This inspection was carried out on 12th May 2009.
CQC found this care home to be providing an Adequate service.
The inspector found no outstanding requirements from the previous inspection report,
but made 3 statutory requirements (actions the home must comply with) as a result of this inspection.
Random inspection report
Care homes for adults (18-65 years)
Name: Address: New Ridley Road, 27-29 27-29 New Ridley Road Stocksfield Northumberland NE43 7EY one star adequate service 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: Michael Earnshaw Date: 1 2 0 5 2 0 0 9 Information about the care home
Name of care home: Address: New Ridley Road, 27-29 27-29 New Ridley Road Stocksfield Northumberland NE43 7EY 01661-844112 01661844113 newlife.care@btinternet.com Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Newlife Care Services Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Minster Pathways Limited) Name of registered manager (if applicable) Mrs Linda Newton Type of registration: Number of places registered: Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 learning disability Conditions of registration: All persons may also have a physical disability Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home New Ridley Road comprises two modern semi-detached bungalows connected internally by a communal lounge. The home is set at the head of a private road in its own grounds and provides ground floor accommodation for nine adults with a learning disability, some of whom also have a physical disability. The home was purpose built approximately nine years ago. All bedrooms are for single occupation. Each unit has a kitchen and lounge/dining area. Although there are no en-suite facilities, each bedroom had been fitted with a hand washbasin. The home is close to the centre of Stocksfield,
Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 2 of 9 care home 9 Over 65 0 9 Brief description of the care home giving easy access to local transport systems, shops, leisure amenities and the wider community. The home does not provide nursing care. The current weekly fees are agreed individually. Additional charges are made for hairdressing, aromatherapy, clothing, leisure activities and toiletries. Copies of the Commissions inspection reports were available to visitors, staff and residents. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 3 of 9 What we found:
The reason for the visit was to undertake a pharmacist inspection of the service. This lasted 4 hours and involved looking at arrangements within the service that support the safe handling and administration of medicines. We looked at the medicines policy, medication records, storage, security and stock control. We also discussed with the manager the arrangements for training staff involved in handling medicines and what arrangements were in place to monitor the medication system in the service. Medicines were stored securely within a locked cupboard . There is no medicines fridge and any medicines requiring refrigeration are stored in the kitchen fridge which is not locked, nor appropriate for the storage of medicines. The receipt and disposal of medication is recorded although the details of prescriptions ordered and received are not sufficient to support a full audit trail of medication supply. Two tubes of cream, no longer in use and beyond their expiry date were stored on one of the shelves and had not been sent for disposal. The medication policy is not specific to the home and does not describe in enough detail all aspects of how medication should be managed. For example, there is no guidance on administration of medicines via tube feeding and information on how to manage buccal administration of midazolam is not comprehensive and is not incorporated into the medicines policy itself. Staff handling medication receive appropriate training and are assessed prior to administering medicines. However, some carers have not been trained in all aspects of managing medicines, or may not have received training updates. The majority of carers have not been trained on how to administer buccal midazolam, which may be required to be administered in an emergency and when the service user is away from the home. We looked at the medication administration record (MAR) charts for all service users. Night time medication administration for four service users had not been recorded on the evening prior to the inspection and a check on the remaining stocks of medication confirmed that these medicines had not been administered. The MAR chart for a further service user showed a gap for a morning dose of antihistamine which appeared to have been given as prescribed on the day of the inspection but not recorded. No other gaps were identified on any of the MAR charts or any other stock discrepancies indicating that earlier medication had been given as prescribed. A number of handwritten entries on the MAR charts had not been countersigned by a second person to confirm their accuracy. Audit of the medication system is not undertaken by staff in the home although medication is audited by external provider personnel as part of the quality assurance programme operated by the provider.These audits are not sufficiently detailed, nor frequent enough to identify medication problems promptly or to demonstrate that staff are complying fully with the medication policy. What the care home does well:
Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 4 of 9 The stock control of medicines is generally well managed and supplies of medication are maintained at appropriate levels. 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 Adults (18-65 years) Page 5 of 9 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? Yes £ No R 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 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 6 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 1 20 18 Additional training in support 10/11/2009 of best practice guidelines must be provided to all staff involved in the handling and administration of medication. This must include administration of medicines by specialised techniques To safeguard the health and welfare of people living in the home 2 20 13 Best practice guidance and 14/07/2009 the providers policy must be followed when receiving and recording medicines in the home To safeguard the health and welfare of people living in the home 3 20 13 Medication must be given as prescribed and a record made at the time that it is given To safeguard the health and welfare of people living in the home 14/07/2009 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 7 of 9 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 20 Staff should sign and date handwritten entries they make on MAR charts. Each entry should be checked and countersigned by a second person to reduce the risk of error when copying information. Discontinued treatment should be clearly marked on the MAR sheet, signed and dated A medicines fridge should be obtained for the storage of any medicines requiring refrigeration The names of service users should be clearly legible on each of the photographs in the MAR chart file More comprehensive records should be maintained when ordering prescriptions and receiving medication so that a full audit trail is maintained. The medicines policy should be updated to cover all aspects of handling medication in the home, including the administration of medicines by specialist techniques Regular audit of the medication system should be undertaken by senior staff in the home and include checks to demonstrate that people are getting their medication as prescribed. 2 3 4 20 20 20 5 20 6 20 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!
