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Inspection on 08/10/08 for The Poplars Residential Home

Also see our care home review for The Poplars Residential Home for more information

This inspection was carried out on 8th October 2008.

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.

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

There is a homely environment for residents and all residents said they liked living at the home and a relative told us: `I like the home because the staff are friendly. My relative gets caring attention here and feels she has friends here even though she has dementia`. We looked at care records and they showed staff making every effort to respect residents wishes. For example one resident said he wanted to stay in his bedroom all day and be private. The resident now feels confident that he is not reminded to mix with the other residents if he does not want to. Residents have the opportunity to take part in an activities programme including bingo, making cards, musical entertainers etc. Individual food preferences are catered. Most of the residents we spoke to praised the food and a resident told us: `I like what I get to eat and the cook comes to talk to us about it so we can tell her`. The staff team is established and many of the carers have been in post for a long time. This means residents have the opportunity to get to know the people who care for them.

What has improved since the last inspection?

Assessments now contain evidence of the last appointments with Medical Services dentist, optician etc. Care Plans contain more specific detail as to residents continence needs so that staff can offer the toilet before residents need to go, and staff ensure that residents privacy is respected by shutting doors to toilets when they are assisting residents. Health and safety systems have been tightened to ensure that fire doors are kept closed unless on approved fire closures, that access to Control of Substances Hazardous to Health is restricted by ensuring storerooms and cupboards are secure and that paving stones to the front of the home have been replaced and are flat to the ground so residents do not trip on them. There is now a Registered Manager in place to ensure that care to residents is properly coordinated.

What the care home could do better:

Staff need to follow up to date Care Plans to ensure they fully cover residents identified care needs. Staffing levels needs to be further reviewed, especially in the morning period, so that residents needs are covered at all times. All staff need to be aware of the full whistleblowing procedure and fire procedures so that residents health and safety is fully covered.

Inspecting for better lives Key inspection report Care homes for older people Name: Address: The Poplars Residential Home Watling Street Mountsorrel Loughborough LE12 7BD     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: Keith Charlton     Date: 0 8 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 27 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 27 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: The Poplars Residential Home Watling Street Mountsorrel Loughborough LE12 7BD 01162302102 01162304485 saidamawani127@hotmail.com Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Name of registered manager (if applicable) Emily Louise Marriott Type of registration: Number of places registered: Mr Riaz Mawani,Mrs Sayida Mawani care home 23 Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 dementia mental disorder, excluding learning disability or dementia old age, not falling within any other category Additional conditions: The maximum number of service users who can be accommodated is: 23. The registered person may provide the following categories of service only: Care Home Only - Code PC To service users of the following gender: Either Whose primary care needs on admission to the home are within the following categories: Old Age, not falling within any other category - Code OP Dementia - Code DE Mental Disorder Code MD Maximum number of places: 23. Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home The Poplars Care Home cares for twenty three older persons, some of which have dementia or mental health needs in a large property situated in the village of Care Homes for Older People Page 4 of 27 Over 65 0 0 23 23 23 0 Brief description of the care home Mountsorrel. The home is close to the market town of Loughborough where residents have access to a variety of facilities. The home is easily accessible for private and public transport. The premise consists of two floors accessible by use of the stairs and passenger lift. There are a variety of facilities in the home including dining and lounge space. The home comprises seventeen single bedrooms, two without en-suite facilities. There are three double bedrooms. There is a large garden to the front and a garden patio situated to the rear of the premises. The weekly fees are from £334 to £395 this information was provided on the day of the inspection. There are additional costs for individual expenditure such as hairdressing, toiletries, etc. A Statement of Purpose and Service Users Guide to the services the home offers can be supplied to applicants and the last Inspection Report is available in the hallway, to enable prospective residents to make an informed choice as to whether they wish to live at the home. 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: The quality rating for this service is 2 stars. This means the people who use this service experience good quality outcomes. The last key inspection of this service was on 24/10/08. This was a key inspection that included a visit to the home and inspection planning. Prior to the visit we (throughout the report the use of we indicates the Commission for Social Care Inspection), spent half a day reviewing information relating to the home. During the course of the inspection, which lasted six hours, we checked the key standards as identified in the National Minimum Standards. This was achieved through Care Homes for Older People Page 6 of 27 a method called case tracking. Case tracking means we looked at the care provided to three residents living at the home by meeting them, talking with the staff who support their care, checking records relating to their health and welfare and viewing their personal accommodation as well as communal living areas. Other issues relating to the running of the home including health and safety and management issues, were examined. We also talked to six residents, one relative, a district nurse, the Care Manager and two care workers. 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 Care Homes for Older People Page 8 of 27 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 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. Residents needs are assessed prior to admission to ensure the home is suitable for them. Evidence: A resident said that she could have visited the home prior to admission to see if she wanted to live there but she chose not to do so. The Manager said in the AQAA document that people considering coming to the Poplars are invited to the home. The Manager carries out an assessment of their needs where they are - at their home, hospital etc. Information is sought from health and social care professionals if appropriate. This process helps to ensure the home is suitable for those who are considering living there. The admission form details all areas of need to help staff plan to meet the care of the new resident. Other residents said that they had been made welcome when they had arrived to live in the home. Staff were friendly and reassured me which was good as I was anxious, one resident said. Care Homes for Older People Page 11 of 27 Evidence: 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. Staff in the home meet residents health and personal care needs. Medication is safely managed and administered. Evidence: Residents said that they were well looked after: Staff are good here.They take care of you. The staff are really friendly and are careful when they help me to dress. Care plans are well organised and set out in detail how to meet the needs of individual residents. There was a problem with one Plan in that it said that a resident needed supervision when she walked though a staff member said she did not. The Manager said this would be followed up and staff asked to read all Care Plans. There are also risk assessments in place to keep residents safe from any identified risk. Residents receive appropriate healthcare services and any health problems were seen to be attended to by GPs, District Nurses, and other healthcare professionals. However there was a gap in that residents dental information was not recorded so that it was Care Homes for Older People Page 13 of 27 Evidence: not clear when residents had been offered this service or whether they needed it. The Manager said this would be recorded on Plans though was able to show that she had tried to get a dentist to visit residents. Accident records showed that medical services had been called if residents had fallen and received a potentially serious injury. Medication is appropriately handled. Residents can self medicate if they are assessed to be able to do so. A staff member was observed to be issuing medication correctly and to lock the medication trolley when moving away from it to give residents their medication. Only Senior staff issue medication and they are trained to do so. Medication records were found to be complete and up to date. The Manager said she is to check that she has the appropriate metaled cupboard that meets the specifications of the 2007 Amendment to The Misuse of Drugs Act 1973 to keep special drugs. We observed that staff were friendly and respectful to residents. Residents said that staff were always like this and they could have a laugh and joke with staff. 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. Daily life and social activities at The Poplars meet residents social and recreational interests and needs. Evidence: Residents said that they enjoyed the activities that were held on weekday afternoons but they would also like more in the morning especially if staff could sit and chat with them. One resident said I like playing the bingo, its fun, and another resident said I dont like going downstairs to join in. I prefer being in my room though I would like staff popping in and chatting. Residents have the opportunity to take part in a varied programme including: Painting, Bingo, Sing Songs, Entertainers. Birthday parties are also held. Residents are also asked what activities they like doing in Residents Meetings. This included two residents saying they would like to go to church. The Manager said she is looking at arranging this if possible and recording in minutes how residents requests are dealt with. There were also comments that there Care Homes for Older People Page 15 of 27 Evidence: should be outings as none have been offered this year and residents should be given the opportunity to walk in the front garden or in the village, with staff support. The Manager said that there were plans to provide outings, and the first one being looked at would be a boat trip. A relative said she was always welcomed into the home by staff and staff said visitors were welcome at all times. Most of the residents said the food was good. There were some comments that there is not always a choice available and the food records supported this. One resident said, I would like to have fish and chips. We get fish but no chips. The Manager said that this advice had come from a health professional for health reasons but this request would be acted upon so as to increase choices for residents. Lunch served during the inspection had three choices of main meals and two choices of dessert. 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 feel able to talk to staff about any concerns they might have and staff are trained to safeguard adults. Evidence: Residents said that they had not needed to make a complaint but they were sure that if they did then it would be properly followed up by the Manager. A resident said: Things are done right here so I am sure it would be put in place. The home procedure is displayed in the entrance hall. This needed a slight adjustment to give the complainant the choice to complain directly to the home or to the lead agency if they felt they wanted to have an independent body to look into this. There have been no formal complaints since the last inspection. The manager said that if general issues were brought to her attention they would be quickly acted upon. This gives residents and relatives confidence that any concerns they bring forward, however minor, will be taken seriously and addressed. We looked at the homes policy on dealing with abuse. This is displayed for staff to refer to and the training matrix indicated that staff have been trained in this issue though when staff were spoken with regarding this they struggled to name the appropriate Agencies to refer to, though they did know the in house procedure to Care Homes for Older People Page 17 of 27 Evidence: report it to management. The Manager said she would go through the whole procedure with staff and test them to ensure they know it fully. There were proper checks on file to indicate that staff did not constitute a risk to residents. 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. Residents live in a home that is homely and cleaned to a good standard. Evidence: The Poplars is a large detached house situated in the village of Mountsorrel. It sits within its large grounds with a large front garden and has an enclosed back patio area. The home is on two floors with a passenger and stair lift for access. The premises are homely, comfortable and spacious and all areas are accessible to residents with limited mobility. The Manager said that there are plans to redecorate some of the bedrooms as they are in need of this and during the inspection we noted that one of the owners was painting the skirting boards, as these had been damaged by wheelchairs. There is also a handyman on call to maintain the premises. The Manager stated that the following improvements have been made since the last inspection: New carpets throughout, new easy chairs and dining chairs, and the paving slabs to the front have been levelled so that the risk of residents tripping has been lessened. The Manager said that the entrance hallway was to be redecorated to make it more Care Homes for Older People Page 19 of 27 Evidence: welcoming and attractive. This was an unannounced inspection and all areas we inspected were clean and fresh. The Manager stated that domestic cover was now six days a week instead of five days a week last year and she would look at extending this cover further to seven days a week. 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 adequate quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Friendly and professional staff communicate well with residents though staffing levels mean that all residents needs are not met. Evidence: All residents and comments made by relatives in surveys praised the staff. Residents said that staff were friendly an respectful towards them: Staff are great. They could not be better. You could not get kinder staff than this. Staff are patient and friendly and you can have a laugh with them, were some of the comments made. During the inspection relationships between staff and residents were seen to be warm and professional. The staff team is established and many of the carers have been in post for a number of years according to the Manager. There were some comments made regarding the shortage of staff in the busy morning period. At this time there are three care staff plus the Manager said she helped out where necessary. We saw on instance where staff were helping two residents to feed. This left one carer on the floor to cover around twenty residents. As the majority of residents have confusion and need to have a staff presence to ensure they and other residents are safe, a number of residents need two carers to help them with personal Care Homes for Older People Page 21 of 27 Evidence: care and some residents are taken to the toilet as per their continence plan, there is pressure on staff to meet their needs. Records showed that all staff have two references and a satisfactory CRB disclosure before starting work. They undergo a detailed induction through the Manager. This helps to safequard residents and ensure staff know how to meet their needs. This is followed up with further training including NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications) in Care. In addition there is essential core training in issues such as Moving and Handling, Health and Safety, Infection Control, Dementia, Fire, Food Hygiene etc. Staff said that the Manager emphasises training and encourages staff to attend. These training opportunities help to ensure staff have the skills and knowledge necessary to meet residents needs. The Manager said she would add training on residents conditions, e.g. Stroke, Diabetes, Parkinsons Disease, Hearing and Sight Impairment etc to the Training Matrix, so that staff have a fuller knowledge of these conditions, and that the District Nurse is to assist with providing the training programme. A staff member said: We are supported in our work and its a nice place to work. Other comments in the surveys supported the view that staffing systems were well planned to deliver good care to residents. 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. Residents live in a home that is safe and well managed. Evidence: The Manager has been in post for over a year and is a Registered General Nurse. She is responsible for the day to day running of the Home and is line managed by the Registered Provider who can be contacted as needed for advice and direction. During the inspection the Manager was found to have good relationships with both residents and staff. In discussions on the day of the inspection she was found to have a good understanding of how the home should be run in the best interests of the residents accommodated there. Both staff and residents praised the way the Manager runs the home, saying that she is friendly and supportive and does not wait to put things right if that is what is needed. Emily is a good Manager and gets things done in a friendly way. The home is really well run. There was evidence of regular staff meetings which were well recorded and contained discussions relevant to the running Care Homes for Older People Page 23 of 27 Evidence: of the home to a quality standard. Health professionals in the surveys received back also said that she is a good Manager. Annual quality assurance surveys are provided to residents and their relatives. They were seen to have been completed this year. To provide more information to residents and relatives the Manager is to analysis this information, produce an action plan to act on comments made and include this in the homes information. The Manager looks after the monies of residents and it was found that appropriate records were kept. Health and Safety records were found to be kept in that there were risk assessments regarding safe working practices and fire practices - holding of fire drills and testing of alarms and emergency lighting systems in place. The Manager said that there was a fire risk assessment for the home though was not able to locate this and said she would follow this up and contact us regarding it. Staff were asked regarding the fire procedure though were not able to relate all aspects of the procedure in order. The Manager said that staff would be provided with further training and tested on this procedure. The hot water was tested and found to be within the safe limit so protected residents from scalding. 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 1 2 3 4 5 7 12 18 27 30 Staff neeed to follow all the instructions in Care Plans to ensure residents needs are fully met. Opportunities to extend activities based on residents preferences should be considered. All staff need to be aware of the full abuse procedure to ensure full protection of residents. Staffing levels need to be reviewed and increased where necessary to meet all the needs of residents. The Training Progamme needs to be extended to cover all residents conditions to increse staff knowledge and skills. 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 © (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 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!