Inspection on 16/10/08 for RAFA Respite Home

This inspection was carried out on 16th October 2008.

CSCI found this care home to be providing an Excellent 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

RAFA Respite Home 10/10/06

RAFA Respite Home 24/02/06

RAFA Respite Home 16/11/05

RAFA Respite Home 22/02/05

RAFA Respite Home 09/09/04

RAFA Respite Home 29/03/04

Similar services:

Turret Villa Retirement Home

Moor House

Mendip House

Beaconsfield Court Care Home

Little Sisters Of The Poor

Manor House

Middleton Hall Ltd

Middlesbrough Intermediate Care Centre

Extracts from inspection reports are licensed from CQC, this page was updated on 31/03/2009.

Inspecting for better lives Key inspection report Care homes for older people Name: Address: RAFA Respite Home Rothbury House West End Rothbury Morpeth Northumberland NE65 7TU     The quality rating for this care home is:   three star excellent 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. Lead inspector: Anne UrwinBrown     Date: 1 6 1 0 2 0 0 8 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. the things that people have said are important to them: They reflect 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 Older People 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. Care Homes for Older People Page 2 of 26 Reader Information Document Purpose Author Audience Further copies from Copyright Inspection report CSCI General public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) 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. www.csci.org.uk Internet address Care Homes for Older People Page 3 of 26 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: RAFA Respite Home West End Rothbury House Rothbury Morpeth Northumberland NE65 7TU 01669620235 01669621600 tony.collins@rafa.org.uk Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Name of registered manager (if applicable) Anthony George Collins Type of registration: Number of places registered: The Royal Air Forces Association care home 9 Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 old age, not falling within any other category Additional conditions: Residents may also be under the age of 65 Residents may also have a physical disability (PD) Residents may also suffer from dementia (DE(E)) Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home The Royal Air Forces Association and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund operate Rothbury House. The service provides respite breaks primarily for ex air force and forces personnel and their families. Guests come from throughout Great Britain and have a wide range of needs. Rothbury House is situated in the centre of Rothbury with easy access to the village and its services. It is registered to provide care for 9 older people, of whom some may have physical disabilities. Couples are able to share Care Homes for Older People Page 4 of 26 Over 65 9 0 Brief description of the care home facilities within double rooms. All bedrooms are en-suite, with a range of communal lounges, dining room, bar and other areas. There is a shaft lift and a range of aids and adaptations to allow guests to move freely around the building. The extensive gardens and grounds are easily accessible and the home has its own transport. Additional apartments and sheltered accommodation are available but are not part of the registered service and are not included within the inspection process. There is a car park at the front of the building and disabled access to the front door. The home does not provide nursing care, although, if needed, access and support is available from the local medical practice. The fees for the home are currently £370 to £420 per week. The service user guide and latest inspection reports are available within each bedroom. Care Homes for Older People Page 5 of 26 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: three star excellent service Choice of home Health and personal care Daily life and social activities Complaints and protection Environment Staffing Management and administration peterchart Poor Adequate Good Excellent How we did our inspection: The quality rating for this service is 3 stars. This means that the people who use the service experience excellent quality outcomes. How the inspection was carried out Before the visit we looked at: Information we have received since the last visit. How the service dealt with any complaints & concerns since the last visit. Care Homes for Older People Page 6 of 26 Any changes to how the home is run. The provider’s view of how well they care for people. The views of people who use the service & their relatives, staff & other professionals. The Visit: An unannounced visit was made on date 16th October 2008. The visit lasted seven hours. During the visit we: Talked with people who use the service, relatives, staff and the deputy manager and a visitor. Looked at information about the people who use the service & how well their needs are met. Looked at other records which must be kept. Checked that staff had the knowledge, skills & training to meet the needs of the people they care for. Looked around the building to make sure it was clean, safe & comfortable. Checked what improvements had been made since the last visit. We told the deputy manager what we found. What the care home does well: What has improved since the last inspection? 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 4. Care Homes for Older People Page 8 of 26 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. Care Homes for Older People Page 9 of 26 Details of our 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) Outstanding statutory requirements Requirements and recommendations from this inspection Care Homes for Older People Page 10 of 26 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 and the support they need. People who stay at the home only for intermediate care, have a clear assessment that includes a plan on what they hope for and want to achieve when they return home. People can decide whether the care home can meet their support and accommodation needs. This is because they, or people close to them, have been able to visit the home and have got full, clear, accurate and up to date information about the home. 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 them 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. Good assessments are in place to ensure that guests needs can effectively be met at Rothbury House. Guests have good information about the service provided before they come to stay. Evidence: The welfare officer for the RAF association undertakes a pre-admission assessment and where necessary helps people to complete their applications. The information from this assessment is used to plan peoples care. Staff said that they regularly update the information before each visit or as necessary for each individual. They said that they always have enough information about peoples needs before they come to stay. Good information was available in care plans to show how peoples needs are met. Eight guests who were staying during the inspection said that the staff know their needs and that they had sufficient information provided about the service before they came to stay. Most people visit regularly and were very happy with the quality of the care and Care Homes for Older People Page 11 of 26 Evidence: support they receive. One person said that all the equipment her husband needed was ready for them when they arrived and that it was a great comfort to her that she did not need to ask for anything as it was always there. Care Homes for Older People Page 12 of 26 Health and personal care 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 health, personal and social care needs are met. The home has a plan of care that the person, or someone close to them, has been involved in making. If they 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. People’s right to privacy is respected and the support they get from staff is given in a way that maintains their dignity. If people are approaching the end of their life, the care home will respect their choices and help them 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Very good systems are in place to make sure that guests get the care and support they need in a way that respects their dignity, individuality and wishes. Evidence: There was good information in individual records to show that peoples needs are identified and met. Good individual care planning was evident and people staying at Rothbury House spoke highly of the support they receive from staff. Any changes in care needs are clearly identified and good quality risk assessments are in place. People are consulted about how their care and support is delivered. Falls, nutrition, moving and handling and continence assessments were in place and these are updated at the time of each visit. There was evidence that staff identified changing needs during one persons stay and had sought appropriate help from healthcare professionals. Clear records are kept of any input from healthcare professionals. Good records are kept of any medicines held on behalf of guests. Policies and procedures are in place to guide staffs practice when dealing with medicines. Staff Care Homes for Older People Page 13 of 26 Evidence: have completed training in handling medicines. Arrangements for the storage of medicines are good with lockable storage available in each room. Good records were kept of any medicines administered. Staff were aware of the need to respect guests privacy and dignity and this was evident during the inspection. People are addressed respectfully and are given choices about all aspects of their care during their stay. Staff guidance is clear and includes references to equality, diversity, privacy and dignity and these areas are covered in staff training and induction training for new staff. There was a relaxed atmosphere during the inspection and it was clear that guests were very satisfied with the way they are treated by staff. One person said that staff are so kind and are always there when I need them making sure that I have support when I want it. Another said that she enjoyed coming as she could join in with activities and outings or spend time quietly in one of the sitting rooms on her own without feeling she was being unsociable. Care Homes for Older People Page 14 of 26 Daily life and social activities 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 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. They are as independent as they can be, lead their chosen lifestyle and have the opportunity to make the most of their abilities. People have nutritious and attractive meals and snacks, at a time and place to suit them. There are no additional outcomes. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. People using the service are able to make choices about their lifestyle and routines. Social, emotional, cultural and recreational needs meet individual expectations. The quality and choice of food is very good. Evidence: Guests were very happy with the programme of events and activities. They said that staff respect their routines and lifestyle and they confirmed that they are able to make decisions for themselves. Guests said that there was an extensive social activities programme both within and outside of the home and this was thoroughly enjoyed by all. There are very strong links with the RAF base at Boulmer and guests spoke about their enjoyment of visits by servicing air force personnel. Daily activities are varied to suit individuals and entertainment is also very varied and people spoke very positively about the previous evenings music. The guests are encouraged to go to places in the local area and families are encouraged and supported to take guests out and about. One person visiting their relative said that this is an excellent service that I could not manage without. Another said that the staff are wonderful and nothing is too much trouble. I really depend on coming here regularly throughout the year. It means I can manage to live in my own home when I know that I will get regular holidays when I Care Homes for Older People Page 15 of 26 Evidence: get lots of help. Guests take control of their daily routines in simple but important ways including the time they get up, what and when they eat and how they spend their time. The guests’ bedrooms were personalised during their stay and guests said they were very happy with the decoration and furnishings. Guests have visitors at any time and are able to use their own rooms, the small lounges or the larger, busier lounges to receive them. The meals served were excellent and all of the guests enjoyed the food, which was well cooked. Staff supported people who needed help sensitively and without drawing attention to the person or themselves. The tables were attractively set and meals are seen as social occasions by the guest. Food was well cooked and presented and guests were extremely positive about the choice and quality of the food. The kitchen was clean and well maintained and staff had completed Food Hygiene training. The menus showed a good variety of food was available at each meal time. Care Homes for Older People Page 16 of 26 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. Any concern is looked into and action taken to put things right. The care home safeguards people from abuse and neglect and takes action to follow up any allegations. People’s legal rights are protected, including being able to vote in elections. 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. Good systems are in place for dealing with complaints and allegations, which protect the people using the service. Evidence: Information about making comments and complaints is made available to each guest. Guests confirmed that they would feel able to make comments or to complain if they were not satisfied with the service. No complaints have been made since the last inspection. Staff were aware of the complaints procedures and knew how to assist someone to make a complaint. Guests said they knew that they could make a complaint, but that they had never had any cause to complain about anything as the staff make their visits so enjoyable. Safeguarding and whistle-blowing procedures are in place. Staff were aware of these. They could describe the action to be taken if any allegation of abuse is made. Staff training has been provided. No issues have arisen since the last inspection. Care Homes for Older People Page 17 of 26 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, 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. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Rothbury House provides very good quality accommodation that is well maintained, clean, hygienic and suited to the needs of the people using the service. Evidence: Rothbury House is well maintained, furnished and decorated with very attractive accessible gardens leading down to the river. There are outstanding views from the rear of the building. The gardens are well laid out for short walks and there are several areas where seating is arranged and three people said how much they enjoyed spending time there. There is a range of sitting rooms providing a choice of places to spend time some quieter than others. All are well furnished and appointed. The dining room on the lower ground floor is spacious and comfortable. A shaft lift is fitted for ease of access to all floors. Bathrooms and toilets are accessible and fitted with appropriate aids and equipment to meet the needs of the guests. Overhead tracking is available in some rooms for people with physical disabilities. One person said we are so lucky to have access to this service as we wouldnt be able to go away together otherwise. It is wonderful coming here where all the equipment my husband needs is organised and ready for us. We both really enjoy the break. Care Homes for Older People Page 18 of 26 Evidence: Bedrooms are very well furnished and appointed. Aids and equipment is available to suit the needs of the people using the service. The building is well maintained with repairs carried out promptly. Maintenance work and servicing is recorded and certificates were available for inspection. Laundry facilities are good and standards of hygiene and cleanliness were good throughout the home. Care Homes for Older People Page 19 of 26 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 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 to care for them. Their needs are met and they are cared for by staff who get the relevant training and support from their managers. There are no additional outcomes. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Staffing arrangements are organised to suit the needs of the people using Rothbury House. Good recruitment procedures protect people using this service. Evidence: The rotas showed that sufficient staff are available to meet the needs of the people using the service. There is a settled staff team at Rothbury House, which means that there is consistency for people using the service. People staying at Rothbury House during the inspection spoke very positively about the care and support provided. One person said I cannot speak highly enough of the staff, they are wonderful and nothing is too much trouble for them. Another said that this was her first visit and she had found nothing but kindness. She said this is a marvelous place and I have had such a good holiday, the staff are always cheerful and helpful, nothing is too much trouble for them. Another person said I need a lot of support with personal care and they (staff) are always there when I want them, they anticipate what I need and then provide it. It is an excellent service and I thoroughly enjoy my visits. The home closes for one week in the year and during this time staff have mandatory training provided. In addition most staff have completed national qualifications in care and there are four staff working towards completing their awards. Staff said that there are plenty of training opportunities and good support for training from senior staff. Care Homes for Older People Page 20 of 26 Evidence: There is a positive emphasis placed on training and appropriate induction training is provided for new staff. Records showed that staff training is regularly updated and a staff training plan is in place. Good staff recruitment procedures are in place and records showed that these are followed when new staff are appointed. Recruitment procedures include references to equality and diversity principles. Staff records showed that appropriate reference and Criminal Records Bureau checks are undertaken before any new staff start working in the home. Staff records were in good order. Care Homes for Older People Page 21 of 26 Management and administration 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 led and managed appropriately. People control their own money and choose how they spend it. If they or someone close to them cannot manage their money, it is managed by the care home in their best interests. The environment is safe for people and staff because appropriate 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. The people staying at the home are safeguarded because it follows clear financial and accounting procedures, keeps records appropriately and ensures their staff understand the way things should be done. They get the right care because the staff are supervised and supported by their managers. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. People using the service are consulted and protected by the good management systems in place at Rothbury House. Evidence: The manager is a registered nurse and is experienced in caring for older people. He has come into post since the last inspection. He is supported by an experienced and settled senior staff team. The guests all spoke positively about the senior staff including the manager. They said that they were satisfied that they could speak to the manager and senior staff about any concerns they may have and that there were plenty of opportunities to put forward their views about the service. Good systems are in place for auditing the quality of the service. Guests are asked for their views by questionnaires and this information is used in planning any changes to the delivery of the service. Copies of reports prepared by the line manager were available for inspection and these provided good information about the quality of the Care Homes for Older People Page 22 of 26 Evidence: service and actions taken to address any issues identified. There are regular staff meetings and staff have regular supervision and issues identified are followed up. Staff said that they felt well supported and able to put forward their views about the service. Records of accidents are kept and there are systems in place for monitoring the incidence of accidents. There was evidence of good risk assessments and of systems for regular reviews of any assessments. Good systems are in place for dealing with money held on behalf of guests. Records are well kept and any money held is securely stored. Good records are kept of fire alarm testing and servicing. Health and safety policies and procedures underpin good staff practice. Staff training in health and safety is provided. Care Homes for Older People Page 23 of 26 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, Care Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Care Homes for Older People Page 24 of 26 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 25 of 26 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 26 of 26 - 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!