Inspection on 29/10/08 for Whitegates Retirement Home

This inspection was carried out on 29th October 2008.

CSCI found this care home to be providing an Excellent service.

The inspector found no outstanding requirements from the previous inspection report, but made 1 statutory requirements (actions the home must comply with) as a result of this inspection.

Other inspections for this house

Whitegates Retirement Home 17/10/06

Whitegates Retirement Home 20/09/05

Whitegates Retirement Home 12/04/05

Whitegates Retirement Home 05/10/04

Whitegates Retirement Home 07/05/04

Similar services:

The Shelley

Springfield House

Sutton Lodge Nursing Home

St Helier`s Residential Hotel

St Joseph`s

Ridgemount

Wingham Court

Old Hastings House

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

Inspecting for better lives Key inspection report Care homes for older people Name: Address: Whitegates Retirement Home Westfield Lane Westfield East Sussex TN35 4SB     The quality rating for this care home is:   three star excellent service A quality rating is our assessment of how well a care home, agency or scheme is meeting the needs of the people who use it. We give a quality rating following a full assessment of the service. We call this a ‘key’ inspection. Lead inspector: June Davies     Date: 2 9 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 28 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 28 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: Whitegates Retirement Home Westfield Lane Westfield East Sussex TN35 4SB 01424754865 01424752185 whitegates.kpc@btopenworld.com Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Type of registration: Number of places registered: Whitegates Retirement Home Limited care home 22 Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 old age, not falling within any other category Additional conditions: The maximum number of service users to be accommodated is 22. The registered person may provide the following category/ies 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 categories: Old age, not falling within any other category (OP). Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home Whitegates Retirement Home Limited and the Proprietors are Mr and Mrs Courtney. The home is located on the outskirts of the village of Westfield. It is in walking distance to the local post office, pubs church and doctors surgery. The Property is a spacious two-storey purpose built house. There are several attractive and comfortable communal rooms and the home is furnished and decorated to a very high standard throughout. Residents? accommodation, which are all en-suite are sited on the ground and first floors, which is served by a passenger lift. There are large and wellmaintained gardens onto which the ground floor bedrooms open. The current scales of fees range from #490 to #650 per week. Care Homes for Older People Page 4 of 28 Over 65 22 0 Care Homes for Older People Page 5 of 28 Summary This is an overview of what we found during the inspection. The quality rating for this care home is: Our judgement for each outcome: three star excellent service Choice of home Health and personal care Daily life and social activities Complaints and protection Environment Staffing Management and administration peterchart Poor Adequate Good Excellent How we did our inspection: This unannounced key inspection was carried out on the 29th October 2008 over a period of 8 hours. During this key inspection the inspector spoke with the registered provider, registered manager, twelve residents, two visitors and members of staff. The inspector also carried out a tour of the home and undertook an audit of medication. Documents relating to the key standards inspected were also viewed and information contained within the Annual Quality Assurance review was also used. Care Homes for Older People Page 6 of 28 What the care home does well: What has improved since the last inspection? What they could do better: The registered manager must ensure that pre-admission assessments are detailed and conform to Standard 3 of the National Minimum Standards, this is to ensure that home is certain that the staff have the skills and knowledge to meet the residents needs prior to them moving into the home and that sufficient information is obtained on which to form the basis of a care plan. The registered manager must ensure that risk assessments for individual residents cover all aspects of care that may result injury or unnecessary risk. The medication policies and procedures need to be reviewed to ensure that all aspects of administration and recording are covered. Liquid medications, eye drops/ointments should be dated on bottle or tube on the day of opening and not on the box. The registered person must ensure that at least fifty per cent of care staff working in the home have completed their NVQ qualification in Social Care. The registered manager needs to up date the staff application form to require a full employment history, with written explanation for any gaps in employment. All new staff must completed a Skills for Care induction to ensure that they have the basic caring skills to meet the needs of the residents living in the home. Care Homes for Older People Page 7 of 28 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 printed copies from enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk or by telephoning our order line –0870 240 7535. Care Homes for Older People Page 8 of 28 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 9 of 28 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 adequate quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Pre-admission assessments should contain detailed information in relation to prospective residents to ensure that the home can meet their needs and aspirations. Evidence: The inspector viewed three pre-admission assessments and found information contained within them to be detailed, but also found that these pre-admission assessments did not obtain information as required by Standard 3 of the National Minimum Standards. The format of the present pre-admission assessment needs to be changed to ensure that full details are recorded for a prospective resident. The inspector discussed this with the manager who stated that while she does ask many more questions on her pre-assessment visits, these are not always recorded. It is important to gather as much information as possible in regard to a prospective resident, so the registered manager can judge if the staff in the home have the skills and the knowledge to meet the prospective residents needs. These pre-admission Care Homes for Older People Page 10 of 28 Evidence: assessments also need to be used as a basis for each residents care plan. Whitegates does not offer intermediate care. Care Homes for Older People Page 11 of 28 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. There is a clear and adequate care planning system in place to adequately provide staff with the information they need to satisfactorily meet the residents needs. Residents living in this home have access to a variety of health care professionals, to ensure that their health needs are met. Generally the management of medication in the home is good, but a few further improvements need to be made to ensure that residents are not placed at risk. Personal support in this home is offered in such a way as to promote and protect the residents privacy, dignity and independence. During the course of this inspection the inspector observed staff talking to residents in a kindly and professional manner. They are available to give assistance as and when required. Residents told the inspector that staff are very kind to them. There are always staff available to help them. Residents said that staff respect their privacy and dignity. Care Homes for Older People Page 12 of 28 Evidence: Three care plans were viewed which cross referenced to the pre-admission assessments of residents, while these care plans gave more detailed information in regard to the residents, personal, health and social care needs, this information has not been obtained prior to the resident moving into the home. Each care plan gives clear directions as to what actions should be taken by staff to ensure that the residents needs are met. Risk assessments are in place for residents in relation to mobility, social and environmental, clinical needs and mental capacity. It was noted that no risk assessments were in place in regard to one resident who requires a hot water bottle and another resident who wishes to use a heat pad, which is heated in the microwave, it is imperative that risk assessments are completed for these needs. All three care plans showed evidence that they had been reviewed on a monthly basis. There was no evidence that the resident and/or their representative had signed up to these plans of care. Each care plan showed good evidence that the residents health care needs are met. There was good recording of personal hygiene needs being met. Any concerns regarding tissue viability are reported directly to the district nurse, who will visit the resident and assess for pressure relieving equipment. There was no evidence in care plans that these residents had continence problems. In one care plan there was evidence that the residents psychological needs were being met and that their General Practitioner was aware of their mental health needs. All the residents in the home are active and able to provide themselves with the exercise they need on a daily basis. Each care plan showed that the residents nutritional needs are assessed on a regular basis, and residents weights are recorded, monthly. From discussion with many of the residents in the home the inspector was told that there is regular contact with health care professionals as and when required. A district nurse also said that residents health care needs are well met by the home. The receipt, recording, storage, handling, administration and disposal of medication is well managed in the home. The medication policy and procedure needs to be updated to include good guidelines for PRN (as required) medication and the controlled drugs procedure needs to clearly outline to staff that a stock balance needs to be kept in the controlled drugs register. It was also noted that clinical terms were being used on the Monthly Administration Record for the times that residents needed to have their medication administered, this practice should cease as it can be confusing for staff who are not trained nurses, and this could lead to mistakes being made. Eye drops/ointments and liquid medications should be dated on the bottle/tube on the day of opening and not on the box. Care Homes for Older People Page 13 of 28 Evidence: Care Homes for Older People Page 14 of 28 Daily life and social activities These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: Each person is treated as an individual and the care home is responsive to his or her race, culture, religion, age, disability, gender and sexual orientation. They are part of their local community. The care home supports people to follow personal interests and activities. People are able to keep in touch with family, friends and representatives. They are as independent as they can be, lead their chosen lifestyle and have the opportunity to make the most of their abilities. People have nutritious and attractive meals and snacks, at a time and place to suit them. There are no additional outcomes. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Residents know that their choices and social interests will be supported by the home. Links with the community are good and support and enrich residents social opportunities. The meals in this home are good offering both choice and variety and catering for special diets. Evidence: Residents told the inspector that they are able to be flexible and make choices in regard to their daily living. They spoke of arranging their own activities from a variety of board games and books within the home. Some residents continue to participate in hobbies they had prior to moving into the home. The inspector spoke with one resident who produces craft work for village clubs and friends. From time to time residents play bridge with friends from the village. A popular game is scrabble and residents enjoy playing this with other residents in the home. Many of the residents have good contact with the local community, and attend local Care Homes for Older People Page 15 of 28 Evidence: clubs. Visits to local towns are also popular. The local village church visits the home regularly to give communion to the residents and some residents attend church services. The registered manager has also arranged for some residents to attend the Peter Pan pantomime in Hastings in December. Visitors are welcome into the home at any time. One visitor said how much she enjoyed visiting her friend in the home, and how welcoming the staff are. Residents in this home are offered a good varied and balanced diet of their choice. All food likes and dislikes are recorded and the cook prepares meals in accordance with individual likes and dislikes. All residents are able to have a glass of sherry or wine prior to lunch and evening meal. The dining room is very attractive, and meals are taken in an unhurried manner. All residents said how good the food was in the home. During the course of the inspection one resident asked the registered manager if she would be able to have her evening meal in her room so that she did not miss a television programme and this was arranged immediately. Specialised diets are catered for as and when reguired. Care Homes for Older People Page 16 of 28 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 know their complaints will be listened to and acted on. Staff have good knowledge and understanding of Adult protection issues which protects residents from abuse. Evidence: There have been no complaints to Whitegates since the last key inspection. All residents said that they would know how to complain should they need to do so. Residents said that if there are small issues that need rectifying, they would report this to registered manager or to the registered provider and they are always dealt with immediately. The home has policies and procedures in place for Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults. Staff have received training in the Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults. From staff personnel files viewed there is evidence that the home operates a stringent recruitment procedure with all new staff being Protection of Vulnerable Adults Register checked and Criminal Records Bureau checked prior to taking up employment in the home. The have been no Safeguarding Vulnerable Adult alerts since the last key inspection. Care Homes for Older People Page 17 of 28 Environment These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People stay in a safe and well-maintained home that is homely, clean, pleasant and hygienic. People stay in a home that has enough space and facilities for them to lead the life they choose and to meet their needs. The home makes sure they have the right specialist equipment that encourages and promotes their independence. Their room feels like their own, it is comfortable and they feel safe when they use it. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Whitegates is set in a large garden area, with car parking facilities. The home itself is maintained to a very high standard, with quality furnishings and fittings throughout. Whitegates environment provides residents with an attractive and homely place to live. The home is clean, pleasant and hygienic throughout with staff have good knowledge of infection control procedures. Evidence: This home provides excellent accommodation for the resident living there. Decoration, furniture, soft furnishings and cleanliness of the home is excellent in communal areas, toilets, kitchen, laundry and residents bedrooms. It was noted that radiators in the communal library were not covered, and this was pointed out to the registered provider and manager who said that they would address this immediately. All residents bedrooms have an en-suite facility with bath, shower, wash basin and toilet. The living areas of all bedrooms are based on a bed sit style, and there is spacious accommodation for bedroom furniture as well as chairs, lounge suites and cupboards. Both en-suite facilities and bedrooms have call bells in situ. There was evidence thourghout the home of fresh flowers, and tasteful silk flowers, as well as well kept plants. The gardens of the home are well maintained with paved walkways for the residents to use as they wish to. All residents felt the home was perfect in every way, Care Homes for Older People Page 18 of 28 Evidence: and spoke highly of how comfortable they felt. The inspector spoke with two visitors to the home who said that all the services provided were excellent. They also said that the home is kept in excellent condition and was always the same at what ever time they visited. Bedrooms are always redecorated as and when they become vacant. The laundry area, was seen to be clean and tidy and fitted with industrial washing machine with sluicing facility, as well as a small domestic washing machine for more delicate items of laundry. Staff have good knowledge of infection control procedures and staff are supplied with disposable gloves and plastic aprons, white for personal care and cleaning up spillages and blue for handling food. All communal hand washing facilities have liquid soap and paper hand towels. A clinical waste bin is kept in the laundry area, and is emptied regularly into the large clinical waste bin kept outside the laudnry room. Care Homes for Older People Page 19 of 28 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 are employed in sufficient numbers to meet the needs of the residents in the home. Staff recruitment practices are generally good with all staff being vetted prior to taking up employment in the home, ensuring that the residents are not placed at risk of abuse. Staff are trained in all aspects of health and safety issues, but it was found that new staff do not receive Skills for Care induction to ensure they have the basic care knowledge to meet the residents needs. Evidence: Sufficient care staff are employed in the home on all shifts to ensure that residents, personal, health and social care needs are met. The inspector observed staff treating residents with respect and empathy, and holding one to one conversations with residents. It was observed that there is good team work in the home. Ancillary staff are employed in sufficient numbers to ensure a high quality of cleanliness and presentation throughout the home. Seven staff have achieved their NVQ in Social Care and a further six staff are Care Homes for Older People Page 20 of 28 Evidence: undertaking this qualification. The inspector viewed two staff files and found that all staff have been required to complete an application form, and had undergone Protection of Vulnerable Register check and Criminal Records bureau check, as well as two written references being obtained prior to new members of staff taking up employment in the home. The majority of staff in the home have received mandatory training in moving and handling, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, infection control, Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults, and medication. All new staff receive an initial induction into the home, but unless funded by NVQ they do not receive Skills for Care Induction. This was discussed with the registered manager, who will ensure that Skills for Care induction is started for all new staff recruited to the home. Care Homes for Older People Page 21 of 28 Management and administration These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People have confidence in the care home because it is led and managed appropriately. People control their own money and choose how they spend it. If they or someone close to them cannot manage their money, it is managed by the care home in their best interests. The environment is safe for people and staff because appropriate health and safety practices are carried out. People get the right support from the care home because the manager runs it appropriately with an open approach that makes them feel valued and respected. The people staying at the home are safeguarded because it follows clear financial and accounting procedures, keeps records appropriately and ensures their staff understand the way things should be done. They get the right care because the staff are supervised and supported by their managers. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The manager is supported well by the senior staff in providing clear leadership throughout the home with all staff demonstrating an awareness of their roles and responsibilities. The quality assurance system in the home is good, ensuring that resident receive a high quality of care. Staff receive regular formal supervision to ensure that they have the skills, knowlege and experience to meet the residents needs. Health and Safety is well managed to ensure that residents live and staff work in a safe environment where risk is kept to a minimum. Evidence: Manager has her RMA qualifications and Registered Managers Award, she has 7 years Care Homes for Older People Page 22 of 28 Evidence: experience at management level with residential care settings. She is registered with CSCI. The registered manager is also supported in her role by the Deputy Manager, Head of Care and administration manager. Staff said that the management in the home are approachable and fair. Staff meetings have now been set up and these take place at different times to ensure that all staff are involved. From the inspectors observations during this key inspection it was evident that staff in the home are committed to good team work, that they are motivated and have the best interests of the residents as a top priority. The quality assurance system in the home is good, and with minor adjustments would be excellent. Surveys of the quality of care are obtained from residents and visitors to the home, further work in regard to seeking the views of visiting professionals to the home needs to be done, this includes seeking the views of General Practitioners, district nurses, community psychiatric nurses, chiropodists, dentists, opticians, hairdressers and others who visit the home in a professional capacity. The registered manager monitors, care plans, carries out her own reviews of care plans and risk assessments, monitors cleanliness, menus, quality of food, maintenance and infection control. Staff training competence is looked at in formal supervision sessions. The home regularly checks fire risk and health and safety. The registered provider spends a lot of time in the home ensuring that good quality of care is provided to the residents and that the environment is kept in pristine condition. The inspector was able to view a Summary of the Quality Assurance surveys published in June 2008, this could be further enhanced by including a summary of monitoring of systems used in the home. The registered provider and registered manager have no dealings with residents financial affairs, and residents have made their own arrangements in regard to finances or personal allowances by either appointing powers of attorney or solicitors to act on their behalf. From viewing staff personnel files and talking to staff, the inspector was able to evidence that all staff receive regular supervision at least six time per year. All aspects of health and safety in the home are well managed. From the Annual Quality Assurance Assessment the inspector found that all appliances used in the home have an up to date maintenance certificate. All doors are fitted with a magnetic release system should the fire alarm be activated. The inspector evidence via the Fire Log, that fire call points are checked weekly and emergency lighting is checked monthly. Staff fire drills are carried out. Hot water delivery is check regularly to ensure that hot water is delivered close to 43 degrees centigrade. The Health and Safety Executive accident book is completed for any accidents that Care Homes for Older People Page 23 of 28 Evidence: residents might have, and the registered manager monitors this regularly to ensure that the same resident is not falling on a regular basis. Should a resident fall on a regular basis this would be referred directly to that residents General Practitioner to ensure there is not an underlying cause for the falls. Care Homes for Older People Page 24 of 28 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 28 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 1 3 14 The registered person shall 19/12/2008 not provide accommodation to a service user at the care home unless, so far as it shall have been practicable to do so (a) needs of the service user have been assessed by a suitably qualified or suitably trained person: (c) there has been apporopriate consultation regarding the assessment with the service user or a representative of the service user The registered manager must ensure that she obtains a full pre-admission assessment of the prospective service users needs to ensure that the staff working at the care home have the skills and knowledge to meet the residents needs. Care Homes for Older People Page 26 of 28 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 7 Risk assessments should be drawn up for the resident who uses a hot water bottle and another resident who uses a heat pad which is warmed up in the microwave. Medication policy and procedure needs to be updated to include guidelines for the administration of PRN (as required medication) and information for staff as to how to keep a stock balance in controlled drugs registered. Clinical terms should not be used on Monthly Administration Records. All eye drops/ointments and liquid medication should be dated on bottle/tube on the day of opening and not on the box. The registered person must ensure that at least fifty per cent of care staff working in the home have completed their NVQ qualification in Social Care. The registered manager needs to up date the staff application form to require a full employment history, with written explanation for any gaps in employment. All new staff must completed a Skills for Care induction to ensure that they have the basic caring skills to meet the needs of the residents living in the home. 2 9 3 28 4 29 5 30 Care Homes for Older People Page 27 of 28 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 28 of 28 - 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!