Inspection on 16/03/09 for Summerfield

This inspection was carried out on 16th March 2009.

CSCI found this care home to be providing an Good 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

Summerfield 14/11/06

Summerfield 21/11/05

Summerfield 03/05/05

Summerfield 09/08/04

Summerfield 20/04/04

Similar services:

St Vincents

The Cotswold Home

Newbeech House

Winton House

Rush Court

Hillyfield Rest Home

The Maypole Nursing Centre

The Briars

Extracts from inspection reports are licensed from CQC, this page was updated on 19/06/2009.

Inspecting for better lives Key inspection report Care homes for older people Name: Address: Summerfield 4 Kidmore Road Caversham Heights Reading Berkshire RG4 7LU     The quality rating for this care home is:   two star good 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: Julie Willis     Date: 1 6 0 3 2 0 0 9 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. that people have said are important to them: They reflect the things 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 27 Reader Information Document Purpose Author Audience Further copies from Copyright Inspection report CSCI General public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Copyright © (2009) 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 27 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: Summerfield 4 Kidmore Road Caversham Heights Reading Berkshire RG4 7LU 01189472164 01189474972 andy3603clark@aol.com Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Type of registration: Number of places registered: Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Mr Colin Robbins care home 15 Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 15 old age, not falling within any other category Additional conditions: 0 The maximum number of service users to be accommodated is 15 The registered person may provide the following category of service only: Care home only (PC) to service users of the following gender; Either whose primary care needs on admission to the home are within the following category; Old age, not falling within any other category (OP) Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home Summerfield is situated in a pleasant residential area on the outskirts of Reading. The home is Victorian in design and is similar to other residential properties within the area. Although on a main road the house is set back from the road by a drive, which provides parking for several cars. The home is on a bus route into Reading and located within easy reach of local shops. There is a pleasantly furnished lounge on the ground floor and a dining room adjacent to the homes kitchen. To the rear of the property are well maintained an attractive Care Homes for Older People Page 4 of 27 Brief description of the care home gardens. The rear garden has gravel covered patio area. The fees for the home range from 560 to 615 pounds per week. Care Homes for Older People Page 5 of 27 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: two star good 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: This unannounced inspection took place on a weekday morning and afternoon over the course of five and a half hours. It was a thorough look at how well the service is doing. It took into account detailed information provided by the services manager and any information that the CSCI has received about the service since the last inspection which was carried out on 14th November 2006. Prior to the visit survey and comment cards for residents and visiting professionals such as doctors and nurses were sent to the Manager for distribution. Any replies were used to help form judgments about the service. Consideration has also been given to other information that has been provided to the Commission since the last inspection. Care Homes for Older People Page 6 of 27 The inspector toured the building, examined records and met all of the residents and one visitor. The inspector also spent time talking informally to staff and observing how care was being delivered to the residents. From the evidence seen by the inspector and comments received, the inspector considers that this service has a good awareness and understanding of equality and diversity issues and would be able to provide positive outcomes for residents in the areas of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexuality, disability and belief. The inspector gave feedback about her findings to the homes Manager at the end of inspection. There were no legal requirements made as a result of this inspection. The Commission has received no information about complaints about the service since the last inspection. 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. The report of this inspection is available from our website www.csci.org.uk. You can get Care Homes for Older People Page 8 of 27 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 27 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 27 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. Prospective residents and their representatives have the information they need to choose a home that can effectively meet their needs. They have a full assessment of their needs and a contract which clearly tells them about the service they will receive. Evidence: Clear information about the services provided by the home are incorporated into the Statement of Purpose and Service User Guide for the home. The information is in a user-friendly format appropriate to the user group. Staff spend time with prospective residents to ensure they understand the terms and conditions of the placement. From discussions with management it was clear that senior staff visit the user in their own home or in hospital at the point of referral. Residents confirmed that they used the initial visit as a time to ask staff questions and to find out more about the routines of the home. Care Homes for Older People Page 11 of 27 Evidence: Admissions are not made to the home until a full needs assessment has been undertaken. Where an assessment has been undertaken through care management arrangements the registered person has insisted on receiving a summary of the assessment and a copy of the plan. Examination of the pre-admission assessment for two residents evidenced that all necessary information was gathered from the users, their family and other health and social care professionals about the prospective residents health and welfare. The information gathered at the pre-admission stage formed the basis of the care plan. Care Homes for Older People Page 12 of 27 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 good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The health and personal care, which a resident receives, is based on their individual need. The principles of respect, dignity and privacy are put into practice at the home. Evidence: The service believes that it is important to involve residents in the planning of their care and each resident had a care plan that had been agreed with them. Care plans were written in plain language and detailed all areas of a persons life including health, social and personal care needs. The plan included a number of risk assessments. Advice was given about ensuring that if cot sides were being used they included a full risk assessment and a consent form for their usage. The home ensures that each residents plan is reviewed regularly and involves the resident and where agreed their family. The plan is updated and the necessary action taken to respond to any changes in residents need. All members of staff regard the plan as a working tool, they understand the plan and work to it. Residents receive clear feedback on all decisions and actions that affect their individual care. Care Homes for Older People Page 13 of 27 Evidence: Examination of the system for the administration of medication evidenced that a monitored dosage system has been adopted by the home. This ensures that residents are provided with their medication safely and effectively and reduces the likelihood of drug error. The local pharmacy regularly audits the medication systems. Th most recent audit was undertaken on 5th September 2008. Staff have received appropriate training in the administration of medication and are certificated to evidence competency. Care Homes for Older People Page 14 of 27 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 good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Residents are able to choose their own lifestyle, social activity and regularly keep in contact with family and friends. Social, cultural and recreational activities meet residents expectations. Residents receive a healthy, varied diet according to their assessed requirements and choice. Evidence: There was evidence that the routines of the home are planned around the residents needs and wishes. The home encourages residents to be actively involved in the running of the home. Staff listen to residents and make considerable effort to provide an individualised and flexible service, which enables residents to enjoy a better quality of life. There are sufficient levels of staff to allow for activities and stimulation. The home operates a key worker system which enables closer staff and resident relationships where peoples likes, dislikes and needs are shared. Key workers use the information to plan activities that residents enjoy. The activity schedule includes keep-fit sessions, quizzes, fashion shows, games including bean bag games, skittles and activities that reflect celebrations and special occasions throughout the year. There are many visits Care Homes for Older People Page 15 of 27 Evidence: to the home made by pupils of Caversham Primary School throughout the year and a church service is held each month. Residents told the inspector that they had the opportunity to participate in residents meetings in which they can express their views about the service offered by the home and make suggestions which would be actioned by management. Observation of care practice and discussion with residents evidenced that the routines of the home are flexible and meet the needs of residents. Residents confirmed that they can rise and retire at a time of their choosing. They are offered appropriate choices at mealtimes and in relation to the activities of daily life. Maintaining independence and enabling residents to make their own decisions is a priority for the home. Residents are encouraged to take responsibility for their own financial affairs and to use their money as they wish. The home only holds a small amount of money for those residents that need support. Cash accounts were checked for two residents at the time of inspection and were found to be accurately documented and receipted. Food and mealtimes are an occasion at the home. An experienced cook is responsible for providing quality, nutritious meals that meet the cultural and dietary needs of the residents. Advice was given to seek professional support for one resident who is unable to eat a normal diet. The resident is prescribed nutritional supplements by the doctor currently. Residents spoken with at the time of inspection confirmed that the menu on offer at the home was varied and tasty. They made comments such as lovely food, too much for me, but very good and very nice, always tasty and plenty of it. Care Homes for Older People Page 16 of 27 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. Residents have access to a robust, effective complaints procedure. They are protected from abuse and exploitation by trained, knowledgeable staff who protect their legal rights. Evidence: The service has an up-to-date complaints procedure which is clearly written and easy to understand. It is documented in the Statement of Purpose and Service User Guide. Residents spoken with during inspection confirmed that they knew how to make a complaint but felt that they would not need to complain formally as management always dealt with concerns pro actively and in a timely fashion before formal complaint was necessary. Examination of the complaint records indicated that there have been no complaints received by the home since 5th November 2008. The CSCI has received no information about complaints about the service since the last inspection. The home has a copy of the inter agency policy on safeguarding adults. Staff interviewed by the inspector demonstrated a working knowledge of what actions may constitute abuse and were aware of the need to whistle-blow in the event of suspicions. They confirmed that they had received training in safeguarding as part of their induction and later as part of National Vocational Qualifications in which it is key. Care Homes for Older People Page 17 of 27 Evidence: Residents told the inspector that they felt safe at the home and enjoyed living there. Care Homes for Older People Page 18 of 27 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 good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Standards of decor and furnishings in this home are satisfactory and offer residents a comfortable and homely place to live. The home is clean and hygienic throughout and staff have received training in infection control to protect the health and safety of residents. Evidence: The home has a well maintained environment, which provides aids and equipment to meet the care needs of current residents. Advice was given about considering the need for a hoist which may be used if a resident falls or has mobility needs. The current practice of lifting residents from the floor if they have a minor fall could pose a risk to the safety of residents and staff. The home was clean throughout and residents and visitors confirmed that the home always smells clean and fresh. There is a rolling programme of maintenance and renewal and the Proprietor undertakes much of the routine maintenance work himself as he is a qualified builder. The gardens are large, mature and well maintained. There is a large deck with seats and sun umbrellas at the back of the home which is well used by residents particularly Care Homes for Older People Page 19 of 27 Evidence: during the summer months. The home has recently purchased a plot of land at the rear of the property which is currently fenced off. There are plans to add more gardens, lawns and pathways so that residents may enjoy this area. Care Homes for Older People Page 20 of 27 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 good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Staff in the home are trained, skilled and in sufficient numbers to fulfill the aims and objectives of the home and the changing needs of residents. Evidence: From discussion with residents and their visitors it is evident that residents have confidence in the staff that care for them. Several comments were received including the staff are excellent, really caring and they always know how I like things done, we have really nice girls looking after us. Management encourage staff members to undertake external qualifications beyond the basic requirements and recognise the value and benefits of having a skilled and well trained workforce. From examination of staff files and training records it is evident that most of the current staff have either gained or are in the process of gaining National Vocational Qualification at levels 2 & 3. Staff regularly undertake refresher training in core skills such as fire safety, food hygiene, first aid, manual handling, safeguarding and health & safety. All new staff have undertaken a 12 week induction course to ensure that they have the necessary skills to meet the needs of residents. The service has an effective recruitment procedure which is routinely followed. All staff have to complete an application form and give two written references. All new staff Care Homes for Older People Page 21 of 27 Evidence: have had a POVA first check and enhanced CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check. There is a need to increase the frequency of staff meetings to enable staff to feel fully involved the way that care is delivered and to provide them with the opportunity to express their opinions. There has been some slippage recently in the frequency of formal supervision although ad-hoc meetings have continued. Management acknowledge the shortfall which has been due to staff shortages. They understand the value of formalised one-to-one meetings and have undertaken to see staff on a formal basis more frequently in future. Care Homes for Older People Page 22 of 27 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 good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The home is well run for the benefit of residents by a competent Manager and professional staff team. The home is constantly reviewing its performance through regular service user consultation, which seeks and focuses on the views of its users. Evidence: The homes Registered Manager - Tracy Clark is widely experienced and has attained the Registered Managers Award and an NVQ level 4 in care to further enhance her knowledge and skills. She is supported in her task by a skilled, caring and qualified workforce. Staff confirm the the homes Manager demonstrates effective leadership skills and is always keen to support individual members of staffs personal and professional development. Staff say that the Manager operates an open door policy and is always available to offer advice, support and guidance. Care Homes for Older People Page 23 of 27 Evidence: Residents were highly complimentary about the management of the home and feel that they are kept well informed. They say that the office is always open and accessible to them and management always takes time to check that services are meeting their needs. Regular daily visits are made to the home by the Proprietor who undertakes quality assurance monitoring. He knows all of the residents well and talks to them on a daily basis to ensure that the home is operating satisfactorily and residents are satisfied with the service they are receiving. In addition a customer satisfaction survey is distributed to the homes stakeholders on an annual basis and the outcome is used by management to measure its success in meeting its stated aims and objectives. A number of health and safety records were sampled and were found to be appropriately documented. All necessary checks and servicing of equipment is routinely undertaken to safeguard the health and welfare of people using the service. Unnecessary risks to residents are identified using a comprehensive risk assessment. So far as possible the risks are reduced or eliminated by putting in place effective guidelines, policies and procedures. Care Homes for Older People Page 24 of 27 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 25 of 27 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 26 of 27 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 © (2009) 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 27 of 27 - 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!