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Inspection on 15/07/05 for St Vincent House

Also see our care home review for St Vincent House for more information

This inspection was carried out on 15th July 2005.

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.

What follows are excerpts from this inspection report. For more information read the full report on the next tab.

What the care home does well

Some of the residents described the home as "the best one in Southsea" and were very satisfied with the accommodation, the food, and the caring attitude of the staff. Residents told the inspector that the home is always clean and tidy and it was apparent that the routines in the home are relaxed and informal. The home has three sitting rooms and a dining room, with an additional dining area in the upstairs sitting room, offering residents a wide choice of communal space with additional seating and dining areas in the garden during fine weather and it was clear that the home is well maintained in order to provide a comfortable and homely environment for the residents. The home is well managed with an experienced manager and deputy manager and a good staff team.

What has improved since the last inspection?

The last inspection made two recommendations: 1. It is good practice for residents to sign their individual care plans wherever possible. 2. It is good practice to develop ways of consulting with and monitoring residents` satisfaction with the home as part of the home`s quality assurance process. The home is developing ways of putting these into practice and have produced a resident questionnaire as a starting point, and has started to provide residents with the opportunity to sign care plans, wherever practicable.

What the care home could do better:

There is evidence that the home is committed to demonstrating good practice in all aspects of the care provided and action is being taken to develop previous inspection recommendations and these will be looked at again at the next inspection. A requirement has been made for the registered manager to seek advice from the fire safety officer about whether doors in the home can be held open with approved self-closing devices. Although the registered manager is aware that doors are being propped open with wedges and is taking action address to address this issue of fire safety, it is highlighted as a requirement to ensure that the home meets the relevant regulations.

CARE HOMES FOR OLDER PEOPLE St Vincent House 20-21 Clarence Parade Southsea Hampshire PO2 8AA Lead Inspector Annie Kentfield Unannounced 15th July 2005 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 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. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 3 SERVICE INFORMATION Name of service St Vincent House Address 20-21 Clarence Parade, Southsea, Hampshire, PO2 8AA Telephone number Fax number Email address Name of registered provider(s)/company (if applicable) Name of registered manager (if applicable) Type of registration No. of places registered (if applicable) 023 9242 2822 St Vincent Care Homes Limited Mr M Canbek Care Home 26 Category(ies) of Dementia (6), Dementia - over 65 years of age registration, with number (13), Mental Disorder, excluding learning of places disability or dementia - over 65 years of age (6), Old age not falling within any other category (26), Physical disability (4). St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 4 SERVICE INFORMATION Conditions of registration: Service users in the DE category must not be admitted under 60 years of age. Date of last inspection 14/3/2005 Brief Description of the Service: St Vincent House is one of two care homes for older people, owned and managed by St Vincent Care Homes Limited. The home is a large well maintained property converted to provide care for up to 26 older people within the categories listed above. The building enjoys fine views at the front across the Southsea Esplanade and the Solent. At the back of the building there is a sunny and secluded courtyard garden for the residents to enjoy in the summer months. The accommodation, that includes 20 single bedrooms and 3 double bedrooms, is over several floors with stairs or a passenger lift providing access to the upper floors. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 5 SUMMARY This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection. This was an unannounced inspection that took place in the afternoon/early evening. The deputy manager was available to assist with the inspection that included a partial tour of the premises, inspection of some of the records, and time spent talking individually with some of the residents and some of the staff. A number of inspection comment cards and envelopes were left for any residents or visitors to complete and return to the Commission if they wished to. It was not possible to engage with those residents who have a high degree of cognitive impairment about the inspection, but other residents were very happy to speak to the inspector and provided positive feedback about the home and the care provided. Care staff demonstrated a high level of knowledge and skill in the care that is provided to the residents and there were many examples of good practice. An introductory visit was made to the home in June when the inspector was able to meet the registered manager and many of the residents and view the whole premises. At the time of that visit all comments from residents were very positive about all aspects of the home. What the service does well: Some of the residents described the home as “the best one in Southsea” and were very satisfied with the accommodation, the food, and the caring attitude of the staff. Residents told the inspector that the home is always clean and tidy and it was apparent that the routines in the home are relaxed and informal. The home has three sitting rooms and a dining room, with an additional dining area in the upstairs sitting room, offering residents a wide choice of communal space with additional seating and dining areas in the garden during fine weather and it was clear that the home is well maintained in order to provide a comfortable and homely environment for the residents. The home is well managed with an experienced manager and deputy manager and a good staff team. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 6 What has improved since the last inspection? What they could do better: There is evidence that the home is committed to demonstrating good practice in all aspects of the care provided and action is being taken to develop previous inspection recommendations and these will be looked at again at the next inspection. A requirement has been made for the registered manager to seek advice from the fire safety officer about whether doors in the home can be held open with approved self-closing devices. Although the registered manager is aware that doors are being propped open with wedges and is taking action address to address this issue of fire safety, it is highlighted as a requirement to ensure that the home meets the relevant regulations. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 7 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. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 8 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 Standards Statutory Requirements Identified During the Inspection St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 9 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 standard(s) 3 All prospective residents have an assessment of their care needs before moving into the home. EVIDENCE: Records show that all residents have their physical, emotional and social care needs assessed before moving into the home to ensure that all care needs can be met by the home. Following admission further assessments are done in order to draw up a plan of care for each resident. The home has a Cardex system that records all of the necessary information for each resident. The only recommendation made by the inspector is to ensure that all assessments are signed and dated by whoever undertakes the initial assessment. The home does not provide intermediate care. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 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 standard(s) 7,8,10 Every resident has an individual care plan that is regularly reviewed and updated. Residents’ health care needs are fully met. Residents confirmed that staff respect their right to privacy at all times. EVIDENCE: From the care plans inspected it is evident that the Cardex system provides all of the information that is needed by care staff to provide the necessary care to residents. All care plans have a photograph of the named resident. All of the residents are able to register with a local GP of their choice and it was evident that the home has good working relationships with the local GP practices, District Nurses, Community Mental Health Services and other community health and social care services, as required. The deputy manager and senior carer demonstrated a comprehensive knowledge and awareness of the residents’ health care needs and a specialist knowledge of particular conditions related to the care of older people. The senior carer spoken to during the inspection has also attended a training seminar on the prevention of falls and this has informed the good practice in the home to reduce the risk of falls to the residents. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 11 The deputy manager explained that the process of reviewing care plans is ongoing with a six monthly review where care needs are less complex and there are no changes. For those residents with more complex care needs and where there is input from other services, care plans are reviewed monthly. The deputy manager is planning to develop the Cardex system to indicate by colour coding the level of each risk assessment/risk management plan and to incorporate the more detailed monthly reviews into the Cardex system. In discussion, staff are aware of the need to develop good practice in involving residents in the care planning process and action is being taken to address this. Where practicable, residents should sign their individual care plan and review. There are good systems of communication between staff to ensure that all health care needs are met and all care staff carry a notebook to record daily observations that are then picked up and checked by senior staff. Where required, residents receive individual assessments by the specialist continence advisor, psychological services, speech therapist, physiotherapist etc. There is an ongoing difficulty in accessing community NHS dental services for some of the residents but it is clear that this is being addressed by the deputy manager as a matter of concern. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 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 standard(s) 12 & 13 Residents maintain contact with family and friends and visitors are welcome in the home. The daily routines are flexible and informal. EVIDENCE: On the day of the inspection a visiting hairdresser was available for the residents and is in the home every week. Some of the residents said how much they enjoyed the twice weekly exercise sessions with a visiting physiotherapist. Residents also have the opportunity to use the services of a holistic therapist who visits the home every other week. There are occasional music sessions with visiting musicians and residents can choose to join in if they want to. The deputy manager explained that outings in the home’s transport have yet to be arranged but this will be on offer in the fine weather, and when suitable outings are available to meet residents’ needs. Residents confirmed that visitors are always made welcome in the home by the staff and some of the residents have friends or family who live in the local area. There are three sitting rooms and residents can choose to spend time in these or can spend time in their rooms if they wish to. There is evidence that the daily routines in the home are flexible and informal. One of the sitting rooms is designated the ‘quiet room’ and does not have a television, if residents St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 13 choose to sit there. There is a range of chairs and tables in the garden for residents to enjoy the warm weather. Some of the more able residents enjoy taking a walk to the nearby shops or esplanade. The home is planning to develop its service satisfaction survey and hopes that a regular questionnaire will give some of the residents greater opportunity to say what activities they like and what other activities they may want to see, particularly those residents who are able to make an informed choice about social and leisure activities. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 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 standard(s) There is a complaints procedure for residents and/or visitors. EVIDENCE: These standards were not inspected but the previous inspection found that complaints are dealt with promptly and appropriately. There have been no concerns identified that require the protection of vulnerable adults procedure. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 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 standard(s) 19,20,22,23,26 The premises is clean, comfortable and well maintained. Residents spoken to during the inspection expressed their satisfaction with their own room and the general home environment. EVIDENCE: The home has 20 single bedrooms, 17 of them with en-suite facilities and 3 double rooms, with 5 bathrooms and 6 toilets for residents’ use. The building is well maintained and comfortably decorated and furnished to provide a ‘homely’ atmosphere. Some of the residents like to use their rooms as a bed sitting room and have sufficient tables and comfortable chairs to do this. There is a range of sitting and dining space so that residents can choose where they spend time during the day, and can also use the garden as additional sitting and dining space. Residents told the inspector that the home is always very clean and tidy and additional staff are employed to undertake cleaning and laundry work. There is a call alarm system in place for residents to use. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 16 The weather was very warm on the day of the inspection and it was noted that some bedroom doors were being wedged open to allow air to circulate. Door wedges are a fire safety hazard and advice should be sought from the fire safety officer on fitting approved self-closing mechanisms to doors within the home so that some doors may be kept open but will automatically close in the event of a fire. This was discussed with the registered manager on the previous visit and has been addressed in a letter to the manager following the inspection (the manager was not in the home during the inspection). The registered manager is required by regulation to consult with the fire safety officer on all matters of fire safety and a requirement has been made for the registered manager to do this. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 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 considers Standards 27, 29, and 30 the key standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for standard(s) 27 & 28 The staff rota shows that there are sufficient staff on duty at all times to meet the needs of the residents. Staff in the home receive ongoing training and supervision. EVIDENCE: The staff rota shows that there are usually 4 or 5 care staff on duty with additional staff at busy times during the day. The hours of the registered manager and the domestic staff and cook are in addition. There are 2 staff on duty at night, both of them on awake duty. There is also an appointed person who is responsible for administration who works in both St Vincent House and the other care home in Gosport. Residents told the inspector that staff were very kind and caring and always respond to calls for assistance if the call alarm is used. The inspector spoke to some of the care staff who said how much they enjoyed working in the home and that the home had “a nice bunch of staff” who work well as a team. The deputy manager explained that they are planning to develop a key worker system in the home. Also, that someone has just been appointed to manage the staff training programme. It was therefore agreed that staff training records would be looked at during the next inspection when the new training manager had been in post for sufficient time. The deputy manager confirmed that there is a commitment to staff training and that 75 of the care staff St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 18 have now achieved NVQ level 2 in care and the deputy manager has NVQ level 3 in care. This has been achieved through distance learning training with an accredited external assessor. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 19 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 33, 35 and 38 the key standards to be inspected at least once during a 12 month period. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for standard(s) 32,33,36,37,38 The home is well managed and the health, safety and welfare of the residents and staff are protected. EVIDENCE: Although the registered manager was not available during the inspection it was evident that there are clear lines of delegation and accountability within the home, with an experienced and qualified deputy manager and assistant deputy (senior carer). Comments from residents show that there is a great deal of respect and regard for the manager and staff who residents say are kind and caring and always available if they need anything. There are systems in place for staff to receive 1:1 supervision and ongoing informal supervision. There are plans for some of the formal staff supervision times to be delegated to the deputy manager in the near future. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 20 Following a previous inspection recommendation, the home is developing ways of seeking the views of the residents. A questionnaire has been drawn up and will be tried out in the coming months. Although it is clear that residents’ preferences and choices are taken into consideration on an individual basis, the home is aware that more can be done to ensure that residents are fully consulted on a regular basis as part of the home’s quality assurance system. Where residents are unable to participate in the consultation process, feedback could be sought from relatives, friends or other carers who visit the home. Previous inspections have shown that there is ongoing training for staff to ensure safe working practice in the home at all times. The deputy manager confirmed that there is always on qualified first aider on each duty shift. The registered manager confirmed in the pre-inspection questionnaire that all equipment used in the home has a regular service contract for maintenance, as recommended, and that the most recent fire practice drill was January 2005. Records seen during the inspection were up to date and securely stored. St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 21 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 ENVIRONMENT Standard No 1 2 3 4 5 6 Score Standard No 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Score x x 3 x x N/A HEALTH AND PERSONAL CARE Standard No Score 7 3 8 3 9 x 10 3 11 x DAILY LIFE AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Standard No Score 12 3 13 3 14 x 15 x COMPLAINTS AND PROTECTION 3 3 x 3 3 3 x 3 STAFFING Standard No Score 27 3 28 3 29 x 30 x MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION Standard No 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 Score Standard No 16 17 18 Score x x x x 3 2 x x 3 3 2 St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 22 no Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? 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 38 Regulation 23(4) Requirement The registered manager must consult with the local fire safety officer to ensure that fire safety in the home meets current safety regulations. Advice should be taken on whether doors may be held open with approved self-closing mechanisms. Timescale for action With effect from 15 July 2005 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 Good Practice Recommendations St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 Page 23 Commission for Social Care Inspection Mill Court Furrlongs Newport Isle of Wight, PO30 2AA 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 St Vincent House H55_H03_S12388_St Vincents _V218235_150705 Stage 4.doc Version 1.30 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. 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