Inspecting for better lives Random inspection report
Care homes for adults (18-65 years)
Name: Address: Dean House 267 Wellingborough Road Rushden Northants NN10 9XN The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: two star good 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. 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: Ann Wiseman Date: 2 4 1 1 2 0 0 8 Information about the care home
Name of care home: Address: Dean House 267 Wellingborough Road Rushden Northants NN10 9XN 01933350225 01536726496 deanhouse@communitycaresolutions.com Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Type of registration: Number of places registered: Community Care Solutions Limited care home 9 Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 learning disability 9 Over 65 0 Conditions of registration: Dean House care home is registered to provide personal care to male and female service users who fall within the following categories: Learning disability (LD) 9 The maximum number of persons to be accommodated at Dean House is 9. Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home Dean House is operated by Community Care Solutions Ltd and is registered to provide accommodation for a maximum of nine adults with learning disabilities. However, they have changed the two double rooms into singles so only seven people live there at the moment. The premises are located in a Victorian terrace house within easy walking distance of the small towns shopping centre and local leisure facilities. People living there share a communal living area, dining room, kitchen, two bathrooms and one shower room facility. Laundry services are provided in-house. The current range of fees is from £542.75 to £1527.35 a week. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 2 of 11 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 3 of 11 What we found:
We carried out this random inspection because we were contacted by a relative of one of the people living in the home who raised concerns about how cold their bedroom was. They told us that they have raised this issue with the home on numerous occasions in the past but felt that nothing has been done about it. While visiting during a recent very cold snap they were horrified to find windows open in the bedroom and inadequate heating, so the room was freezing cold. They said that their relative has poor circulation so needs his room to be kept at a reasonable temperature. They also raised concerns about the windows being left open and that they hadnt been able to close them properly. They felt that the quality of the furniture in the bedroom was poor and that some of it was broken. They were also cross that curtains were left with the hem hanging down for a long time and that the windows were black with mould. We decided that the quickest way to assess the situation was to visit the home and we decided to do this random inspection. The home was not notified in advance of the inspection and we arrived at 12.05pm and stayed for nearly three hours. The acting manager was on duty and accompanied us while we looked around the home and was able to answer our questions and produce any documentation we asked for. We limited our inspection to the areas of concern raised by the persons relative on this occasion and looked at all the bedrooms, judging the temperature of the rooms and checking the cleanliness and condition of the furniture, fixtures and fittings. Overall we found that the person who had concerns about their relatives bedroom had good reason to complain. However we also feel that the home have acknowledged the problems and are taking steps to put things right, it is regretful that this did not happen until after the complaint was made as the difficulties in heating that area of the home are obvious and longstanding and should have been dealt with sooner. There were no requirements made at the last inspection, we have made several on this occasion. What the care home does well:
Apart from the four bedrooms downstairs, the home was well heated and the atmosphere was warm, homely and welcoming. The furniture in the communal areas is strong, comfortable and contemporary in design. The home is clean throughout and pleasant smelling in all areas apart from one room. Since the complaint at the weekend steps had been taken to heat the two bedrooms involved with the use of fan heaters. We saw a risk assessment on using portable heating equipment that had been carried out. It needed to be more detailed and the acting manager agreed to make amendments to the assessment and to put further safeguards in place to make sure the use of the heaters will not put anyone in danger of being harmed either by the heat generated from the heater or from the risk of fire if it is misused or if something was placed too close to it accidentally. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 4 of 11 The curtain complained about in one of the rooms had been repaired and the mould around the window caused by condensation had been removed and the windows had been cleaned. The acting manager showed us how the windows closed and explained how they may appear to be broken; the catch can sometimes turn upside down and when it does it is not always obvious what is wrong. Once the windows are closed there are no draughts but because they are metal framed and single glazed they do not insulate the rooms very well. What they could do better:
When we looked in the two bedrooms that have been reported to us as being very cold they had blow heaters on so felt warm and would be comfortable to sit in, but when we went into the third bedroom in that area of the home there was no extra heating and it felt cold despite the storage heater feeling hot to the touch. Like the other two rooms the windows were of an old style with metal frames and single glazed windows, the curtains are not lined and so would not help to keep the heat in the room at night. The other two rooms are vacant now but this room still has an occupant. Means must be provided to heat this room safely and to keep the occupant warm until a permanent fix can be found. To help monitor that the room is kept reasonably warm the temperature must be taken twice a day and records kept so that they can be seen at the next key inspection. The recordings must be taken during the morning and when he person goes to bed. Arrangements must be in place so that quick action can be taken to adjust the temperature if it falls below a comfortable level or gets too hot. Although the window frames had been washed recently, they were still marked and stained so it was obvious that they did have a mould growth on them at some time. Consideration must be given to replacing the windows in the back part of the home with double glazing units, this will cut down heat loss to the room and improve the appearance of the windows, it will also cut down the condensation that is probably causing the black mould to grow on the window frames. While looking around the building we noticed that the downstairs room at the front of the house felt cold and when we checked the radiator it was not working and there was a brisk draught coming in from under the window frame. The manager has undertaken to make sure the radiator is turned on and working properly and is going to ask the maintenance person to investigate where the draught is coming from and to stop it. Steps must be taken to supply a safe and dependable heating supply so that people can enjoy a constant and comfortable temperature throughout the home at all times. This must be done before the home admits anybody new. We also noticed that some of the bedrooms had furniture that was broken, some of the draw fronts had fallen off and some draws had collapsed altogether, one wardrobe didnt have any doors. The acting manager told us that some of the people living in the home were not always careful in the way they treated furniture and could be heavy handed, which causes the furniture to break. This is not a situation unique to this home and can be easily avoided by obtaining furniture that is designed to tolerate heavy handling. There are many companies that supply this type of furniture to the care industry. Most of the bedroom furniture at this home is old and not strong in its Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 5 of 11 construction and needs replacing, it should be replaced in the near future with stronger alternatives. Not all of the rooms had the required furniture. Some missed chairs, some bedside cabinets and others bedside lamps, if people chose not to have the minimum required furniture in their room it should be recorded in their care plan. The curtains in several of the rooms were missing hooks and looked untidy, the acting manager said that she will make sure that all the curtains in the home are properly hung and will look for stronger alternatives so that the curtains will not fall down as often. Radiators heat most of the house, when we checked they were very hot. But only one radiator we saw had a cover. It is important that people are protected from any source of heat that may cause an injury if they were to fall and spend any length of time leaning against them. The acting manager explained that they are working towards supplying covers for all the radiators. We will expect to see most, if not all of them covered when we carry out our nest inspection. One of the bedrooms downstairs at the back of the house smelt very strongly of urine. The occupant has continence problems and is reluctant to use pads. This causes ongoing difficulties in keeping the room smelling fresh. The staff leave the windows open to freshen the room but this makes the room cold. We discussed the possibility of removing the carpet altogether in that room so that the floor can be kept clean easier. The acting manager has undertaken to change the carpet. 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 6 of 11 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 7 of 11 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 1 24 23 Steps must be taken to eradicate the smell of urine in one of the bedrooms, if necessary the carpet should be replaced with a new one or with a non slip floor that can be easily washed. Apart from being unpleasant, if a room continues to smell of urine despite carpets being washed, it indicates that they are not properly clean and that a health risk is still present in the room. 27/01/2009 2 24 23 The metal window frames in 27/03/2009 the bedrooms at the back of the house should be replaced with new double glazed units. This will help the rooms to stay warmer and will help to stop condensation forming on the windows and therefore stop mould growing on the windows and frames. 3 24 23 Steps must be taken to 27/03/2009 supply a safe and dependable heating supply to Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 8 of 11 all areas of the home. This is so that people can enjoy a constant and comfortable temperature throughout the home at all times. This must be done before the home admits any more people to live there. 4 24 23 The temperature in the 27/12/2008 occupied bedroom at the back of the house must be taken twice a day and recorded so that they can be inspected at the next inspection. By carrying out checks staff will be able to monitor the temperature and take steps to adjust it if it becomes too hot or too cold in the room. 5 24 23 Extra heating must be 27/12/2008 provided in the third room at the back of the house on a temporary basis so that an acceptable and constant temperature is reached and maintained at all times. This is so that the occupant of this room is kept comfortable while in bed and is able to use the room at any time of the day they want to. 6 26 23 The national minimum 27/03/2009 standards state the minimum levels of furniture and fittings that should be provided for people. This must be supplied and offered for all of the bedrooms. People can opt out of having all the suggested furniture in their room, but if they do the reasons why must be Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 9 of 11 recorded in their file. 7 26 23 The furniture in the bedrooms is old and of poor quality. Some items are broken and must be replaced. Not replacing broken furniture doesnt demonstrate that the service values the people they care for, having it in a room fails to promote a feeling of pride nor does it encourage people to take care or look to after their rooms. Care homes are required to supply sufficient furniture of good quality and to keep it maintained and in working order. 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 27/03/2009 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 10 of 11 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: 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 11 of 11 - 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!
