Inspecting for better lives Random inspection report
Care homes for adults (18-65 years)
Name: Address: Alexandra House and The Lodge Main Road Alresford Colchester Essex CO7 8AP two star good 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 assessment of the service. We call this a ‘key’ inspection. This is a report of a random inspection of this care home. A random inspection is a short, focussed inspection. 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: Ray Finney Date: 2 5 0 2 2 0 0 9 Information about the care home
Name of care home: Address: Alexandra House and The Lodge Main Road Alresford Colchester Essex CO7 8AP 01206826009 01206826009 alexanderhouse@minstercaregroup.co.uk 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) : Minster Pathways Limited care home 14 Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 14 learning disability Conditions of registration: 14 Persons of either sex, under the age of 65 years, who require care by reason of a learning disability (not to exceed 14 persons) Persons of either sex, aged 65 years and over, who require care by reason of a learning disability (not to exceed 14 persons) The total number of service users accommodated in the home must not exceed 14 persons Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home Alexandra House and The Lodge are two self-contained units within a detached property, situated in a semi-rural location between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea. The home provides care and accommodation for thirteen adults with learning disabilities, some of who are over the age of sixty-five. Both units are on two floors. There are two double bedrooms and nine single. None of the rooms are en-suite but they do have Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years)
Page 2 of 7 Brief description of the care home hand basins. Alexandra House has a kitchen-dining room with separate lounge. The Lodge has a lounge-dining room with separate kitchen. There is an upstairs activities room in The Lodge but, as neither unit has a lift, this is only accessible to mobile service users. To the front of the property is a paved area, separated from a small layby, and the road, by a large sliding iron gate. The home charges between £457.39 and £908.21 a week for the service they provide. This information was given to us in November 2007. Information about the home can be obtained by contacting the manager. Inspection reports are available from the home and from the CSCI website www.csci.org.uk Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 3 of 7 What we found:
An expert by Experience joined us on the day of the inspection to talk to people. Experts by Experience are an important part of the inspection team and help inspectors get a picture of what it is like to live in or use social care services. The term Expert by Experience is used to describe people whose knowledge about social care services comes directly from using them. We visited the home on 25th February and looked at three areas where good practice recommendations were made at the last inspection. These were, improving risk assessments, the storage of medication and continuing to support staff to obtain National Vocational Qualifications. We looked at records such as care plans and staff files and we examined the storage and recording of medication. In all three areas the manager and her team had acted on the recommendations and made significant improvements. 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 4 of 7 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? Yes £ No R Outstanding statutory requirements These requirements were set at the last inspection. They may not have been looked at during this inspection, as a random inspection is short and focussed. The registered person must take the necessary action to comply with these requirements within the timescales set.
No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 5 of 7 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 6 of 7 Reader Information
Document Purpose: Author: Audience: Further copies from: Inspection Report CSCI 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 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. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 7 of 7 - 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!
