Inspecting for better lives Random inspection report
Care homes for older people
Name: Address: Lavender House Care Home St Andrews Villas 68 Audley Road Alsager Stoke on Trent Staffordshire ST7 2QN 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: Elaine Bray Date: 2 9 0 9 2 0 0 8 Information about the care home
Name of care home: Address: Lavender House Care Home St Andrews Villas 68 Audley Road Alsager Stoke on Trent Staffordshire ST7 2QN 01270874696 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: t_lucking@yahoo.co.uk Name of registered provider(s): Name of registered manager (if applicable) Mrs Catherine Lucking Type of registration: Number of places registered: Mrs Catherine Lucking care home 20 Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 dementia old age, not falling within any other category 0 0 Over 65 20 20 Conditions of registration: This home is registered for a maximum of 20 service users to include: * Up to 20 service users in the category of OP (old age not falling within any other category) * Up to 20 service users in the category of DE(E) (dementia, over the age of 65) Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home Lavender House is a converted three storey Victorian house set in its own grounds on the outskirts of Alsager, approximately half a mile from the main shopping area. The home is maintained in good order throughout and has good quality domestic style Care Homes for Older People
Page 2 of 7 furnishings. Rooms that are used by the people who live in the home are on the ground and first floors only. Access to the first floor is via a passenger lift or stairs. There are eleven single and four double bedrooms. Two of the single and one of the double bedrooms have en-suite facilities, and all remaining bedrooms are fitted with wash hand basins. There are two lounges, a separate dining room, three bathrooms, and seven toilets. Fess range from 390 pounds to 435 pounds per week. The manager will give further information on fees and other costs. Care Homes for Older People Page 3 of 7 What we found:
This inspection was part of a random programme of inspections to see if medicines were being handled safely. The visit took about two hours and involved looking at residents medicines and medicine records and speaking with staff who manage the medicines, We found that residents health and wellbeing is protected by the home managing its medicines well. We looked at how medicines were stored and found them secure in a locked cupboard, trolley and fridge. This makes sure that unauthorised people cannot have access to residents medicines and medicines are stored at the correct temperature to keep them fit to use. There are new laws about the kind of cupboard that is needed to store controlled drugs (those liable to misuse) correctly. The container in use is no longer suitable. It was agreed that a new cupboard would be obtained so that the medicines are stored correctly so that these medicines have the required security to keep them safe from misuse. We looked at how medicines were handled and recorded and found that in many cases this was done correctly. Some medicines were prescribed so that staff had the discretion to vary the dose (like painkillers). Whilst staff signed for giving doses a few, did not show the actual dose given. It is important to always record this because it shows staff when it is safe to give another dose. Staff were worried about how to manage blister packs where each blister contains mixed tablets. The pack had labels but it was not easy to identify what the tablets were so they had not recorded the receipt of individual medicines. It was agreed that it was safe to trust the labels when the container has been supplied from a pharmacy. The pharmacy should be contacted for advice if staff were concerned. 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 Older People 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 Older People 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 Older People 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 Older People 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 Older People 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!
