Please wait

Please note that the information on this website is now out of date. It is planned that we will update and relaunch, but for now is of historical interest only and we suggest you visit cqc.org.uk

Inspection on 02/07/09 for Dene Park House

Also see our care home review for Dene Park House for more information

This inspection was carried out on 2nd July 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 Good.

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: Dene Park House 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 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?   Yes 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: Elaine Malloy Date of this annual service review: 0 2 0 7 2 0 0 9 Annual Service Review Page 1 of 7 Information about the service Address of service: Killingworth Road Newcastle Upon Tyne NE3 1SY 01912132722 01912132733 deneparkhouse@schealthcare.co.uk www.southerncrosshealthcare.co.uk Southern Cross BC OpCo Ltd Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address:   Name of registered provider(s): Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : old age, not falling within any other category Conditions of registration: Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 0 51 The maximum number of service users who can be accommodated is: 51 The registered person may provide the following category of service only: Care Home with Nursing - Code N To service users of the following gender: Either Whose primary care needs on admission to the Home are within the following categories: Old Age, not falling within any other category, Code OP - maximum number of places 51 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: The Registered Manager left the home in October 2008. Date of last key inspection: Date of last annual service review (if applicable): Brief description of the service Dene Park House is a three storey, purpose built facility situated in South Gosforth a residential area of Newcastle. The home is well served by public transport. The home has a car park to the front from which there is level access to the main entrance. There are grassed sitting areas, which are accessible to, and for the use of, people who use the services and visitors. The home is registered to provide care to 51 persons in the category of old age Annual Service Review Page 2 of 7 requiring personal or nursing care. The home charges fees of between £447.50 and £508 per week depending upon the needs and requirements of the individual people who use the services. As the home provides nursing care the free nursing care element of the funding is provided in addition to the costs charged to the people who use the service. The home provides information about the service through the service user guide, which is available through the home. Annual Service Review Page 3 of 7 Service update since the last key inspection or annual service review: What did we do for this annual service review? 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). 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. Surveys returned to us by people using the service and from other people with an interest in 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 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. What has this told us about the service? The home did not send us their annual quality assurance assessment (AQAA) on time. We contacted the person managing the home on a number of occasions to ask for the AQAA to be completed. We then sent a reminder letter to the care provider, and at the time of this review we are waiting for the AQAA to be returned. The Registered Manager left the home in October 2008. Another manager was appointed but she has since left and temporary management arrangements are in place. We received surveys from four people living at the home. A relative helped one person to fill in the survey. People gave us mixed views and comments about the service. They said they always or usually receive the care and support they need, including medical care. Two people said staff are always available when they need them, and two said they sometimes are. One person when asked about what the home does well said, Look after residents very well. They come in to check up on them and are always kind and caring. People told us staff always or usually act on what they say. One person said a number of staff have left and some staff have taken advantage of there not being a manager, and commented, The home was quickly looking unprofessional, sloppy is perhaps the only word, and this was also noticed by visitors. This person also feels staff are unhappy about having their working hours rearranged, possibly resulting in reduced Annual Service Review Page 4 of 7 pay, and staff no longer being able to take meals at the home. Three people said there are always activities arranged that they can take part in, and one person said there sometimes are. Lots of comments were made about the food provided at the home. One person said the food was always excellent but this has deteriorated since changes to catering staff and budgets. They said, There are times when the food is still good, but also times when is not only poor and unimaginative but also quite inedible. Another person said the menus are different to what is actually provided. They commented that there are always casseroles on the menu and described them as, Like sloppy gravy, you are likely to get two pieces of meat in it. Disgusting. Other comments included the meat being too tough to cut or chew, and restrictions on breakfast cereals and how many biscuits people can have. Some people said they should get better meals for the fees they pay to live at the home. People told us the home is always or usually fresh and clean. One person said there have been staff shortages and at times only one or two cleaning staff are on duty. They also said they have been waiting for months to have the ventilation in their en suite facility repaired. Three people said they know how to make a complaint, and one said they do not know. One person also commented that they would previously have recommended the home to others but now would not do so. We received two surveys from staff working at the home. Both told us their employer carried out checks such as taking up references and a Criminal Records Bureau check before they started work. They said their induction covered everything they needed to know to do the job. Both also said their manager gives them enough support and meets with them regularly or often to discuss how they are working. They told us they are given up to date information about the needs of the people they support. One staff member said the ways staff share information about the people living at the home always works well, and the other said they sometimes do. Both staff said they know what to do if someone has concerns about the home. The two staff gave mixed responses to other questions. One said they feel they have the right support, experience and knowledge to meet the different needs of the people living at the home and the other said they sometimes have. One said there is always enough staff to meet individual needs and the other said there sometimes are. One staff member said they receive training relevant to their role, and that helps them understand and meet individuals needs, keeps them up to date with new ways of working and gives them enough knowledge about health care and medication. The other did not answer the question on training. Comments on what staff feel the service does well were, A nice, pleasant home, happy, friendly atmosphere and everybody mixes well, and, Makes people welcome, provides good service, good meals. Suggestions on what the home could do better were, More activities, and, Make sure we have plenty staff at all times. Annual Service Review Page 5 of 7 We have concerns about how the home is being managed and how this is affecting outcomes for people living at Dene Park House. What are we going to do as a result of this annual service review? We will do a random inspection to look at the issues raised in this review. This inspection could mean that we will bring our next key inspection forward. Annual Service Review Page 6 of 7 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 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!