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Inspection on 20/02/08 for Woodlands Care Home

Also see our care home review for Woodlands Care Home for more information

This inspection was carried out on 20th February 2008.

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

The inspector made no statutory requirements on the home as a result of this inspection and there were no outstanding actions from the previous inspection report.

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 was detailed written information about the needs of the people that lived there that enabled the staff to provide the help and support that each individual required. The home promoted equality and diversity and its routines were flexible. Individuals were encouraged and supported to make choices for themselves and use the amenities in the local community. The building was comfortable, well furnished and decorated. The home`s managements systems and procedures were effective including staff recruitment, health and safety, record keeping, medication and quality monitoring. These ensured that among other things the safety and welfare of people living and working in the home were promoted and that they were able to influence the way the service was provided by the home. Confidence in the home`s management was expressed by people working there, relatives of people living in the home and social care professionals. There was a strong commitment to staff support, training and development to ensure that they were able to fulfil their roles and responsibilities and meet the complex and diverse needs of people living in the home.

What has improved since the last inspection?

There were no matters of concern identified as a result of the last key inspection of the home.

CARE HOME ADULTS 18-65 Woodlands Care Home 375 Woodlands Road Netley Marsh Totton Hampshire SO40 7GB Lead Inspector Tim Inkson Key Unannounced Inspection 20th February 2008 08:55 Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 1 The Commission for Social Care Inspection aims to: • • • • Put the people who use social care first Improve services and stamp out bad practice Be an expert voice on social care Practise what we preach in our own organisation Reader Information Document Purpose Author Audience Further copies from Copyright Inspection Report CSCI General Public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) This report is copyright Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and may only be used in its entirety. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the express permission of CSCI www.csci.org.uk Internet address Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 2 This is a report of an inspection to assess whether services are meeting the needs of people who use them. The legal basis for conducting inspections is the Care Standards Act 2000 and the relevant National Minimum Standards for this establishment are those for Care Homes for Adults 18-65. They can be found at www.dh.gov.uk or obtained from The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Crispins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop This report is a public document. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the prior permission of the Commission for Social Care Inspection. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 3 SERVICE INFORMATION Name of service Woodlands Care Home Address 375 Woodlands Road Netley Marsh Totton Hampshire SO40 7GB 023 80 871704 023 80 871704 woodlands@truecare.co.uk Telephone number Fax number Email address Provider Web address Name of registered provider(s)/company (if applicable) Name of registered manager (if applicable) Type of registration No. of places registered (if applicable) Truecare Group Ltd Mrs Danniella Kirsty Uden Care Home 6 Category(ies) of Learning disability (6) registration, with number of places Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 4 SERVICE INFORMATION Conditions of registration: 1. 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: 2. Learning Disability - (LD) The maximum number of service users to be accommodated is 6. Date of last inspection 25th September 2006 Brief Description of the Service: Woodlands Care home is registered to provide personal care and accommodation for up to six people with learning difficulty and associated mental health disorder. The home is located in the village of Netley Marsh, close to the local shops and pub and a bus route to the nearby town of Totton and the city of Southampton. The home has the use of two vehicles that enables people living there to get to amenities in the community without relying on public transport. The property is a large detached family house that has been converted to its current use and there are six bedrooms on the first floor and the communal/shared rooms are on the ground floor. All bedrooms are provided with en-suite shower facilities. People living in the home share a large lounge/dining area with adjoining conservatory, leading to an enclosed garden. There is a large kitchen and separate laundry room. Information about the service provided at the home is made available to people wishing to live there by providing them with a copy of the home’s Service Users Guide in a format that is easy to understand. A copy of a report of the most recent inspection of the home carried out by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (“the Commission”) is available in the home. At the time of this site visit the home’s fees ranged from £1500 to £2900 per week depending on the degree of support and help a person needed. This fee included a clothing allowance and holidays but not the cost of hairdressing and podiatry/chiropody. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 5 SUMMARY This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection. The quality rating for this service is 3 star. This means the people who use this service experience excellent quality outcomes. This site visit was part of the process of a key inspection of the home. It was unannounced and took place on 20th February 2008, starting at 08:55 and finishing at 14:50 hours. During the visit accommodation was viewed including bedrooms, communal/shared areas and the home’s kitchen and laundry. Documents and records were examined and staff working practice was observed where this was possible without being intrusive. People living in the home and staff were spoken to in order to obtain their perceptions of the service that the home provided. At the time of the inspection the home was accommodating 5 people, all were female and their ages were 31 and 43 years and none was from a minority ethnic group. The home’s registered manager was present during the visit and was available to provide assistance and information when required. Care managers for the people living in the home were telephoned for their views about the home following the site visit and their comments have been taken into consideration when producing this report. Other matters that influenced this report included: Responses in questionnaires returned by people living in the home and their relatives. An Annual Quality Assurance Assessment completed by the registered manager in which she set out how she believed the home met and planned to exceed the National Minimum Standards (NMS) for Care Homes for Adults (18 –65) and evidence to support this. A “dataset” containing information about the home’s staff team, and some of its managements systems and procedures. Information that “the Commission” had received such as statutory notices about incidents/accidents that had occurred. What the service does well: There was detailed written information about the needs of the people that lived there that enabled the staff to provide the help and support that each individual required. The home promoted equality and diversity and its routines were flexible. Individuals were encouraged and supported to make choices for themselves and use the amenities in the local community. The building was comfortable, well furnished and decorated. The home’s managements systems and procedures were effective including staff recruitment, health and safety, record keeping, medication and quality monitoring. These ensured that among other things the safety and welfare of Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 6 people living and working in the home were promoted and that they were able to influence the way the service was provided by the home. Confidence in the home’s management was expressed by people working there, relatives of people living in the home and social care professionals. There was a strong commitment to staff support, training and development to ensure that they were able to fulfil their roles and responsibilities and meet the complex and diverse needs of people living in the home. What has improved since the last inspection? What they could do better: Please contact the provider for advice of actions taken in response to this inspection. The report of this inspection is available from enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk or by contacting your local CSCI office. The summary of this inspection report can be made available in other formats on request. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 7 DETAILS OF INSPECTOR FINDINGS CONTENTS Choice of Home (Standards 1–5) Individual Needs and Choices (Standards 6-10) Lifestyle (Standards 11-17) Personal and Healthcare Support (Standards 18-21) Concerns, Complaints and Protection (Standards 22-23) Environment (Standards 24-30) Staffing (Standards 31-36) Conduct and Management of the Home (Standards 37 – 43) Scoring of Outcomes Statutory Requirements Identified During the Inspection Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 8 Choice of Home The intended outcomes for Standards 1 – 5 are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Prospective service users have the information they need to make an informed choice about where to live. Prospective users’ individual aspirations and needs are assessed. Prospective service users know that the home that they will choose will meet their needs and aspirations. Prospective service users have an opportunity to visit and to “test drive” the home. Each service user has an individual written contract or statement of terms and conditions with the home. The Commission consider Standard 2 the key standard to be inspected. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 2 Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service. The home had systems and procedure in place to identify the help people needed before they moved in, in order to ensure that the home could properly provide it. EVIDENCE: There were 5 people living in the home at the time of this site visit. No people had moved into the home since the last key inspection of it had been completed on 25th September 2006. Everyone that moved into the home was referred to it by and the arrangements made in partnership with the adults services department of a local authority and/or a primary health care trust. Before a person moved into the home the help and support they required were identified initially by “the director of referrals” employed by the company that owned it. This assessment of a person’s needs included matters such as communication skills, behavioural and emotional issues, risk factors, and day services. A transitional plan to help a person adjust to living in the home was developed and included registering the individual with a doctor, carrying out further detailed assessments of needs and abilities, developing detailed care plans, involvement in day care or education and reviewing progress at regular intervals. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 9 At the time of the site visit the home’s registered manager said that they were expecting someone who was interested in moving into the home to visit to view it later in the week. A detailed assessment with information about the person concerned and completed by the director of referrals was available. The care manager/social worker responsible for making the necessary arrangements for the individual called at the home during the site visit in order to view it and also to discuss the needs of the person concerned with the staff. It was evident from those discussions that a range of specialist health and social care professionals had been involved in identifying the type of help that the person required. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 10 Individual Needs and Choices The intended outcomes for Standards 6 – 10 are: 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Service users know their assessed and changing needs and personal goals are reflected in their individual Plan. Service users make decisions about their lives with assistance as needed. Service users are consulted on, and participate in, all aspects of life in the home. Service users are supported to take risks as part of an independent lifestyle. Service users know that information about them is handled appropriately, and that their confidences are kept. The Commission considers Standards 6, 7 and 9 the key standards to be inspected. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 6, 7 and 9 Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service. The home had systems and procedures in place for planning the care and support that people received. People were helped to exercise choices about day-to-day life. The potential of harm to individuals was identified and plans were put in place to promote responsible risk taking. EVIDENCE: Documents examined during the site visit included comprehensive plans setting out details of the support that each person living in the home needed and how it was to be provided. The plans were focussed on the choices and wishes of the individual, demonstrating that “person centred planning” was the principle upon which they were based e.g. “Staff will ascertain A’s social and leisure interests by consulting with her”. Each person had with the support of staff completed a personal planning book with pictures and symbols setting out important things in the individual’s life e.g. relationships, goals/aspirations and details of likes and dislikes. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 11 The home used pictures and symbols to assist some people to make choices e.g. menus and also to convey information about who was on duty and what activities had been arranged. The ability of individuals living in the home to exercise choice and control about their day-to-day life was clearly illustrated by the comments arising from discussions with one of the people living in the home. • “… I am getting my room decorated … I chose the colour … I go to community access on my own … if there is something that I don’t like I cook for myself … we have a menu in the kitchen and we decide between all of us what we like … I went to France and to Butlins and I chose my own holidays … I clean my room when I want to and not when the staff tell me to …from Monday to Friday we go to bed by 11:00 but if I want to watch a film I will stay up later …”. The plans of care and support were supplemented by daily notes and there was evidence from documents and discussion that care plans were reviewed regularly with the individuals concerned and that some depending on their abilities were fully aware of the contents of their plans. A range of assessments of potential harm to each person had been completed and informed the plans of care that included strategies about how these risks would be managed. The risks identified included the following; self medicating; cooking; tidying bedroom; laundry; personal care; unsupported community access; bus journey; etc. The plans did include where necessary clear instructions about how staff were to manage behaviour of particular individuals that was difficult or challenging. Any restrictions agreed with all interested parties as necessary to promote an individual’s health and welfare were documented e.g. control food intake and dietary choice and limit amount of sugar because type 2 diabetes. Responses in questionnaires received from relatives of people living in the home indicated that they all believed that the home gave the support to the people living in the home that they expected or agreed. Care managers/social care professionals were very positive about the support provided to the people whose admission to the home they had arranged: • “She now participates in activities in the community which she did not do when she first arrived … they help her fulfil her needs and her wellbeing is fine. she appears very happy and stable …they monitor her epilepsy and their record keeping is excellent”. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 12 • “I’ve been involved for 4 years working closely with the management and staff team and overall my confidence in the service is very high … I would recommend the home to my colleagues” Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 13 Lifestyle The intended outcomes for Standards 11 - 17 are: 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. Service users have opportunities for personal development. Service users are able to take part in age, peer and culturally appropriate activities. Service users are part of the local community. Service users engage in appropriate leisure activities. Service users have appropriate personal, family and sexual relationships. Service users’ rights are respected and responsibilities recognised in their daily lives. Service users are offered a healthy diet and enjoy their meals and mealtimes. The Commission considers Standards 12, 13, 15, 16 and 17 the key standards to be inspected. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 12, 13, 15, 16 and 17 Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service. The home promoted the right of people living in the home to live ordinary and meaningful lives. They were supported to take part in social and recreational activities and to develop life skills. The food provided by the home was varied, nutritious and according to individuals’ needs and choices. EVIDENCE: It was apparent from discussion with people living in the home and records examined that individuals were able to pursue their own particular interests and these were noted in their person centred support plans. Daily notes and individual weekly activity plans indicated that people were also supported to develop life skills, use amenities in the local community such as shops, colleges and banks and went out regularly for meals and to venues such as pubs and social clubs. A number of the people living in the home normally attended college courses but the time of the site visit coincided with the half-term break. During the Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 14 site visit one person was able to go to a workshop that she attended regularly where she was involved in woodwork, building, “bird boxes and kennels”. Three others went out for a drive and took a picnic that they had prepared to a local beauty spot. There was a range of board games available for the use of people living in the home and a large number of videos and DVDs in the home’s lounge where there was also a television set for communal use. Individuals had televisions and other equipment in their rooms so they could enjoy their personal tastes in music or viewing in the privacy or their bedrooms. One individual said: • “I have a stereo and I like 60’s music”. Regular contact was maintained between people living in the home and their relatives. One person said: • “I phone my parents everyday and they come to the parties that we have here”. Answers in questionnaires received from relatives indicated that 100 of respondents believed that the home helped their relative keep in touch with them. Individuals living in the home had their own single rooms promoting their right to privacy and staff were clearly expected to knock on bedroom doors and seek permission to enter them. They were offered a key to enable them to lock their own rooms if they wished to do so. A person’s preferred form of address was noted in their plan of care. People living in the home were involved in planning the meals that they ate and were invited to make suggestions for menus. Healthy eating was promoted by the home and there was advice about this on display in the kitchen in a format that was easy to understand. Individuals were supported to take part in meal preparation and details were kept by the home of the food provided. One person spoken to said: • “We have breakfast, dinner and supper. I choose not to have breakfast. I can help myself to coffee any time that I want”. Responses in questionnaires received from people living in the home before the site visit took place indicated that 100 liked the food the home provided. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 15 Personal and Healthcare Support The intended outcomes for Standards 18 - 21 are: 18. 19. 20. 21. Service users receive personal support in the way they prefer and require. Service users’ physical and emotional health needs are met. Service users retain, administer and control their own medication where appropriate, and are protected by the home’s policies and procedures for dealing with medicines. The ageing, illness and death of a service user are handled with respect and as the individual would wish. The Commission considers Standards 18, 19, and 20 the key standards to be inspected. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 18, 19 and 20 Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service. The health and personal care that people received was based on their individual needs and their medication was managed safely. EVIDENCE: The home’s staff team was relatively stable and numbered 18 who were all female apart from one bank worker who covered shifts when individuals were absent because of holidays, etc. Male staff were not involved in assisting people living in the home with any intimate physical care needs. Records examined concerning the people living in the home indicated that they made visits to healthcare professionals or received them when necessary and these included among others; general practitioners; orthodontists; community psychiatric nurses; chiropodists; and specialist nurses in diabetes and epilepsy. One person spoken to said: • “D will help me phone the doctor if I am not well”. Included in the records referred to above that were examined was a health action plan for each person. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 16 A number of named staff in the home had been trained and deemed competent by a relevant health care professional to take blood for testing and also to give insulin by injection. The company that owned the home employed a psychologist who provided support and helped to agree plans with individuals and staff to assist individuals with specific behavioural problems. The home had detailed written policies and procedures about the management of medication. There was also information readily available to staff about medicines including a copy of the guidance issued by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain about the administration of medication in care homes. The home’s registered manager said she would obtain the most recent advice that had been issued in December 2007. Medicines were kept in suitable locked metal cabinets and the home used a monitored dosage system with most prescribed medicines put into blister packs for a period of 28 days by a pharmacist. The exception being those items that would deteriorate when removed from their containers or liquids. Records that were kept of the receipt into the home, administration (giving out) and disposal of unwanted medicines were accurate and up to date. There were clear instructions for the use of medications that were prescribed for use on occasions that it was required (i.e. PRN). Controlled medication was stored appropriately and an audit carried out at the time of the site visit confirmed the accuracy of the records being kept. Some medication that had to be kept at a certain temperature was stored in a locked medical refrigerator. The temperature of the refrigerator was monitored to ensure that it was working effectively. People living in the home were supported to manage their own medication as much as was reasonably possible based on the individual’s abilities and their understanding of the risks involved. All staff who were responsible for giving out medicine had received comprehensive training in the safe management of medication and received regular tests to ensure that they remained competent to do so. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 17 Concerns, Complaints and Protection The intended outcomes for Standards 22 – 23 are: 22. 23. Service users feel their views are listened to and acted on. Service users are protected from abuse, neglect and self-harm. The Commission considers Standards 22, and 23 the key standards to be inspected. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 22 and 23 Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service. People living in the home had access to a complaints procedure that would enable the home to address their concerns and independent advocacy services could be used to represent the concerns of people if necessary. There was a system in place in the home to protect vulnerable adults from harm. EVIDENCE: A copy of the home’s complaints procedure was prominently displayed in the entrance hall of the home and it was in a format that was simple and easy to understand. Responses in questionnaires returned by people living in the home and their relatives indicated that 100 of respondents knew who to speak to if they were unhappy. It was apparent from discussion with people living in the home that an open and inclusive approach was promoted and one individual spoken to said: • “If I have a complaint I will go to D or H and they will sort it out”. The home had a system for recording complaints and how they were dealt with but it had received no complaints in the previous 12 months. “The Commission” had received no complaints about the home during the same period. The home’s registered manager said that the home supported people living there to access and use independent advocacy services and one person spoken to said that she met regularly with her advocate. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 18 There were written procedures readily available in the home for the guidance of staff, about safeguarding vulnerable adults. These included a copy of the local authority’s adult protection procedures. All staff spoken to had received training in the subject of adult protection and knew what to do if they suspected or knew that it had occurred. The home had proactively referred a number of matters of concern to the local authority as the lead statutory agency with the responsibility for and in accordance with its procedures for “safeguarding vulnerable adults”. It was apparent from discussion with staff, examining policies and procedures and staff training records, that everyone working in the home received regular training from an organisation with appropriate accreditation in the subject of physical intervention. All new staff received such training within a month of starting work at the home. The home’s registered manager said that on occasions such intervention had been necessary with one individual but there had been no incidents for some 18 months. People living in the home were supported by staff to manage their financial affairs and individual savings accounts had been arranged for them in building societies and banks. Their benefits were paid into their accounts and staff helped them withdraw cash when it was required. The home kept some money on behalf of some individuals living there and accurate records were kept of all incomings and outgoings. A representative of the company that owns the home regularly audited these records. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 19 Environment The intended outcomes for Standards 24 – 30 are: 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. Service users live in a homely, comfortable and safe environment. Service users’ bedrooms suit their needs and lifestyles. Service users’ bedrooms promote their independence. Service users’ toilets and bathrooms provide sufficient privacy and meet their individual needs. Shared spaces complement and supplement service users’ individual rooms. Service users have the specialist equipment they require to maximise their independence. The home is clean and hygienic. The Commission considers Standards 24, and 30 the key standards to be inspected. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 24 and 30 Quality in this outcome area is good. This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service. The home’s environment was comfortable safe, and well-maintained for the benefit of the people living and working in it. EVIDENCE: At the time that the site visit took place there was evidence that some redecoration of bedrooms was taking place. The premises, its décor, fixtures, fittings and furnishings were well maintained and generally in good repair. Signage based on symbols and pictures was used effectively to enable people living in the home to easily identify the location of stored items or the purpose/use of a room. People spoken to were pleased with the condition of their accommodation and several indicated that they had been able to choose the colour schemes in the bedrooms. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 20 The home had infection control policies and procedures and staff had received training in the subject. Good practice noted during the site visit included the provision of hand sanitising products and paper hand towels in the communal WC and bathroom. There was a well-equipped and suitably sited laundry room in the building and the home’s procedures included a system for safely and effectively managing soiled items if that was necessary. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 21 Staffing The intended outcomes for Standards 31 – 36 are: 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. Service users benefit from clarity of staff roles and responsibilities. Service users are supported by competent and qualified staff. Service users are supported by an effective staff team. Service users are supported and protected by the home’s recruitment policy and practices. Service users’ individual and joint needs are met by appropriately trained staff. Service users benefit from well supported and supervised staff. The Commission considers Standards 32, 34 and 35 the key standards to be inspected. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 32, 34 and 35 Quality in this outcome area is excellent. This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service. The recruitment, training, deployment level and skill mix of staff ensured the needs of people living in the home were met and their safety was promoted. EVIDENCE: At the time of the site visit the home’s permanent staff team comprised the manager and 16 others and of these 11 (i.e.65 ) had obtained a relevant qualification that indicated that they were competent i.e. National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) to at least level 2. There was evidence from examining staff records, discussion with staff on duty and the training programme that there was strong commitment to staff training and development and also to ensuring that all staff received regular training and updates in subjects that were regarded as core or essential as well as those that were about the specific needs of people living in the home i.e. • Autism awareness • Food hygiene • Communication • First aid • Fire safety • Adult protection • Medication Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 22 • Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention (SCIP) The training programme indicated the dates of the various subjects and also who would be attending. It indicated that new staff would be attending the Learning Disabilities Award Framework (LDAF) at a local college and other training was provided at the headquarters of the company that owned the home. The home’s registered manager had developed a comprehensive in house induction programme that new staff completed prior to attending LDAF at a local college. It included: a clear pen picture of each person living in the home and how the support they required must be provided; details of the services/utilities provided to the home i.e. gas/electricity, etc; daily routines and the programmes of everyone living in the home; and examples of scenarios that could occur and how they could be managed. Comments from staff about the training that they received included the following: • “I have just finished NVQ level 3 and I am on a course tomorrow about supervision because I am a team leader. I have requested some mental health training and the company are very good with training. I did some training about personality disorders and some protection of vulnerable adult training through Hampshire County Council”. “I have City and Guilds in Mental Health and NVQ level 2 … I have done food hygiene, moving and handling, we do fire safety every 6 months. The training is very good. If there is something we don’t know and there is a course about it then they will send us on it ... I have done other courses, such as abuse and epilepsy and have recently finished one about the safe handling of medicines …”. “I finished NVQ in December last year. I did LDAF in my first 4 months … I have supervision every 2 months when we talk about my work, what support and training I need … I have done lots of training, such as autism, personality disorders, first aid, physical intervention … a couple of months ago I did abuse … ”. • • The records were examined of 3 staff that had started work in the home since the last key inspection of it had been completed on 25th September 2006. It was apparent that the home had robust employment procedures in place that precluded someone from working in the home until all the necessary checks into the suitability of that individual to work with vulnerable adults had been completed. It was clear from discussion with staff and people living in the home that individuals living in the home were involved in the interviews and appointments of new staff. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 23 Once social care professional spoken to about the home said that the staff team was large and robust enabling the person that she had responsibility for that lived at the home to get the level of help that she required and that could provide one to one support when it was necessary. The basic minimum rota 7 days a week was as follows: 08:00 to 10:00 10:00 to 16:00 16:00 to 20:00 20:00 to 22:00 22:00 to 08:00 4 5 4 3 2 “awake” Comments about the qualities and approach of the staff team from social care professionals, people living in the home and relatives included the following: • • • “They have good skills and understanding, a good sense of humour” (person living in the home). “ They are very nice and helpful, they are a nice bunch” (person living in the home). “Woodlands has always shown to have J’s care and interest to the fore. They have given her the utmost care … and dealt with her very well …” (relative) “I’ve been involved for 4 years working closely with the management and staff team and overall my confidence in the service is very high … I would recommend the home to my colleagues” (care manager/social care professional) • Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 24 Conduct and Management of the Home The intended outcomes for Standards 37 – 43 are: 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. Service users benefit from a well run home. Service users benefit from the ethos, leadership and management approach of the home. Service users are confident their views underpin all self-monitoring, review and development by the home. Service users’ rights and best interests are safeguarded by the home’s policies and procedures. Service users’ rights and best interests are safeguarded by the home’s record keeping policies and procedures. The health, safety and welfare of service users are promoted and protected. Service users benefit from competent and accountable management of the service. The Commission considers Standards 37, 39, and 42 the key standards to be inspected. JUDGEMENT – we looked at outcomes for the following standard(s): 37, 39 and 42 Quality in this outcome area is excellent. This judgement has been made using available evidence including a visit to this service. The home’s registered manager provided effective leadership There were systems and procedures in place for monitoring and maintaining the quality of the service provided and also for promoting the safety and welfare of everyone living and working in the home. EVIDENCE: The home’s registered manager had been responsible for its day-to-day operation for some 4 years. She had worked with adults with learning disabilities for 12 years and for the company that owned the home for 7. She had obtained relevant formal qualifications that indicated that she had the knowledge and competence to manage a care home including a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Managing Care and Health Services and an NVQ level 4 in care. She had one unit to complete of the Registered Managers Award (RMA). Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 25 Observation, discussion with her, the home’s staff, relatives and social care professionals indicated that she was; respected; knowledgeable, highly motivated, and enthusiastic and sensitive to the needs of both the home’s staff team and the individuals accommodated there. Comments about her qualities included: • • • • • “The manager is very thorough”. (social care professional) “She is lovely, very understanding, outgoing and a great laugh to be with” (person living in the home). “She is very professional, I would go to her for advice”. (member of staff team). “She is very good, she runs the place well and gets on with all the staff” (member of staff). “You can express your opinions to her and she will listen. She is very approachable. She is very good and knows a lot. If she does not know how to solve a problem then she will find someone who can”. (member of staff) “She is lovely, she is so helpful. You can go to her with a problem. If you have done something wrong she will tell you, and she will praise you if you get it right. She is very caring, the service users come before anything”. (member of staff) “She is very warm, open and approachable … she sticks by what is right, she is involved and has total current knowledge … she is one of the best”. (Social care professional/care manager) • • All staff spoke positively about working in the home and all without exception described their relationships with their colleagues as being one of the good things about it. There was an open management style in the home and regular meetings for people both living and working in the home were held at which individuals could readily voice their opinions. Meetings for the latter i.e. people working in the home, were also used as opportunities for individuals to learn and improve their knowledge and quizzes were used based on work related subjects to do this e.g. Mental Capacity Act: responsibilities of a key worker: Business Plan. A member of staff said: “There are always opportunities to contribute at meetings and suggestions we make are often taken up … the last quiz we did was about epilepsy which was very good”. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 26 There were records/minutes kept of the meetings held for people living in the home and subjects discussed included menus, activities and behaviours. There was an action plan attached to each indicating who had done what as a result of the meeting. One person living in the home said: • “We have service users meetings and we talk about problems and going out and meals …”. The home used questionnaires to obtain the views of people living in the home as well as reviews with individuals and their relatives and the social care professional from the authority funding their placement. A representative from the company that owned the home visited the home every month to check on the home’s management systems and also to obtain the views of people living in the home. Copies of reports of these visits were made available to the home’s registered manager and were seen during the site visit. The home was accredited with a nationally recognised quality assurance programme i.e. Investors in People. The home had a range of policies and procedures and other information available and readily accessible to staff who said that they informed their working practice. They included among others the following: • Valuing People • Privacy • Physical intervention • Confidentiality • Service user holiday protocol • Risk assessment • Medicines • Mental Capacity Act • Personal and professional staff boundaries • Sexuality and relationships • Risk taking • Record keeping • Equality and diversity Records seen and discussion with staff indicated that safe working practices were promoted in the home. Up to date certificates were on file concerned with gas safety, electrical wiring and portable electrical appliances. Records and discussion also indicated that fire safety and other systems and equipment were checked and monitored e.g. showerheads; Legionella; hot water outlets; and staff had received fire and other health and safety training. The home had Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 27 equipment in place for alerting staff at night to the movement of an individual prone to epileptic episodes. Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 28 SCORING OF OUTCOMES This page summarises the assessment of the extent to which the National Minimum Standards for Care Homes for Adults 18-65 have been met and uses the following scale. The scale ranges from: 4 Standard Exceeded 2 Standard Almost Met (Commendable) (Minor Shortfalls) 3 Standard Met 1 Standard Not Met (No Shortfalls) (Major Shortfalls) “X” in the standard met box denotes standard not assessed on this occasion “N/A” in the standard met box denotes standard not applicable CHOICE OF HOME Standard No Score 1 X 2 3 3 X 4 X 5 X INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AND CHOICES Standard No 6 7 8 9 10 Score CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS Standard No Score 22 3 23 3 ENVIRONMENT Standard No Score 24 3 25 X 26 X 27 X 28 X 29 X 30 3 STAFFING Standard No Score 31 X 32 4 33 X 34 3 35 4 36 X CONDUCT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE HOME Standard No 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 Score 3 3 X 3 X LIFESTYLES Standard No Score 11 X 12 3 13 3 14 X 15 3 16 X 17 3 PERSONAL AND HEALTHCARE SUPPORT Standard No 18 19 20 21 Score 3 3 3 X 4 X 3 X X 3 X Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 29 N/A Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Care Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider(s) must comply with the given timescales. No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action RECOMMENDATIONS These recommendations relate to National Minimum Standards and are seen as good practice for the Registered Provider/s to consider carrying out. No. Refer to Standard Good Practice Recommendations Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 30 Commission for Social Care Inspection Maidstone Office The Oast Hermitage Court Hermitage Lane Maidstone ME16 9NT National Enquiry Line: 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 © This report is copyright Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and may only be used in its entirety. Extracts may not be used or reproduced without the express permission of CSCI Woodlands Care Home DS0000055845.V357074.R01.S.doc Version 5.2 Page 31 - Please note that this information is included on www.bestcarehome.co.uk under license from the regulator. Re-publishing this information is in breach of the terms of use of that website. 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