Care Home: 5 Barth Close (Royal Mencap Society)

Similar services:

• Hillside
• Applegarth
• 122 Scorer Street
• Jubilee Villa Care Home
• Thornham Grove
• Beech Lodge
• 8 Thorndale Road (Homefield College)
• Hunter`s Lodge

What the care home does well Barth Close is a warm and friendly home. You will be made welcome during your visit. The home is clean and pleasant. People who use the service are involved with decisions made about them, the home and in developing their support plans People using the service are supported to be as independent as possible. Support workers will assist people in meeting their personal and healthcare needs. Your privacy will be was respected. Support workers are competent and have good support. The service is well managed. Information is available in easy read documents. People using the service feel safe. What has improved since the last inspection? A garden room has been built onto the home and provided good addtional shared space. What the care home could do better: Records need to clearer and show how needs are met. Support plans need to be updated and reflect changes. Provide support workers with opportunities to maintain records. Meet the standards in relation National Vocational Qualitification in Care. Key inspection report Care homes for adults (18-65 years) Name: Address: 5 Barth Close (Royal Mencap Society) 5 Barth Close (Royal Mencap Society) Great Oakley Corby Northants NN18 8LU     The quality rating for this care home is:   two star good service A quality rating is our assessment of how well a care home is meeting the needs of the people who use it. We give a quality rating following a full review of the service. We call this full review a ‘key’ inspection. Lead inspector: Judith Roan     Date: 1 0 0 7 2 0 0 9 This is a review of quality of outcomes that people experience in this care home. We believe high quality care should • • • • • Be safe Have the right outcomes, including clinical outcomes Be a good experience for the people that use it Help prevent illness, and promote healthy, independent living Be available to those who need it when they need it. The first part of the review gives the overall quality rating for the care home: • • • • 3 2 1 0 stars - excellent stars - good star - adequate star - poor There is also a bar chart that gives a quick way of seeing the quality of care that the home provides under key areas that matter to people. There is a summary of what we think this service does well, what they have improved on and, where it applies, what they need to do better. We use the national minimum standards to describe the outcomes that people should experience. National minimum standards are written by the Department of Health for each type of care service. After the summary there is more detail about our findings. The following table explains what you will see under each outcome area. Outcome area (for example Choice of home) These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. that people have said are important to them: They reflect the things This box tells you the outcomes that we will always inspect against when we do a key inspection. This box tells you any additional outcomes that we may inspect against when we do a key inspection. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: This box tells you our opinion of what we have looked at in this outcome area. We will say whether it is excellent, good, adequate or poor. Evidence: This box describes the information we used to come to our judgement. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 2 of 30 We review the quality of the service against outcomes from the National Minimum Standards (NMS). Those standards are written by the Department of Health for each type of care service. Copies of the National Minimum Standards – Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) 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 mission of the Care Quality Commission is to make care better for people by: • Regulating health and adult social care services to ensure quality and safety standards, drive improvement and stamp out bad practice • Protecting the rights of people who use services, particularly the most vulnerable and those detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 • Providing accessible, trustworthy information on the quality of care and services so people can make better decisions about their care and so that commissioners and providers of services can improve services. • Providing independent public accountability on how commissioners and providers of services are improving the quality of care and providing value for money. Reader Information Document Purpose Author Audience Further copies from Copyright Inspection report Care Quality Commission General public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Copyright © (2009) Care Quality Commission (CQC). 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 CQC copyright, with the title and date of publication of the document specified. www.cqc.org.uk Internet address Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 3 of 30 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: 5 Barth Close (Royal Mencap Society) 5 Barth Close (Royal Mencap Society) Great Oakley Corby Northants NN18 8LU 01536460718 01536741204 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Type of registration: Number of places registered: Royal Mencap Society care home 5 Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 learning disability Additional conditions: Service user numbers: No one falling within the category LD may be admitted into 5 Barth Close where there are 5 persons of category LD already accommodated within this home. Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home The home 5 Barth Close provides personal care and accommodation for 5 younger adults within the category of Learning Disability. The building is rented from a housing association with the home and the services provided being managed by the MENCAP organisation. 5 Barth Close is located within the Great Oakley residential area of the town of Corby and is adjacent to a health centre with pharmacy and close to a national superstore. The home was newly purpose built and opened in April 2000 and is indistinguishable in design from other houses in the area. All the rooms within the home are for single Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 4 of 30 Over 65 0 5 Brief description of the care home occupation and without en-suite facilities. Communal areas consist of a small lounge and a kitchen with a small dining area. A large sun room provides additional space. The garden is large in comparison with similar private residential properties in the immediate area. Information about the services provided including the complaints procedure is available in the office. This includes the statement of purpose, which as detailed in the body of this report has some pictures to aid understanding and is being developed to make it more accessible to residents?. A copy of the last inspection report is also available. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 5 of 30 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 Individual needs and choices Lifestyle Personal and healthcare support Concerns, complaints and protection Environment Staffing Conduct and management of the home peterchart Poor Adequate Good Excellent How we did our inspection: The quality rating for this service is 2 star. This means the people who use this service experience good quality outcomes. This was an unannounced inspection. We selected two people who use the service to case track which involved reviewing the care they receive through review of their records, meeting with them and observing practice. The inspection also took account of all information received since the date of the last visit and comment cards received. An annual service review was undertaken in July 2008 that did not change our view of the service provided. Two safeguarding referrals have been investigated over the past year, people using the service were protected. Both were unfounded. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 6 of 30 Prospective users of the service are advised to contact the office to obtain up-to-date charges. Fees are according to level of support required. They include personal care, accommodation, meals, laundry and a seven day holiday. Additional charges include chiropody, toiletries, clothing and travel. People using the service said:I was asked about moving into the home. If I am unhappy I would speak with the manager or support workers. I can make decisions about what I do each day Its a nice house they look after you and we go out. I am really happy here. I like all the staff they are good to me. I like it because my family can come to visit. Staff said:Time to update support plans so they are up to date The induction training covered most of what I needed to know Training is available to meet my needs I would know what to do if I had a concern Support is person centered I receive regular support Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 7 of 30 What the care home does well: What has improved since the last inspection? What they could do better: If you want to know what action the person responsible for this care home is taking following this report, you can contact them using the details on page 4. The report of this inspection is available from our website www.cqc.org.uk. You can get printed copies from enquiries@cqc.org.uk or by telephoning our order line 0870 240 7535. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 8 of 30 Details of our 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) Outstanding statutory requirements Requirements and recommendations from this inspection Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 9 of 30 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, what they hope for and want to achieve, and the support they need. People can decide whether the care home can meet their support and accommodation needs. This is because they, and people close to them, can visit the home and get full, clear, accurate and up to date information. 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 the person 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. Good information and practises enables people considering the service to make an informed choice. Evidence: The Manager at Barth Close has developed the information about the service to ensure that people looking for residential care have clear and informative details about the service. The Statement of Purpose sets out clear objectives and the philosophy of the service.It is specific to the home and gives the reader all the essential information about the type of support available, staffing levels and their skills. Support workers undertake to find new ways of supporting people to make informed choices about whether the service can meet their needs. The service users guide is clear and has been produced to help people understand what service the home can provide. The information is produced in an easy read format that includes photographs and information about the service from people who presently use it. The guide also details what the prospective individual can expect and gives a clear account of the specialist services provided, quality of the accommodation, qualifications and Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 10 of 30 Evidence: experience of staff, how to make a complaint, recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection findings and contains comments and experiences of residents living at the home. All people who use the service are given a copy of the Guide. Admissions into the service are only arranged after the completion of a full needs assessment, which will be undertaken by a skilled and experienced member of staff. Assessments are conducted professionally and sensitively and always involves the individual, and their family or representative, where appropriate. Where the assessment has been undertaken through care management a copy of the summary will be available to the manager at the service prior to any initial visits that they undertake at the start of the admissions process. The manager always ensure that they have undertaken their own assessment prior to an introductory visit of the person considering the service. Admissions to the home have only taken place if the staff team are confident that they can meet the persons needs and that they would be compatible with others presently living at the home. Prospective users of the service are always given the opportunity to spend time in the home prior to making a decision to undertake a trial visit of up to three months. A designated member of staff team is given responsibility to share information about the home and to be there on duty when they are admitted. Staff members confirmed that these procedure were always used on new admissions. People using the service made comments within their returned surveys about how they were made to feel comfortable in their surroundings, and that people were available for them to ask questions. The care files for residents concurred that all new residents are provided with a Statement of Terms and Conditions/Contract; this sets out in detail what is included in the fee, the role and responsibility of the provider, and the rights and obligations of the individual. This is clearly written and in an accessible format. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 11 of 30 Individual needs and choices 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 needs and goals are met. The home has a plan of care that the person, or someone close to them, has been involved in making. People are able to make decisions about their life, including their finances, with support if they need it. This is because the staff promote their rights and choices. People are supported to take risks to enable them to stay independent. This is because the staff have appropriate information on which to base decisions. People are asked about, and are involved in, all aspects of life in the home. This is because the manager and staff offer them opportunities to participate in the day to day running of the home and enable them to influence key decisions. People are confident that the home handles information about them appropriately. This is because the home has clear policies and procedures that staff follow. 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. Identified needs are in the main met but support plans need to have clearer records without comes recorded. Evidence: We case tracked two people by viewing their files, talking with them and observing the support they receive. One person had communication needs and was not able to confirm whether they had been involved within the development of their support plan. The other person did confirm that they sat with their key worker and agreed the plan. Staff at Barth Close do involve individuals in the planning of their support plan using a range of communication techniques suitable for that person. Staff use Makaton and pictures as well as verbal communication. The Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA) states that the service intends To develop information so it is more accessible for people we support, this may mean developing many different ways so that its accessible to each individual. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 12 of 30 Evidence: In discussion with Staff and in observation they demonstrated that they understand the importance for people using the service to be supported to make decisions and choices. The support plans reviewed confirmed the preferred communication style of each person and work continues to develop systems within the home so that independence and choice for individuals is promoted. Support plans are not yet person centred, work has begun to develop these for each person using the service, that will be agreed with the individual and or their representatives. Support plans at present are written in plain language and cover all areas of the individuals life. They include preferences in relation to how each person wishes to be supported and whether they wish to have gender specific support with personal care. Staff have undergone training to assist them with person centred planning. Time limitation has however restricted the full implementation of the person centred approach within the service. A key worker system is in place and enables support workers to have time on a one-to-one basis with individuals to undertake planned activities. One person has chosen not to attend the day centre and this has had positive affects on the persons lifestyle and enabled them to make real choices. Support plans are reviewed with each person and or their representatives. Day centre reviews are also undertaken with involvement of support staff from the service. Each support plan is underpinned by risk assessments pertinent to that individual. The management of risk is positive within the service addressing safety issues while aiming for improved outcomes for people living at the service. The increased communal area has enabled one person living at the service to have sufficient space to feel safe and they now spend more time out of their room with others. Where there are limitations, because of safety issues, the staff are aware that there is a need to have discussions with families and involve social/health care to agree actions to be taken to minimise risks. Support worker are expected to keep themselves up to date with changes in support plans and do sign that they have been read. Support plan do contain references to health care needs. However it was unclear how some aspects of peoples health needs were being met as information from health care appointments had not been updated with changes. Support did not fully demonstrate how individuals will develop their skills, and consider their future aspirations. The plans also failed to demonstrate outcomes for Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 13 of 30 Evidence: individuals for example one person needed to have a healthy diet and be encouraged to loose weight. There was no evidence of action to be taken,weight monitoring or what targets needed to be achieved. It was evident that support plan were working document and reviews had been undertaken. Hand written additions however made it difficult to be clear about ongoing actions. Reviews did not focus on asking what has worked for the person, where progress or achievements had been made or identify future action points. The service is aware of current policy issues and good practice developments, and tries where possible to transfer this thinking into their daily work. The home ensures that people using the service at Barth Close are consulted regularly through meetings and annual questionnaires to gather information about their satisfaction with the support they receive. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 14 of 30 Lifestyle 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 can take part in activities that are appropriate to their age and culture and 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 and the home supports them to have appropriate personal, family and sexual relationships. People are as independent as they can be, lead their chosen lifestyle and have the opportunity to make the most of their abilities. Their dignity and rights are respected in their daily life. People have healthy, well-presented meals and snacks, at a time and place to suit them. People have opportunities to develop their social, emotional, communication and independent living skills. This is because the staff support their personal development. People choose and participate in suitable leisure activities. 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. A wide range of personal, educational and social options are available and promote individual development. Evidence: People using the service benefit from having a healthy diet and good opportunities to develop their skills and maintain contact with family and friends. Individuals have a weekly activities programme that is updated to take into account of various events and personal choices. New activities are tried out to extend the choices and experiences for each person. Careful planning is undertaken for all activities to ensure that people who use the service and support workers are protected and enjoy the experience. Experiences are good and varied. It was noted that several people attend day services and that social Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 15 of 30 Evidence: histories are now held on files. The AQAA confirms that Some of the people we support attend church. Diversity is always respected by both staff and people we support and is on agenda for team meetings. People using the service are involved within their abilities with day-to-day living tasks within the home. In observation support workers provide additional support to people who have higher level needs to enable them to participate within activities. Throughout the inspection the inspector observed positive work with individuals using strategies noted within the support plans in supporting people with their identified needs. The meals are freshly cooked and healthy. Individuals are supported to make healthy choices and have a balanced diet, with opportunities to have the occasional not so healthy treat. Support workers have a good understanding of the needs for people who use the service and use the meal times to develop communication skills with each other. Meals were seen to be a very social event at the home. There is much negotiation between individuals so that meal times can be arranged around social activities. A food diary is kept to ensure that a balanced diet is provided. Individuals are supported to maintain good communication with families. Records however did not confirm that activities had been undertaken. People spoken to during the inspection said that they liked and enjoyed living at the home Case records show details about activities to be undertaken and holidays taken. Residents Meeting notes showed that people using the service are consulted about everyday activities and leisure options. Support workers said that the service offers a good choice of social activities and that the home has an informal relaxed atmosphere. The homes location means there is good access to local shops and community facilities. Visitors are welcome at the home and there are no restrictions on visiting times. Although we received no surveys from relatives or advocates, people using the service said that we are supported to see our families. Families are encouraged by Mencap to complete regular questionnaires about their views on the service. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 16 of 30 Personal and healthcare support 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 receive personal support from staff in the way they prefer and want. Their physical and emotional health needs are met because the home has procedures in place that staff follow. If people 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. If people are approaching the end of their life, the care home will respect their choices and help them to 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. People using the service are positively supported to access local and specialist health care services but record keeping does not ensure that support and advice is maintained. Evidence: People using the service users are supported to have regular health checks and there is evidence on files that health care appointments are made. However it was unclear that advice from health care professionals was followed through by staff at the home. In one situation advice was to support one person with exercises and weight management. The care file did not contain evidence of support with exercise or monitoring of weight. The AQAA states that The support team use a person centred approach whilst providing personal care. The home has a good link with the Community Team for People with Learning Disabilities. Their input is given if needed. Health Action Plans are in place for all members. These are regularly reviewed and all members have had OK health checks. These are now provided by individuals GP surgerys. Each member is supported to review their essential lifestyle plan outlining personal preferences whilst receiving support. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 17 of 30 Evidence: Personal support is provided in a discreet manner,with people using the service preferences being a top priority. Medical profiles for people who use the service have clear information. All medication is stored in a locked facility and records were well maintained. All incidents are recorded on file to show how the manager/support workers have reviewed practice to minimise future risks. All incidents are reported to CQC with there being positive communication between the inspector and registered manager and outcomes. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 18 of 30 Concerns, 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. Their concern is looked into and action taken to put things right. The care home safeguards people from abuse, neglect and self-harm and takes action to follow up any allegations. 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. Practices within the service fully protect people who use the service and ensure that they are listened to. Evidence: The home has an openness that promotes people using the service to express their views and concerns in a safe and understanding environment. In asking people during the inspection people confirmed that they felt safe and well supported by support workers. The service has a complaints procedure that is clearly written and easy to understand and can be produced in other formats. The complaints procedure is supplied to everyone living at the home and is displayed in a number of areas within the service. People using the service and others involved with the home understand how to make a complaint and are clear about what will happen if a complaint is made. The home keeps a full record of complaints and this includes details of the investigation and any actions taken. Unless there are exceptional circumstances the service always responds within the agreed timescale. The home learns from complaints, and it is rare that a complaint about the same issue is made twice. Over the past year there has been two safeguarding referrals which have been fully investigated and not founded. The team have learnt from the experience and are working positively to resolve the issues for the person it concerns. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 19 of 30 Evidence: The policies and procedures for safeguarding adults are available and give clear specific guidance. Support workers working at the service know when incidents need external input and who to refer the incident to. There is a clear system for staff to report concerns about colleagues and managers. Staff that blow the whistle on bad practice would be supported by the service. The service provider understands the procedures for safeguarding adults and will always attend meetings or provide information to external agencies when requested. Training of support workers on safeguarding is completed within induction and updates are completed as required. Other training around dealing with physical and verbal aggression is also made available to support workers as needed. Restraint is not used within the service with support workers being trained in non intervention techniques as an alternative method of supporting people using the service if required. The home does not use equipment to restrain individuals. People using the service are involved in the decision making process about any limitations to their choice in this area. Individual assessments are always completed which involve the individual where possible, their representatives and any other professionals . The service has robust recruitment and selection processes that protect people using the service. All employment checks are completed in accordance with Mencaps policies and procedures. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 20 of 30 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, comfortable, 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. People have enough privacy when using toilets and bathrooms. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The home provides a warm family setting with individual space that is well maintained clean and hygienic. Evidence: The home provides a physical environment that is fit for purpose. The completion of the sun room has provided good additional space and has improved the lives of people living at the home. The home is well-maintained and provides specialist aids and equipment to meet their needs. The home is a very pleasant, safe place to live with bedrooms and communal rooms meeting National Minimum Standards. All people using the service have single rooms but share bathing facilities. There is a choice of shower rooms or traditional baths. The bathrooms and toilets are fitted with appropriate aids and adaptations to meet the needs of the people who use the service, and are in sufficient numbers and of good quality. The home provides an environment that promotes every day living where individuals can relax and spend time doing activities they enjoy. People using the service are supported to personalise their bedrooms. All the homes fixtures and fittings meet the needs of individuals and can be changed if their needs change. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 21 of 30 Evidence: The environment promotes the privacy, dignity and autonomy of people that live in the home. The shared areas provide a choice of communal space with opportunities to meet relatives and friends in private. The home is well lit, clean, tidy and smells fresh. A good infection control policy is in place and plans are available to meet any need arising in the future. They seek advice as required and encourage their own staff to work to the homes policy to reduce the risk of infection. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 22 of 30 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, qualified 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. People’s needs are met and they are supported because staff get the right training, supervision and support they need from their managers. People are supported by an effective staff team who understand and do what is expected of them. 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 skills and recruitment practices ensure that the needs of people who use the service are supported and that they are protected. Evidence: The AQAA confirms that there is a shortfall in the number of staff who hold National Vocational Qualifications. In observation of staff on duty they demonstrated that they were competent within their role and were keen to develop their skills. People who use the service feel that they are supported well by staff and carry out what they like them to do. In observation of the morning routines during the inspection it was clear that support staff were under considerable pressure to meet the demanding needs of all of the people living at the home. The staffing structure was not based around delivering outcomes for people living at the home and support workers had little time to record support undertaken or update changes to support plans. The manager was not available during the inspection and we did not have access to staff files. However in discussion with staff during the inspection and from surveys they confirmed that access to training is good. The AQAA confirms that staff receive Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 23 of 30 Evidence: relevant training that is focused on delivering improved outcomes for people that use the service. Mencap places a high level of importance on training and staff report that they are supported through training to meet the individual needs of people in a person centred way. There is a good recruitment procedure that clearly defines the process to be followed. As we could not access staff files we were unable to triangulate that procedures are followed in practice. One support worker was new and they confirmed that a robust recruitment process had been undertaken when they were appointed. They had completed an application form and attended an interview. References had been taken up and a criminal records disclosure undertaken. Mencaps record on recruitment has been good across the area and we have no concerns that practice is not followed at Barth Close. People who use the service are regularly involved in the recruitment process. Staff recruited confirmed that they had received training and undertaken an induction programme that involved learning about the needs of individuals and the procedures. There are clear contingency plans for cover for vacancies and sickness and there is little use of any agency or temporary staff. Staff meetings take place regularly. Supervision sessions are regular and staff find them helpful with a focus on improving outcomes for people using the service. Notes and action points are taken of meetings and sessions, and progress is regularly reviewing. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 24 of 30 Conduct and management of the 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 have confidence in the care home because it is run and managed appropriately. People’s opinions are central to how the home develops and reviews their practice, as the home has appropriate ways of making sure they continue to get things right. The environment is safe for people and staff because 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. They are safeguarded because the home follows clear financial and accounting procedures, keeps records appropriately and makes sure staff understand the way things should be done. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The service is person centred and managed in the best interest of people who use it. Evidence: An acting manager has taken over the home and will be making an application to CQC for consideration to become the Registered Manager. The AQAA states that The team is committed to working in a person centred manner, their is a continuous improvement plan that is how the service is internally reviewed and evaluated. All staff are aware of policys and procedures which they have access to and follow. There are regular team meetings and supervisions. People who use the service are regularly consulted on how the service can be improved, with minutes from service users meetings demonstrating areas discussed e.g. food shopping, holidays, activities, going out for meals. Regular visits from the area manager are part of the quality assurance within the organisation. At these visits the continuous improvement plan is reviewed and updated. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 25 of 30 Evidence: Individual finances are recorded with two signatures and receipts. Health and safety policies and procedures were clear and accessible for staff. Information provided within the AQAA confirmed that the appropriate health and safety checks and maintenance were undertaken. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 26 of 30 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 Adults (18-65 years) Page 27 of 30 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 6 15 Support plans must be reviewed and updated. This is to ensure that all changes are clearly noted and accessible for staff. 31/10/2009 2 19 13 Support plans clearly identify how health care needs are supported and monitored. This is to ensure that identified health care needs of individual people using the service are supported when required. 30/09/2009 3 32 18 Staffing levels need to be reviewed. This is to ensure that level are adequate to meets the needs of people using the service at key parts of the day. 30/10/2009 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 28 of 30 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 4 32 18 The number of permanent employees trained to NVQ level 2 or above needs to be a minimum of 50 . This is to ensure that people who use the service are supported by appropriately trained staff. 31/03/2010 5 41 17 That records are updated and clearly state the needs of individuals using the service. This is to ensure that support workers are informed about the ongoing social and health care needs of people using the service. records also need to demonstrate outcomes for people using the service. 30/11/2009 Recommendations These recommendations are taken from the best practice described in the National Minimum Standards and the registered person(s) should consider them as a way of improving their service. No Refer to Standard Good Practice Recommendations Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 29 of 30 Helpline: Telephone: 03000 616161 Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk Web: www.cqc.org.uk We want people to be able to access this information. If you would like a summary in a different format or language please contact our helpline or go to our website. Copyright © (2009) Care Quality Commission (CQC). 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 CQC copyright, with the title and date of publication of the document specified. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 30 of 30 - 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!