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Inspection on 15/09/09 for Applemead

Also see our care home review for Applemead for more information

This inspection was carried out on 15th September 2009.

It is an annual review prepared by CQC after examining previous reports and information from the provider. At the time of this report, CQC judged the service to be Excellent.

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.

Annual service review Name of Service: Applemead The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: 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 review of the service. We call this review a ‘key’ inspection We do an annual service review when there has been no key inspection of the service in the last 12 months. It does not involve a visit to the service but is a summary of new information given to us, or collected by us, since the last key inspection or annual service review.   Has this annual service review changed our opinion of the service?   No You should read the last key inspection report for this service to get a full picture of how well outcomes for the people using the service are being met. The date by which we will do a key inspection: Name of inspector: Michelle Oliver Date of this annual service review: 1 4 0 8 2 0 0 9 Annual Service Review Page 1 of 6 Information about the service Address of service: Station Road Whimple Exeter Devon EX5 2QH 01404823332 01404823382 applemead@sense.org.uk www.sense.org.uk Sense, The National Deafblind and Rubella Association Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address:   Name of registered provider(s): Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : learning disability physical disability sensory impairment Conditions of registration: Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 6 6 6 0 0 0 The maximum number of service users who can be accommodated is 6. The registered person may provide the following category of service only: Care home providing personal care only- Code PC to service users of either gender whose primary care needs on admission to the home are within the following categories: Sensory impairment- Code SI Learning disability- Code LD Physical disability- Code PD Have there been any changes in the ownership, management or the Yes service’s registration details in the last 12 months? If yes, what have they been: Date of last key inspection: Date of last annual service review (if applicable): Brief description of the service Applemead provides support and personal care to people with a learning disability and sensory impairments. The property is a six bed roomed detached house located in the village of Whimple. The home is a few minutes walk away from the village and is less Annual Service Review Page 2 of 6 Notification of change of RI in August 2009. than 2 minutes away from the railway station. It is approximately 9 miles from the city of Exeter. Bedrooms are situated on the first floor of the house along with two bathrooms and integral toilets. The downstairs comprises of an office, kitchen, lounge , dining area, conservatory, a quiet soft padded snoozelem room, a shower room with toilet and laundry room. There is a sensory garden to the rear of the property. Some adaptations have been made to meet the needs of each deaf . blind person. The home is operated by the organisation SENSE, who specialise in sensory impairments. At the time of this inspection the fees ranged from #77,441 to #134,034 per annum. The home provides a copy of all inspection reports to the next of kin of each service user. A copy of each report is available in the home for anyone who wishes to read it (this is explained in the homes Statement of Purpose). Annual Service Review Page 3 of 6 Service update since the last key inspection or annual service review: What did we do for this annual service review? We looked at all of the information we have received, or asked for, since the last key inspection of the home. This included: 1. 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. 2. Information we have about how the service has managed any complaints. 3. What the service has told us about things that have happened in the home. These are called notifications and are a legal requirement. 4. The previous key inspection. 7. Relevant information from other organisations. 8 What other people have told us about the service. What has this told us about the service? The home sent us their annual quality assurance assessment (AQAA) when we asked for it, which gave a wide range of information to help us make a judgement about the service. The AQAA showed that they have good systems in place to help them understand where there may be problems and where things can be improved. We have decided that the home is still providing an excellent service. The people living in the home have limited communication skills and would not be able to complete a survey form without considerable help.The service plans to continue with their exploration of methods of communication. The people living at Applemead have severe or profound learning difficulties and choose not to or are unable to communicate using speech, BSL, other signs, adapted signs, objects of reference, pictures and touch so this is an area that is constantly under review. The home told us the manager and staff have been sourcing alternative activities during the previous twelve months. This includes using a new activities centre which provides a specialist music session, a sensory group and a drama group.We were told that people living at Applemead enjoy Ice skating at Plymouth Pavillions. The rink provides one session a month for people who use a wheelchair.Other activities they take part in include weekly music session, weekly sensory exploration session and weekly drama session. A wider variety of in house activities has been offered. This includes DVD sessions, the purchasing of an ipod and head phones from the fundraising money, tea mornings and bodyshop parties. The manager plans to Widen the traveling distance for concerts and showsand people are now offered these in Bristol as well as Torquay and Exeter. The Bristol Science museum is popular with the people living at Applemead. The service plans to support people living at Applemead to attend more appropriate holidays and to monitoring the equitable use of vehicles. The rota is continually under review by the manager and in consultation with the staff team to ensure the best possible use of staff hours with DeafBlind people.The senior support staff now undertake practice and video supervisions and attended a video Annual Service Review Page 4 of 6 analysis training session in June 2009.The senior support staff now take a closer role in overseeing shifts. Two senior support staff have attended an advanced medication training session with Boots, an NVQ assessor has been appointed by Sense West and is supporting four staff at Applemead through their NVQ, the manager has attended a four day Leadership Development Course and a team building day has been planned for September 2009. Applemead is continuing to make progress in sourcing suitable land or property to develop into a supported living environment, which will enable greater choice and control to be offered to Individuals. People living at Applmead are supported to have access to a range of health care professionals for advice and treatment. Sense carry out their own annual audit of each service they operate. In this way we can see that the home is regularly checking on the quality of the service it offers and ensuring they are continually making improvements where necessary. The service has kept us informed about any complaints or incidents that have occurred and the actions they have taken. We have been able to see that they have taken appropriate action, and have sought advice or action from other professionals appropriately. What are we going to do as a result of this annual service review? We are not going to change our inspection plan, and will do a key inspection in 6th July 2010. Annual Service Review Page 5 of 6 Reader Information Document Purpose: Author: Audience: Further copies from: Annual service review CQC General Public 0870 240 7535 (national contact centre) Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. The content of which can be found on our website. 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 copy of the findings in a different format or language please contact our helpline or go to our website. Copyright © (2009) Care Quality Commission (CQC). 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 CQC copyright, with the title and date of publication of the document specified. Annual Service Review Page 6 of 6 - 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!