Inspection on 20/11/08 for Alyson House

This inspection was carried out on 20th November 2008.

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

Alyson House 20/02/07

Alyson House 15/11/05

Alyson House 21/06/05

Alyson House 09/11/04

Alyson House 03/06/04

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Extracts from inspection reports are licensed from CQC, this page was updated on 18/06/2009.

Inspecting for better lives Key inspection report Care homes for adults (18-65 years) Name: Address: Alyson House 11 Cobham Road Westcliff On Sea Essex SS0 8EG 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: Vicky Dutton Date: 2 0 1 1 2 0 0 8 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. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: 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 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 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. Reader Information Document Purpose Author Inspection report CSCI Page 2 of 32 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Audience Further copies from Copyright General public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Copyright © (2008) 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.csci.org.uk Internet address Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 3 of 32 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: Alyson House 11 Cobham Road Westcliff On Sea Essex SS0 8EG 01702345566 01702345566 mayyingtang@hotmail.com Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Mr Eric Tang,Mrs May Ying Tang Name of registered manager (if applicable) Mrs May Ying Tang Type of registration: Number of places registered: Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 9 0 care home 9 learning disability Additional conditions: The registered person may provide the following category/ies of service only: Care Home only - Code PC to service users of the following gender: Either Whose primary care needs on admission to the home are within the following categories: Learning Disability - Code LD The maximum number of service users who can be accommodated is: 9 Date of last inspection 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 7 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 4 of 32 A bit about the care home Alyson House is large detached property. The home is decorated and equipped to a high standard. Alyson House is situated close to Southend seafront and local amenities. There are good public transport links nearby. Alyson House is registered to provide care for nine people who have a learning disability. People living at the home are mostly over fifty years of age. Bedrooms are situated on both the ground and first floor. All areas can be reached by a lift if people are unable to use stairs. Everyone has their own room. All rooms apart from one have an ensuite toilet facility. Communal areas of the home are on the ground floor. There is plenty of room for everyone as the home has large lounge and dining room areas as well as an activity/sensory room. Outside there is a small decked and concreted area which is brightened up by the use of plant pots and garden furniture. People are encouraged to use community and day care facilities. The home has their own website at Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 5 of 32 www.alysonhouse.co.uk. A Service Users Guide is available. This includes the most recent inspection report on the home. The current fees for staying at the home are between £600.00 to £800.00 per week, depending on individual needs and circumstances. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 6 of 32 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 Individual needs and choices Lifestyle Personal and healthcare support Concerns, complaints and protection Environment Staffing Conduct and management of the home Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 7 of 32 How we did our inspection: This is what the inspector did when they were at the care home When we visited Alyson House people did not know that we were coming, so we saw the home as it usually is without any special effort being made. We looked at all the key standards that show us how people are being looked after, and the sort of life they are able to enjoy. Before we visited the home we sent out surveys to people living there and others who are involved with the home such as peoples families, staff, social workers and medical people. People used the surveys to tell us what they thought about Alyson House. When we visited the home an expert by experience joined us for some of the time. An expert by experience is someone who because of their experience of using services visits with an inspector. This helps us to get a better picture of what it is like to live in or use a service. We spent six hours at the home. While we were there we spent time with the people who live there. We spoke to the manager and staff. We looked at written records to see how well the home is run. Everyone at the home was very helpful to Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 8 of 32 us. The things that people told us, the things that we looked at, and the comments from the expert by experience have been included in this report. What the care home does well Alyson House is a good place for people to live. The home is comfortable and homely. People told us that they were happy there. Peoples families said that they are very pleased with the care people receive. The home is good at helping people to make choices. People told us that staff help them to make choices. Everyone said that staff at the home are very good and listen to what they say. Management at the home are keen to make sure that staff are well trained and have the right skills to look after people well. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 9 of 32 People living at Alyson House are helped to as far as possible maintain good health and the home keeps good records about how they help people with this. What has got better from the last inspection When we looked at peoples care plans we saw that many of these are now written so that they are good at saying what individual peoples needs and wishes are. People are being helped to understand their care plan through the use of pictures and symbols, and are encouraged to take part in writing their care plans. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 10 of 32 Staff at the home understand that people need to be occupied in different ways and now provide more opportunities for people to undertake individual and different activities during the day such as college courses and attending different day centres. Where possible people are now more encouraged to be independent and make their own decisions. Where possible people are being encouraged to develop better life skills such as preparing food. The house is continuously monitored to make sure that the furnishings, decor and equipment available is suitable to meet peoples needs. Since the previous inspection new furnishings have been provided and some areas redecorated. The manager is trying to make sure that whenever possible people can be involved in having their say about the home. Regular meetings are held and some people have been involved in recruiting new staff. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 11 of 32 What the care home could do better If you want to read the full report of our inspection please ask the person in charge of the care home If you want to speak to the inspector Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 12 of 32 please contact Vicky Dutton Eastern Regional Contact Team CSCI CPC1 Capital Park Fulbourne Cambridge CB21 5XE Tel: 01223 771300 Email: enquiries.eastern@csci.gsi.gov.uk 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.csci.org.uk. You can get printed copies from enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk or by telephoning our order line - 0870 240 7535 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 13 of 32 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 14 of 32 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 . Before moving into the home people are involved the assessment process, given good information about the home and have opportunities to visit. Evidence: Everyone living at Alyson House had filled in or been assisted to fill in one of our (CSCIs) surveys. All said that they had been asked if they wanted to move into the home and had been given enough information about it. We saw that the homes Service Users Guide had been revised in August this year and now provides easy read text and symbols to help people know about the home. The Service Users Guide explained about arrangements for moving into the home. Some records and anecdotal evidence showed that people have a phased introduction to the home that allows them to see what it is like and know if it will meet their needs. One person said, I was given the opportunity to visit Alyson House. I spent half a day and had lunch and also spent a weekend leave trial before moving into Alyson House. Another person said, I stayed here in Alyson House about three weekends to try it, then I liked it here and enjoyed my stays. The records that we looked at showed that the manager at the home always assesses Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 15 of 32 Evidence: peoples needs to make sure that staff at the home will be able to care for them properly. Peoples social workers also provide information to the home about peoples needs and requirements. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 16 of 32 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 . People receive good care and support based on their individual needs and preferences. Evidence: We looked at the care files of three people living at Alyson House. These showed that people are offered care based on good assessment care planning processes. Staff at the home try to involve residents and/or their families as far as possible in planning care. Some people had signed their support plans to show that they had been involved. As well as individual support plans covering all aspects of care each file also had a Person Centred Life Plan which summarised peoples health and care needs choices and preferences in easy read text and symbols. These have not yet been devised for all people living at the home, but work is ongoing to achieve this. Although care records viewed were good, care needs to be taken to ensure that assessments and records are always clearly dated. Discussions with management and staff showed that they have a detailed knowledge of individual residents’ needs and preferences. People spoken with were happy with the care they received. A relative said, The home are very aware of [relatives] specific needs and support them very well. An involved professional said, All clients seem to improve once they have moved to Alyson House. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 17 of 32 Evidence: The care and attention they receive is the best. On surveys people said that they make decisions about what they do each day. One person said, I tell the staff on duty what I want to do like helping with housework, peeling vegetables, going for a walk, dancing and watching television. Another said I will tell my key worker, or whoever is on shift about my plan for the day. During the site visit people were observed to do what they wished, and go where they wanted in the building during the day. One person who spoke to the expert by experience confirmed this and said that they could use any part of the home apart from other peoples rooms. They also said that they choose their own clothes and were able to get up and go to bed when they wished. Peoples choices, as discussed with them, are reflected in their life plan. Residents meetings are held. Minutes of these viewed showed that people can freely express their individual choices and views. The Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA) completed by the manager said, Staff create or give opportunities, encouragement and support to all service users to make their own decisions in their daily living activities. Service users who have limited communication skills and/or have intellectual impairment object and pictures or symbols are used for communication. Records viewed and discussion showed that independence is always encouraged. Most people living at Alyson House are not able to manage their own finances, and this is taken care of by their families or the Local Authority. Where possible however people are encouraged and supported to manage their monies to whatever level achievable, with the support needed clearly identified in their support plans. Support plans contained good risk assessments and management plans as relevant to individual peoples needs. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 18 of 32 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 . People are able to enjoy a fulfilling lifestyle that meets their needs and expectations. Evidence: Records viewed and discussion showed that daily activity is arranged on an individual basis according to individual needs and choices. Management at the home felt that this was an area of improvement over the last year. The AQAA said, Service users have been given more opportunities to pursue their interests. The home has provided one to one staff escort for service users to participate in leisure and social activities in the community as well as indoors. A relative said, There is always something going on in the home, the residents never seem bored. Support plans showed that people undertake a variety of activities. On the day of the site visit two people were out at different day centres, and another person spent the morning at a college undertaking a literacy course. They were very happy about this and keen to talk about the experience. Support plans also identified things such as joining a keep fit club, outings and holidays, and regular attendance at evening social clubs. The home has equipment Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 19 of 32 Evidence: available for activities. A reflexologist visits the home on a regular basis for anyone who wishes to use this service. Many people living at Alyson House have complex needs and not all are able to verbally express themselves. The expert by experience said, The staff were very helpful to the non verbal clients. They talked to them nicely and encouraged them to look at the pictures in the books. A staff member offered to take one of the clients to the shops but they did not want to go. People living at Alyson House make full use of community facilities, such as shops and eating places. Staff rotas viewed showed increased staffing at weekends to support this. One person said, Weekends, that is when I go to the cinema with another resident and staff. Individual support plans showed that people are supported to attend church if this is their wish. One person said I sometimes go to church on a Sunday. A relative said, They look after my [relative] very well and they have learnt more skills than I had thought possible. They take [them] out and about and even into town. Before they went to Alyson House we could not get [them] out of the front door. They have done marvels with [them]. The home is very warm and welcoming to family and friends at any time. A relative said, Visitors are always made welcome. I can visit at any time pre-arranged or not. Another said, [Management] are very hands on and believe in family involvement. On surveys all relatives felt that they were kept well informed about peoples care and needs. Staff at the home encourage people to develop independence skills and be involved in household tasks. People have an individual weekly programme of activity identified for some this includes a training day when they can help with cleaning their room, changing their bed and so on. Others like to be involved in daily tasks such as preparing vegetables, cooking and laying tables on a daily basis. One said I love cooking and baking crumbles and cookies. Appropriate support plans and risk assessments relating to these were in place on care files. People said that they like the food in the home. One said, I always enjoy all the food. Menus viewed showed that people enjoy a good and balanced diet. A relative said, Nutrition is good and healthy. We saw that the home uses plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. The expert by experience said, Staff members encouraged service users to choose their food. We saw that picture cards were available to assist this process and encourage people to make choices. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 20 of 32 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 . People receive good health care support to meet their needs. When people need help to manage their medication they can be sure that this will be done safely. Evidence: Information about how people wish to be assisted, and their preferred routines were clear in support plans and life plans. Management ensures that suitable equipment is available to meet peoples needs. During the day of the site visit a new compact hoist was delivered that will be able to be used in the home, and taken away on holidays to support one persons needs. A proactive approach to peoples health care was well evidenced in care records. Appropriate assessments were in place relating to nutrition and risk pf pressure sores. Peoples weight is monitored so any cause for concern will be identified. Records showed that people access regular health checks with doctors, opticians and dentists. Staff support people to attend different appointments. Most people living in the home are of an older age group and the manager is alert to any changes in their wellbeing. During the site visit one person was having an assessment from the community mental heath team after concerns had prompted a referral. The AQAA said referrals had also recently been made to occupational and physiotherapy services. A relative said, Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 21 of 32 Evidence: Whilst [relative] has lived at Alyson House they have had all of their physical and mental health checks. As part of the care for one person staff monitor their blood sugar levels. Staff have received training in this and are deemed competent. It was advised that the person’s consent be sought for support staff to do this. It was also advised that the protocol in place for blood sugar monitoring makes it clear that responsibility for this procedure, and monitoring of staff competence rests with the district nursing team. Training records showed that staff have received good training to help them be more aware of peoples health needs. Training has included such topics as epilepsy, diabetes, continence, pressure care and palliative care. We looked at how medication is managed in the home and found that good systems and procedures are in place. During the site visit the manager was trying to obtain a copy of the latest guidelines produced by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society that would provide a useful reference for staff. Medication is kept under regular review by health professionals involved in peoples care so that they are not taking more medicines than they need to. Staff have received good training in administering medication so that their practice is based on good knowledge. As an additional safeguard to practice it was advised that peoples photographs are available with their medication administration records. Also where possible people should give their consent for the home to manage and administer their medication. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 22 of 32 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 . People are kept safe through good procedures and practise in the home. Evidence: On surveys everyone said that they knew who to talk to if they were not happy about anything. All said that they would be comfortable in talking to staff. Everyone also said that they knew how to make a complaint. Many said that they had never had the need to do so and made comments such as, I know how to make a complaint but cannot imagine having to use this knowledge in the light of our experience to date. A clear complaints process was in place, although a slight amendment to make CSCIs role clearer was advised. An easy read version of the complaints procedure was available in the service users guide. During the site visit the manager produced copy of this to be made generally available for people. The homes complaints records showed that two concerns had been raised since the previous inspection. Both of these had been dealt with appropriately. The homes training records showed that all staff have undertaken training in safeguarding vulnerable adults. Staff spoken with had a good understanding of safeguarding and spoke of the issues covered in their training. One relative said, The care home give my [relative] all the care [they] need. They make [them] feel safe. Another said, We have never witnessed anything untoward and believe this to be the case in all circumstances. One person said to the expert by experience that they felt safe at the home and that if they felt scared they would talk to a member of staff or their key worker. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 23 of 32 Evidence: Although not a particular issue at Alyson House, it was noted that any individual behavioural concerns were clearly identified and risk assessed within care files. Some staff have undertaken training in managing challenging behaviour. An involved professional felt that one of the things the home did well was, Providing management strategies for behaviours and supporting the strategies. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 24 of 32 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 . People live in a comfortable home that is suited to meeting their needs. Evidence: Alyson House provides a homely and comfortable environment for people to live in. Standards of furnishings and decor are good and the providers are proactive in ensuring a steady monitoring of the home, replacing and renewing whenever it is needed. Since the previous inspection some new bedroom furnishings, carpets and dining room furniture has been provided. Some areas of the home have been redecorated with input from residents. One person told the expert by experience that they had not chosen the decor in their room. The manager explained the reasons behind this. Being planned at the moment is replacing garden furniture and a bath that is worn. A relative commented, The upkeep of the home in general is also excellent. There is plenty of communal space for people to use. Outdoor space is a decked and concreted area that is brightened up by the use of planted pots. Alyson House is close to the seafront and local amenities which are enjoyed by residents. The home has a suitable utility area. A tour of the premises showed that all areas are kept clean and fresh. On surveys everyone felt that the home was kept very nice. Comments made included, Alyson House is very clean, and, I am pleased about the cleanliness of Alyson House. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 25 of 32 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 . People are cared for by staff who have the right skills to meet their needs. Evidence: Feedback on staff was very positive. On surveys people living in the home all said that staff always treated them well, and always listened and acted on what they said. During the site visit staff interacted well with people and were attentive to their needs. People said, Staff are good to me, they look after me, All the staff treat me well, I like them all, and All staff treat me well. They made me feel welcome. They are always helpful and I am happy that I live in Alyson House. The expert by experience that joined us as part of this inspection said that, The interactions between staff and clients in the home is great, and all staff were friendly with the clients as they play and make jokes together. They did however feel that staff cover in the main lounge could be improved, as sometimes during the course of their observations no staff were readily available. Relatives and professionals felt that the staff have the right skills and experience to look after people, and again many positive comments were made such as, All the staff are trained and have the right skills to make my [relatives] life good, and All staff are well versed in the care that [relative] requires. They have also built up good personal relationships with [them]. The home has a good record of staff training, and encouraging staff to undertake National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) in care. At the moment out of ten staff three have an NVQ and a further four staff are working towards this qualification. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 26 of 32 Evidence: We looked at the files of two recently recruited members of staff to make sure that people are protected by good procedures being in place. We saw that a good level of checks, including Criminal Records Bureau checks had been carried out before people started to work at the home. The manger is aware of procedures and tries to obtain references from peoples most recent employer but said this had not always been possible. Consequently one person had two personal references on file. The other person had a reference from their current place of employment, but this was from another member of staff living at the same address as the applicant. The manager at Alyson House had subsequently spoken to the current employer, but this had not been recorded. On the files viewed all other aspects of staff recruitment were satisfactory with good documentation maintained of identification, previous qualifications, and any work permissions required. The AQAA completed said that the home had improved in the last year by Involving service users in the recruitment process. Staff spoken with and surveys completed were positive about the induction and ongoing training provided for them. One said Our manager gives full support to all staff to uplift our professional growth and development. Training is provided to improve us and provide quality and efficient care to service users. Staff files showed that a good induction is carried out with all new staff, who then move on to work through a Skills for Care Programme. Training records showed that three staff are currently working on this programme. A training martix provided and staff files sampled showed that there is a good range of skills throughout the staff team at Alyson House. As many of the people living at Alyson House are of an older age group appropriate training such as dementia care and nutritional needs of the elderly have been included in the training programme. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 27 of 32 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service . Strong and effective management ensures that people living at the home are cared for safely, and are able to express their views on the service. Evidence: The owner/manager of Alyson House is well qualified having both nursing and management qualifications. Both owners have a very hands on approach to running the home. From observations and discussion it is clear that both are committed to providing a high standard of care and accommodation for people living there. Management is also committed to providing good and well trained staff. Since the previous key inspection improvements have been made in a number of areas that improve outcomes for people living at the home. This includes the move to person centred planning, improving social opportunities for people and giving more opportunities for people to express their views about the service. People living and working at Alyson House have opportunities to express their views and contribute to the running of the service. Records viewed showed that meetings are held on a regular basis. One person told the expert by experience that the home had meetings once a month with staff where they can put across any complaints or ideas. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 28 of 32 Evidence: We saw that quality assurance questionnaires are used on a regular basis to seek peoples views on the service. A new format for this has been recently introduced that provides a greater level of detail. There is also the opportunity for people to give feedback via a questionnaire about their experience of admission to the home. Surveys sampled all showed very positive feedback. We saw that following on from surveys undertaken, a business and development plan is produced. The AQAA completed by the manager was well completed. It provided a reasonable level of detail and showed recognition of where improvements could still be made. No major health and safety issues were noted during the visit. Minor issues, such as unsecured toilet seats, were addressed immediately by the provider. The expert by experience said that staff worked safely, and gave an example of a member of staff being very careful to continuously check the temperature of a hair drier when drying a resident’s hair. Management at the home stay alert to any potential risks, and we saw that a detailed health and safety audit is undertaken every six months. Staff training records and discussion showed that staff are trained in health and safety issues, and have regular updates to ensure that their practise remains safe. Staff are kept updated in all core areas such as moving and handling and first aid. Records viewed showed that people are kept safe through good fire prevention procedures being in place, and regular fire drills being undertaken. A recent visit from the fire service found that very good standards were maintained. A recent visit from an environmental health officer found that good standards of hygiene and practise are maintained in the kitchen area. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 29 of 32 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? Yes  No  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 30 of 32 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 Description 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 Description 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 31 of 32 Helpline: Telephone: 0845 015 0120 or 0191 233 3323 Textphone : 0845 015 2255 or 0191 233 3588 Email: enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk Web:www.csci.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 © (2008) 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 32 of 32 - 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!