before the inspection, to people using the service, their relatives, staff and other healthcare professionals. Comments we have received appear in the body of the report. This was an unannounced visit carried out by one inspector on 28th April 2010 who was at the service for about one hour arriving at 10:40. The inspector was accompanied and assisted by one British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter. During the visit we spoke with the manager and her staff. There were no service users available at the time of the visit. However, we received completed surveys from all those living at the service and we have used information from the surveys in the report. The home sent us their annual quality assurance assessment (AQAA) when we asked for it. It was clear, detailed and gave us all the information we asked for. People made the following comments in surveys sent to us: staff help good I like flat People also indicated in surveys that they were able to spend their time in the way they wanted and knew who to talk to if they had any concerns or were unhappy. Relatives made the following comments in surveys: Provides a warm family orientated environment. XXXX is wonderfully cared for all her needs anticipated and provided. The GP service also appears to provide excellent care. XXXX care is first class in every way, Sense is doing a marvellous job. XXXX was very well supported by Sense staff during a recent period of hospitalisation. A staff member was with her throughout to provide personal care and communication. I was very impressed. Staff said in surveys: Very deaf friendly home - easy environment to work within a team of both hearing and deaf staff. Good to see tenants progressing everyday - become more independent ready to move out one day. Always enjoy being part of a team - friendly people, very easy to fit in because I am deaf, my language is BSL Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 4 of 8 Healthcare professionals spoke highly of the service provided by Sense: Individual care planning/person centred approach for all residents. Advocates for service users, promotes deaf awareness. Supports service users with complex needs who are also deaf. Provides seamless service into own accommodation using outreach service. I think the service is fantastic they offer a great service and the service users give positive feedback. What the care home does well: 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 2. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 5 of 8 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, Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 6 of 8 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, 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 7 of 8 Reader Information Document Purpose: Author: Audience: Further copies from: Inspection Report Care Quality Commission General Public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. Copies of the National Minimum Standards –Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) can be found at www.dh.gov.uk or got 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 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 noncommercial 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. 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