Inspection on 19/01/09 for Lavenders (The)

This inspection was carried out on 19th January 2009.

CSCI found this care home to be providing an Good 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

Lavenders (The) 22/02/07

Lavenders (The) 06/12/05

Similar services:

Ashlong House

Norbury Crescent (30)

Edenvale

Wadham Avenue

Chatsworth Care - Dawson House

Cowden Road, 52 - 54

Chatsworth Care - Tudor Lodge

Foxley Lane (121a)

Extracts from inspection reports are licensed from CQC, this page was updated on 08/06/2011.

Inspecting for better lives Key inspection report Care homes for adults (18-65 years) Name: Address: Lavenders (The) 145a and b Friern Park Finchley London N12 9LR two star good service The quality rating for this care home is: 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: Teferi Degeneh Date: 1 9 0 1 2 0 0 9 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 Audience Further copies from Copyright Inspection report CSCI General public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Copyright © (2009) 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. Internet address www.csci.org.uk Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: Lavenders (The) 145a and b Friern Park Finchley London N12 9LR 02084459978 02084459974 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): CareTech Community Services (No.2) Ltd Name of registered manager (if applicable) Claudette May Russell Type of registration: Number of places registered: Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 8 8 0 0 care home 8 learning disability physical disability Additional conditions: The Registered Person may provide the following category 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 Physical Disability - Code PD The maximum number of service users who can be accommodated is: 8 Date of last inspection 2 2 0 2 2 0 0 7 A bit about the care home The Lavenders is a care home for eight adults who have learning and physical disabilities. There is an adjacent building which accommodates one person in self contained accommodation. This had been initially intended for two people. The home is owned and managed by CareTech Community Services Ltd. The home which is located in a quiet residential street in North Finchley, is set back from the main road, and is within walking distance of shops and other amenities. The residents who live in the bungalow are also assisted by staff in the main building. The stated aim of the home is to work in partnership with the service users, their carers, purchasers and any other relevant agencies providing an individual support plan for each user of the service, with users being encouraged to attain their full potential determined by individual need. The current fees charged for living at The Lavenders ranges from £875.49 to £1762.45 per week. Inspection reports produced by the Commission of Social Care Inspection (CSCI) are available upon request from the registered manager/provider. 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: two star good 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 How we did our inspection: This is what the inspector did when they were at the care home This was a surprise inspection, which means that the home had not been informed of the visit. Two members of the staff and the manager were present during the inspection. Another member of staff was also present in the morning. An area manager was briefly at the home in the morning. Three residents, who were present, were observed and spoken to. We also observed and spoke to three care workers. Two relatives of the residents, who were visiting the home, also shared their views about the home with us. Both relatives are satisfied with the care and facilities provided at the home. The home had completed and sent us a self assessment document, also known as an annual quality assurance assessment (AQAA). This document tells us how the home meets the needs of the people and the actions it takes to improve the service. We looked at this document as part of the inspection. We also examined the residents files, health and safety records, and other documents such as the menu, staff rota, policies, procedures and the staff files. The communal areas and the bedrooms were also seen during a guided tour of the premises. We also asked the manager a range of issues including how she intends to improve the quality of the service further and how to make sure that equality and diversity is always part of the service. We are satisfied with the inspection and are confident with the manager that the service will continue to improve. What the care home does well What has got better from the last inspection The statement of purpose has been updated with the details of the staff, management and the aims and objectives of the service. The manager has introduced a system for record keeping and monitoring the residents personal allowances. 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 please contact Teferi Degeneh Caledonia House (4th Floor) 223 Pentonville Road London N1 9NG 020 7239 0330 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 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 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 . The pre-admission process of the home is good. This makes new residents confident that their admission to the home is based on the outcome of their assessment and the ability of the home to meet their needs. Evidence: A written information (the annual quality assurance assessment or AQAA) we received from the manager confirms that the company that owns this home has an established assessment and placement process to ensure that the needs of the people are met. The manager told us that new residents are visited and assessed either by her or by a senior member of staff before they are admitted. She said that the home also asks social workers to complete assessments for new residents as part of the referral system. There was evidence of completed assessments in the four residents files we checked. The statement of purpose has been updated as required at the last inspection. It now has the details of the manager, services, facilities and the aims and objectives of the home. The manager has also given each resident a contract of term and conditions of service which has been signed and dated. 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 . The residents have benefited from the homes good care plan and risk assessment systems. Evidence: All the residents files, which were checked, contained up-to-date care plans. The care plans are detailed and there is evidence that the residents and their families were involved. Two relatives said they have attended the residents yearly reviews. The home has also developed a person centred care plan. This plan has details of the residents lives, wishes and how they would like to be treated. It also contains different pictures to make it easier to understand and to look at. The manager said the key workers (the staff who have a main responsibility for certain residents) sit with the residents and explain to them about their care plans. She also said she has offered the residents to keep a copy of their plans in their bedrooms. From the residents files and discussions with the manager and relatives it was clear that the home does not manage residents money. However, the home helps some residents to withdraw and do shopping when there is a need. A relative spoken to said they look after a residents finances. Risk assessments have been completed for the people who use the service. The risk assessments are detailed with information such as possible risks to the individual and others and how to manage the risks. From the accident and incident records it was noticed that there have been 24 incidents over the past twelve months. These incidents have been well managed and none of them was serious to result in the residents being admitted to a hospital. Only one incident (choking) was thought to put Evidence: a residents wellbeing at risk. This was managed well with the homes practice of having a care worker with a first-aid training on shift. In addition to this the staff have received training in choking management. 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 . There are a range of good activities for the residents to participate and engage in. The food provided at the home is good and meets the residents dietary, cultural and religious needs. Evidence: Financial records of a resident were checked. These were in order. Personal allowances were also counted and found to be in order. The manager said all the residents have a day activity. This means they all go to a day centre five days a week. The residents are also visited by their family. Two relatives were visiting during the inspection. They were spoken to and said they are very happy with the care provided. They said they can come at any time and they always feel welcomed by the staff and the manager. The residents have a range of activities at the home which were outlined on the activities board. During the weekends the residents go to cinemas, bowling, shops, restaurants and trips. The home has a vehicle and a driver. It was clear from discussions with the relatives and the residents files that some residents spend some weekends at their families homes. When asked about the staff, the residents said they are happy. Three care staff were also observed and spoken to. All of them were seen talking to and treating the residents with respect and dignity. They said that they will always make sure that the residents have a choice, privacy and dignity. A member of staff was observed knocking on the bedroom doors and bathrooms before opening them. Evidence: The home has a rotating menu, which the manager said was developed with consultation with the residents. Food preferences of the residents were recorded in their files and menus. From the residents files and the menu it was evident that the home takes care of the residents cultural, religious and dietary needs. The home also works with a dietician who visits the home and advises on healthy eating. From conversation with the manager and the residents files it was clear that the residents weight is regularly monitored. 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 . The health care needs of the residents are met by the homes good relationship with health care professionals and good medication administration system. Evidence: The AQAA says that each resident has a health action plan and the staff have training to support them. The residents files contain written evidence to confirm that the residents have had health care appointments which they have attended. The manager said that the residents have regular eye and dental tests. They also regularly see a chiropodist as needed. As mentioned above a dietician visits the home and the residents weights are monitored. Each resident has their own general practitioner. The staff spoken to said they always make sure that the residents have a choice, privacy and dignity. The staff were also observed treating the residents with respect. Both relatives spoken to confirmed that the residents can choose what to cloths wear, when to go to bed and when to get up. Medication is kept in locked cabinets in a room. The medication administration record sheets and the medicines were checked and found to be in order. Medication is administered by staff who have medication training. Medicines are delivered to the home in blister packs from the Boots Pharmacy. The home has also a medication policy. The manager checks the medicines and sends the reports regularly to the head office of the company that owns this home. 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 . There are good complaints and safeguarding systems. These have enabled the residents and their families concerns to be listened to and addressed without taking time. The people who use the service feel safe and protected by the homes safeguarding systems and practices. Evidence: A copy of the homes complaints policy was seen in the residents files which were checked. The homes complaints policy was also displayed in the home. Two relatives we spoke to said they know how to complain if they have a concern. They said that their concerns are dealt with by the manager without a delay. They also commented that the manager is approachable and they can talk to all staff. The complaints record book showed that there have been four complaints recorded since the last inspection. The manager said all these complaints have been investigated and addressed. The home has a safeguarding policy and has received a copy of the local authoritys adult protection policy and procedures. The manager confirmed that all the staff have attended safeguarding training. The three members of staff spoken to were able to explain what safeguarding means and how they can safeguard the residents by collecting evidence and by reporting to the appropriate authorities any safeguarding issues. As mentioned above, the home has appropriate record keeping system for the residents finances. The manager said the home has recently decided to pay for the residents when they occasionally choose to have lunch out. This has addressed the financial issues raised at the last inspection. 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 . The residents have benefited from good and safe facilities that are available to them at this home. Evidence: Each resident has a single bedroom with facilities that meet their needs. The residents have personal items such as television and music systems in their bedrooms. All parts of the rooms were clean, fresh and bright on the day of the inspection. The relatives spoken to said they always find the home spotless. The manager said the people who use the service are encouraged to help with the cleaning and tidying of the home. The communal areas include a sitting room and a kitchen both of which are accessible to the residents. A relative spoken to said they are particularly pleased with the fact that the residents who use wheelchairs have access to the kitchen to eat their meals together with the others. The residents spoken to also said they like the home. 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 . The people who use the service feel confident that they are supported by trained and experienced staff team who are employed through the homes robust recruitment procedure. Evidence: We spoke to and observed three members of staff. All of them said they have worked at the home for a number of years and that they had a previous experience of caring for people. The staff were seen talking to and supporting the residents with respect and dignity. They gave us satisfactory explanation of their knowledge and skill of meeting the individual needs of the residents. The two relatives we spoke to said they are happy with the way the staff treat the residents. They also said they always feel welcomed by the staff. Two residents confirmed that they like the staff and they are happy at the home. The rota showed that there are three members of staff on duty during early and late shifts. The night shift is covered by two waking night staff. The manager said there is at least one member of staff on duty with a first aid qualification. From discussions with the staff and training records it was evident that the staff have attended a number of training programmes including health and safety, fire safety, manual handling, medication, epilepsy, safeguarding and basic food hygiene. Fourteen staff members have achieved a national vocational qualification (NVQ), level 2, in care, and two members of staff have embarked on training to gain a similar qualification. The home has a recruitment policy and procedure and all job vacancies are advertised. The manager said the human resource (HR) unit of the company ensures that all the necessary satisfactory documents such as two written references and criminal record bureau (CRB) checks are received before new staff start work at the home. The manager confirmed that all the staff have a satisfactory current CRB certificates copies of which are kept in the staff files at the head office. 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 good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service . The management of the home is good. The people who use the service feel safe and well cared for by the presence of a committed manager who is always ready to identify and address issues and improve the service. The residents will benefit more when a formal quality assurance system, which allows them to give feedback, is implemented. Evidence: The registered manager has worked at the home as a senior care worker before being employed as a manager. The manager said that she has a diploma in health and social care, and that she has completed NVQ level 4 in care management combined with the registered managers award (RMA). The manager also confirmed that she attends training programmes to refresh and update her knowledge and skills. From records and conversations with the manager it was clear that she is supported by the area manager and other managers of the company. She also attends regular meetings with managers of the other homes owned by the company. The area manager of the company was briefly at the home during the early part of this inspection. The staff and the relatives spoke positively about the manager. They said that she is quite open and supportive whenever they needed to see her. A relative said that the manager is approachable and she deals with issues without taking time. The manager said there is a monthly auditing system which she completes and sends to the head office on a monthly basis. She said she also organises monthly residents and family meetings as part of the homes quality assurance. Each resident has a key worker who talks to them regarding their care plan and any ongoing needs. The manager said the home has prepared a questionnaire for the relatives to ask them their views of the quality of the service. This questionnaire was not available for inspection. However, it was discussed that the manager needs to develop relevant Evidence: questionnaires for the residents and professionals to seek their views of the quality of the service. It was also mentioned that the manager writes up the summary of the feedback obtained through the questionnaires and the actions to be taken to improve the service. As earlier mentioned there have been 24 recorded incidents and accidents over the last twelve months. These incidents and accidents have been managed well by the home. One of the incidents involved choking, which was dealt with by a member of staff with a first aid training. It was confirmed by the manager that at least one of the staff on shift has a current first aid qualification. The staff have also attended different training programmes such as manual handling, fire safety, medication administration. The residents are supported to have a balanced diet. From discussions with the manager it was evident that a dietician comes to the home to advise the home on health eating. The fire logbook was checked and found to be up-to-date with records of fire drills, fire extinguisher checks, fire alarm tests. A certificate showed that the gas boilers were checked on the 5th January 2009. It was clear from the AQAA that all the facilities of the home have been tested or serviced. 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 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 1 39 24 The residents, their relatives 30/06/2009 and professionals must be consulted about the quality of the service and facilities. The summary of the consultation must be written and copies available to all those who are involved. This will allow the residents, relatives and professionals to influence the quality of the service and facilities by giving their feedback. 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 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 © (2009) 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. 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