Inspection on 05/04/06 for Oak Tree Manor

This inspection was carried out on 5th April 2006.

CSCI has not published a star rating for this report, though using similar criteria we estimate that the report is Good. The way we rate inspection reports is consistent for all houses, though please be aware that this may be different from an official CSCI judgement.

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

Oak Tree Manor 04/02/09

Oak Tree Manor 10/07/07

Oak Tree Manor 07/11/05

Oak Tree Manor 04/04/05

Oak Tree Manor 25/11/04

Oak Tree Manor 02/08/04

Similar services:

Claremont House

Oak Ridge

Sun Court Nursing Home

Ashville House

Bilney Hall

Hill Barn

Mabbs Hall Nursing Home

Henrietta House

Extracts from inspection reports are licensed from CQC, this page was updated on 09/07/2008.

CARE HOMES FOR OLDER PEOPLE Oak Tree Manor 2 Chene Drive Off Waverley Road St Albans Hertfordshire AL3 5PJ Lead Inspector Jeffrey Orange Unannounced Inspection 5th April 2006 08:50 X10015.doc Version 1.40 Page 1 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 Reader Information Document Purpose Author Audience Further copies from Copyright Inspection Report CSCI General Public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) This report is copyright Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and may only be used in its entirety. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the express permission of CSCI www.csci.org.uk Internet address Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 2 This is a report of an inspection to assess whether services are meeting the needs of people who use them. The legal basis for conducting inspections is the Care Standards Act 2000 and the relevant National Minimum Standards for this establishment are those for Care Homes for Older People. They can be found at www.dh.gov.uk or obtained from The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Crispins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop This report is a public document. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the prior permission of the Commission for Social Care Inspection. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 3 SERVICE INFORMATION Name of service Oak Tree Manor Address 2 Chene Drive Off Waverley Road St Albans Hertfordshire AL3 5PJ 01727 832393 01727 866653 oak.care@virgin.net Oak.care@virgin.net Oak Care Limited Telephone number Fax number Email address Provider Web address Name of registered provider(s)/company (if applicable) Name of registered manager (if applicable) Type of registration No. of places registered (if applicable) Sue Stacey Care Home 80 Category(ies) of Dementia - over 65 years of age (80), Old age, registration, with number not falling within any other category (80), of places Physical disability over 65 years of age (80) Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 4 SERVICE INFORMATION Conditions of registration: There are none. Date of last inspection 7th November 2005 Brief Description of the Service: Oak Tree Manor provides non-nursing care services and accommodation for up to eighty older people who may also have a physical disability, or dementia. Detailed information about the services offered including the latest report by the Commission for Social Care Inspection may be obtained from the home on request. Weekly fees for services range from £475 to £490 per week. Additional charges are made for newspapers, toiletries, chiropody and hairdressing services. (This information was correct at 01.04.2006) The home is owned by Oak Care Ltd., is purpose built and is situated in a residential area close to the city centre of St. Albans with its good transport links and extensive shopping and leisure facilities. The home has three floors served by a passenger lift. The bedrooms are on the ground and first floor and are all single occupancy with en-suite facilities. Each of the residential floors has its own dining room, kitchenette, hairdressing room and lounges. The main kitchen and laundry are on the ground floor and the top floor provides living accommodation for staff. The home has good parking facilities and there are attractively laid out gardens, accessible to residents, to the rear of the building. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 5 SUMMARY This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection. This report has been drawn up following a visit to the home by two inspectors and makes use of information provided by residents, relatives and staff and from looking at some of the home’s records. It also draws on any information received about the home since the last inspection in November 2005. It is expected that later this year a series of questionnaires will be sent out to a sample number of people involved with Oak Tree Manor, asking about their experience of the home. It is also hoped that it will be possible, with the agreement of residents, for inspectors to attend one of the home’s forums to meet residents and relatives. This inspection visit looked in particular at the number of falls in the home and how these are dealt with. The information gained will help with work being done by a range of agencies, including the CSCI, in co-operation with homes like Oak Tree Manor to reduce the number of falls as much as possible. What the service does well: Residents receive a good standard of care within a pleasant and comfortable environment. The staff team are given the training they need to equip them with the necessary skills to safely care for residents. Staff were seen to be treating residents with respect and residents appeared relaxed and at ease with staff and made very positive comments about them to the inspectors. The standard of record keeping, including those to do with medication was good, which helps to promote the safety and well being of the home’s residents. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 6 What has improved since the last inspection? What they could do better: Please contact the provider for advice of actions taken in response to this inspection. The report of this inspection is available from enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk or by contacting your local CSCI office. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 7 DETAILS OF INSPECTOR FINDINGS CONTENTS Choice of Home (Standards 1–6) Health and Personal Care (Standards 7-11) Daily Life and Social Activities (Standards 12-15) Complaints and Protection (Standards 16-18) Environment (Standards 19-26) Staffing (Standards 27-30) Management and Administration (Standards 31-38) Scoring of Outcomes Statutory Requirements Identified During the Inspection Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 8 Choice of Home The intended outcomes for Standards 1 – 6 are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Prospective service users have the information they need to make an informed choice about where to live. Each service user has a written contract/ statement of terms and conditions with the home. No service user moves into the home without having had his/her needs assessed and been assured that these will be met. Service users and their representatives know that the home they enter will meet their needs. Prospective service users and their relatives and friends have an opportunity to visit and assess the quality, facilities and suitability of the home. Service users assessed and referred solely for intermediate care are helped to maximise their independence and return home. The Commission considers Standards 3 and 6 the key standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 3 4 & 5 (Standard 6 does not apply to this home) Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence, including a visit to this service. There is a good system of pre-admission assessment in place to ensure that the care needs of people who may want to move into the home are fully understood and can be fully met. Staff are provided with the necessary training and support to give them the knowledge and skills that they need to be able to meet the varied care needs of residents. EVIDENCE: “I looked at several homes in the area and felt that this was the best one for my mother”. This comment by one relative during the inspection was typical of several made by both residents and their relatives. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 9 Care plans were examined and a robust and thorough assessment process was seen to be in place to ensure that only those people whose care needs could be appropriately met were admitted. Staff spoken to were very positive about the standard of training they receive, which includes for example specialist dementia care training and this was supported by those training records seen. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 10 Health and Personal Care The intended outcomes for Standards 7 – 11 are: 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. The service user’s health, personal and social care needs are set out in an individual plan of care. Service users’ health care needs are fully met. Service users, where appropriate, are responsible for their own medication, and are protected by the home’s policies and procedures for dealing with medicines. Service users feel they are treated with respect and their right to privacy is upheld. Service users are assured that at the time of their death, staff will treat them and their family with care, sensitivity and respect. The Commission considers Standards 7, 8, 9 and 10 the key standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 7 8 9 & 10 Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence, including a visit to this service. There is a robust system for the administration of medicine in place and staff are provided with the necessary training to enable them to administer medication safely. There was one instance where storage was above the recommended temperature for a particular liquid medicine. The standard of care planning is good and residents have access to appropriate community healthcare services. Although community health involvements are recorded in daily notes, it would be helpful, where there are significant developments in treatment, for example where physiotherapy input is completed, that this information could be clearly summarised in the main care plan. EVIDENCE: Lactulose was being stored at above the recommended temperature of 20°C, which may affect its effectiveness. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 11 Medication records were spot checked and found to be accurate and well kept, this provides a safeguard for those residents whose medication is administered by the home. One resident queried why she now received no community physiotherapy visits. This information was not clearly summarised in her care plan, although details of the decision by community physiotherapy staff would have been included in the relevant daily notes. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 12 Daily Life and Social Activities The intended outcomes for Standards 12 - 15 are: 12. 13. 14. 15. Service users find the lifestyle experienced in the home matches their expectations and preferences, and satisfies their social, cultural, religious and recreational interests and needs. Service users maintain contact with family/ friends/ representatives and the local community as they wish. Service users are helped to exercise choice and control over their lives. Service users receive a wholesome appealing balanced diet in pleasing surroundings at times convenient to them. The Commission considers all of the above key standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 12 13 14 & 15 Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence, including a visit to this service. Oak Tree Manor operates a person centred approach to providing care to its residents and this is evident in the way that personal preferences and choice are recorded and taken into account in the day-to- day operation of the home. EVIDENCE: Those residents who wanted to attend a religious service being taken in the home during this inspection visit were being helped to do so in accordance with their own choice. One resident had asked for an alternative to the other meal choices available on the day and this had been provided. Several relatives and friends visiting residents were spoken to during this inspection visit and all confirmed that their visits are encouraged and facilitated and they all spoke very positively about the home. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 13 There is a varied activity programme in place. Residents confirmed that if they prefer to, they could remain in their own room or visit other residents as they please. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 14 Complaints and Protection The intended outcomes for Standards 16 - 18 are: 16. 17. 18. Service users and their relatives and friends are confident that their complaints will be listened to, taken seriously and acted upon. Service users’ legal rights are protected. Service users are protected from abuse. The Commission considers Standards 16 and 18 the key standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 16 & 18 Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence, including a visit to this service. The complaints policy and procedure together with staff training in the recognition of adult abuse and the correct response if it is suspected should provide confidence in this service for residents, their relatives and those who care for them. EVIDENCE: Staff had a good understanding of adult abuse issues and the appropriate action to take if it were suspected. The home has a robust complaints procedure and those residents and relatives spoken to during this inspection visit confirmed that they felt confident that any complaint or concern raised would be dealt with. “ I can always speak to the manager if I need to.” was the comment of one relative. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 15 Environment The intended outcomes for Standards 19 – 26 are: 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. Service users live in a safe, well-maintained environment. Service users have access to safe and comfortable indoor and outdoor communal facilities. Service users have sufficient and suitable lavatories and washing facilities. Service users have the specialist equipment they require to maximise their independence. Service users’ own rooms suit their needs. Service users live in safe, comfortable bedrooms with their own possessions around them. Service users live in safe, comfortable surroundings. The home is clean, pleasant and hygienic. The Commission considers Standards 19 and 26 the key standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 19 20 24 25 26 Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence, including a visit to this service. Oak Tree Manor provides a pleasant environment for residents and is maintained to a good standard. Residents’ rooms are well furnished and can be personalised with familiar items of furniture, pictures and ornaments to reflect the personality and taste of individual residents. The overall standard in terms of safety is good with only one issue that requires attention. EVIDENCE: “It is like a hotel” was the comment of one resident about his room. “I am very comfortable here, it is so nice and clean” was another resident’s comment on the home. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 16 Housekeeping staff were active throughout this inspection visit and the home was very clean with no evidence of unpleasant odour. Visitors and residents were very complimentary about the standard of cleanliness they experienced. Residents’ rooms had a variety of items in them which they had either brought with them or had obtained after admission and this means that each room is slightly different and has a sense of being personal to the particular resident. A new carpet was being laid in the reception area during the inspection and the home’s handyman was decorating a vacant bedroom before it was occupied again. One automatic door- stop was not working properly and must be repaired or replaced. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 17 Staffing The intended outcomes for Standards 27 – 30 are: 27. 28. 29. 30. Service users’ needs are met by the numbers and skill mix of staff. Service users are in safe hands at all times. Service users are supported and protected by the home’s recruitment policy and practices. Staff are trained and competent to do their jobs. The Commission consider all the above are key standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 27 28 29 30 Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence, including a visit to this service. There are sufficient care staff, administrative support staff and management, with the necessary skills, training and support, to provide adequately for the well being of residents and to ensure that Oak Tree Manor operates safely and efficiently at all times. EVIDENCE: Residents and relatives spoken with during this inspection visit were very positive and supportive of the quality of the staff team and the care that is provided. “They are very good” was a typical comment. Training records, including a new induction programme in line with the requirements of “Skills for Care”, and discussions with some of the staff on duty provided evidence of a good training and support process in operation. Staff receive dementia care training through the Alzheimer’s Society under the “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” programme and at least 50 of staff either have attained or are in the process of obtaining NVQ2 in care. Recruitment records and procedures were checked and found to be sufficiently robust and thorough to provide residents with the necessary safeguards to protect them. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 18 Management and Administration The intended outcomes for Standards 31 – 38 are: 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. Service users live in a home which is run and managed by a person who is fit to be in charge, of good character and able to discharge his or her responsibilities fully. Service users benefit from the ethos, leadership and management approach of the home. The home is run in the best interests of service users. Service users are safeguarded by the accounting and financial procedures of the home. Service users’ financial interests are safeguarded. Staff are appropriately supervised. Service users’ rights and best interests are safeguarded by the home’s record keeping, policies and procedures. The health, safety and welfare of service users and staff are promoted and protected. The Commission considers Standards 31, 33, 35 and 38 the key standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 31 33 35 38 Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence, including a visit to this service. The manager and her team provide a clear sense of leadership and purpose and have put in place, together with the proprietor, a robust and thorough system of quality assurance to monitor how the home operates. EVIDENCE: The manager has successfully completed the Registered Manager’s Award. Comprehensive monthly reports on the home and its operation are sent to the CSCI. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 19 Staff and residents were very positive about the manager and her team, how open and accessible they were and the atmosphere within the home supported this throughout the inspection visit. The general standard of record keeping is good. The home does not act as appointee for any resident and does not directly administer resident’s finances. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 20 SCORING OF OUTCOMES This page summarises the assessment of the extent to which the National Minimum Standards for Care Homes for Older People have been met and uses the following scale. The scale ranges from: 4 Standard Exceeded 2 Standard Almost Met (Commendable) (Minor Shortfalls) 3 Standard Met 1 Standard Not Met (No Shortfalls) (Major Shortfalls) “X” in the standard met box denotes standard not assessed on this occasion “N/A” in the standard met box denotes standard not applicable CHOICE OF HOME Standard No Score 1 2 3 4 5 6 ENVIRONMENT Standard No Score 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 X X 3 3 3 N/A HEALTH AND PERSONAL CARE Standard No Score 7 3 8 3 9 2 10 3 11 X DAILY LIFE AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Standard No Score 12 3 13 3 14 3 15 3 COMPLAINTS AND PROTECTION Standard No Score 16 3 17 X 18 3 2 3 X X X 3 3 3 STAFFING Standard No Score 27 3 28 3 29 3 30 3 MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION Standard No 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 Score 3 X 3 X 3 X X 2 Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 21 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? NO STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Care Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider(s) must comply with the given timescales. No. 1. Standard OP9 Regulation 13(2) Requirement The storage temperature of medication must be within the recommended range for it in every case. All automatic door closures in the home must be maintained in working order. Timescale for action 05/04/06 2. OP19 23(4) 05/04/06 RECOMMENDATIONS These recommendations relate to National Minimum Standards and are seen as good practice for the Registered Provider/s to consider carrying out. No. 1 Refer to Standard OP9 Good Practice Recommendations The home should seek advice from their pharmacy on the storage temperature of Lactulose and whether alternative formulations or products are available with a higher permitted storage temperature than that currently specified. This should then be discussed with the general practitioner prescribing the medication. The manager should review where and when significant changes in community healthcare input are recorded to see if this may be improved. The manager should review the way that information about residents individual dietary requirements is made DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 22 2 3 OP7 OP37 Oak Tree Manor available to staff serving meals, to ensure that it is as clear and accessible as possible, especially in those rare circumstances where staff are not as familiar with individual residents as is usually the case. Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 23 Commission for Social Care Inspection Hertfordshire Area Office Mercury House 1 Broadwater Road Welwyn Garden City Hertfordshire AL7 3BQ National Enquiry Line: 0845 015 0120 Email: enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk Web: www.csci.org.uk © This report is copyright Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and may only be used in its entirety. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the express permission of CSCI Oak Tree Manor DS0000019486.V288527.R01.S.doc Version 5.1 Page 24 - 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. 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