Random inspection report
Care homes for adults (18-65 years)
Name: Address: Mews, The 336 Cowpen Road Blyth Northumberland NE24 5ND two star good service 12/01/2009 The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: 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. This is a report of a random inspection of this care home. A random inspection is a short, focussed review of the service. 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: Karena Reed Date: 1 6 1 2 2 0 0 9 Information about the care home
Name of care home: Address: Mews, The 336 Cowpen Road Blyth Northumberland NE24 5ND 01670353103 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: www.voyagecare.com Name of registered provider(s): Name of registered manager (if applicable) Ms Joanne Elizabeth Thompson Type of registration: Number of places registered: Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Milbury Care Services Ltd care home 4 Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 0 learning disability Conditions of registration: Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home 4 1 2 0 1 2 0 0 9 The Mews is a purpose built home . This means that it is accessible to wheelchair users. All rooms are on the ground floor. Four people live at the home at the moment. There is a bus stop near the home.The home also has its own transport.This means that people who live at the home can get around easily. There are some shops and pubs close by the home.This means that people who live at the home can go shopping or for a drink. Everybody who lives at the home has their own bedroom. Nobody has to share a room. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 2 of 9 What we found:
A new manager was employed to manage the home in September 2008, this is the fifth appointed since the home opened approximately 5 and a half years ago. As a result of comments made by staff and sent to the companys head office the manager has been suspended whilst an investigation is carried out. This has been taking place since October 2009 and is due to finish in January 2010. A manager from another service covers the home on a part time bais. Staff also receive advice and support from the operational manager of the service. It is of concern that whistle blowing by staff was triggered by an outside trigger i.e the surveys that CQC requested as part of the review process of the homes performance since the last inspection. The monitoring of the home by the organization did not pick up the concerns of staff. Comments from staff received before the inspection stated: I will be leaving to go to a new post hopefully soon.4 others have already left. 3 have left because of the low morale among staff, and poor atmosphere in the home. There could be better communication from the manager. The manager has not only got staff morale low but also service users. I believe the manager is putting service users safety at risk by letting them use public transport when they are not securely fastened in their wheel chairs. Staff also feel the manager is not doing correct risk assessments for public transport. The manager who I work with is really helpful and very understanding and she gives all the support that anyone would need. I will be leaving in October as I am feel very unhappy in the environment Im working in. I was very happy working at the Mews until the last manager left. In my opinion I feel I have given the new manager time to settle in but find that there is no support and its case of if your face doesnt fit. She tends to favour 2 members of staff and rotas are usually arranged around them and her and their social lives.I feel there is a lack of confidentiality as things are discussed with these 2 members of staff. Concerns and worries of staff are not taken seriously. Even when the concerns include the health and safety of service users and staff. If staff have a concern or worry they are often ridiculed or shouted down in a degrading or aggressive way. There is no confidentiality. Management cannot be relied upon to get things done. Consequently staff are threatened with performance management when actions are given. Staff requests are often met with a negative response leaving staff in low spirits and
Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 3 of 9 with low morale which can affect service users. Staff sickness levels are rising. A large number of staff have left the service within the last year and a large amount are looking for other employment. At the time of inspection there were 3 staff members in the house to support three service users. One of the staff members had returned from transporting a service user to college. One service user was sitting in the kitchen with two staff members whilst the other two service users were watching television in the lounge. I asked what was planned for during the holidays when people were off, it depended upon staffing levels to enable people to go out into the community if they wanted. Observation and discussion with staff members also showed that people living at the home were involved in daily living activities and in decision making in their lives.Some people attend college, this had finished for the holidays,so three service users were in the house at the time of inspection, they were watching television. People living at the house were looking forward to Christmas and most were going home for Christmas Day or over the festive period to spend time with their families. Service users have enjoyed Christmas parties and outings.There were 3 members of staff on duty at the time of inspection. Some comments from staff members include: More activities should be available for service users but this is not possible as there are not enough staff on shift, sometimes there have only been two staff on shift. The home supports individuals to attend chosen day care activities such as college, Percy hedley Foundation, Pool of Sound. We encourage community integration and work closely with others to achieve excellent services to all. More community based leisure activities could be encouraged. The home could be better at allowing service users to express their individuality with regard to social outings or holidays. Menus could be improved and include service users in the planning. Encourage service users to share their ideas, thoughts and concerns. No risk assessments are in place for some activities and even when they are they are ignored. The home could provide more sensory activities and painting. A care professional said:Time tables for activities are person centred. My client would like more outings into the community but due to ..needs i.e 2 staff required this is not always possible. Currently 2 drivers are available to transport people using the homes transport. I was informed there were plans for more drivers to be available to drive service users to activities and outings.
Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 4 of 9 Comments received in surveys from staff and used as part of the inspection stated: Training is satisfactory although could be better than using an Elbox. The elbox referred to is an electronic method of training on line ,staff registering and completing training exercises run by the Company. Supervisions are few and far between, I have only had one in the last 12 months. There are no regular staff meetings, senior meetings, residential meetings or supervisions. There is a poor rota system, often only one weeks rota available when company policy states there should be 4 weeks notice. Staff are expected to work short staffed. Service users miss day services because of shortages of lack of trained staff. Staff are only offered mandatory training and are not encouraged to develop their knowledge to benefit the service. Staff could bond as a team. There could be more supervisions as I have only had one supervision in 12 months. The manager does not do rotas fairly only suiting herself and 2 other members of staff. Training is satisfactory. The home could be better at supervision and appraisal. What the care home does well: What they could do better:
Staff supervisions must take place for all staff. There should be sufficient drivers to enable service users to access the community on a regular basis. The company must have an effective whistle blowing policy to raise any issues of concern.
Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 5 of 9 Effective regulation 26 visits must be carried out by a member of the organization to audit and monitor the running of the service. The management approach in the home should be open and inclusive. 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 9 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? Yes R 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, Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards.
No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action 1 24 23(2)(d) A programme of redecoration 01/04/2007 must be provided. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 7 of 9 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, 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 1 23 An effective whistle blowing policy should be in place to enable staff and service users to report any issues of concern in a timely way. The management approach of the home should create an open, positive and inclusive environment for all staff and service users. 2 38 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 8 of 9 Reader Information
Document Purpose: Author: Audience: Further copies from: Inspection Report Care Quality Commission 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: 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 summary 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. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 9 of 9 - 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!
