Care Home: 85 Highfield Avenue

Similar services:

• Hillview Farm
• Dalewood Respite Care
• Orchard,The
• REACH Upton Court Road
• Fairways
• Treloar College
• Pinta
• Kestrel House, St Anne`s Opportunity Centre,

Annual service review Name of Service: 85 Highfield Avenue The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: two star good service 3 0 1 0 2 0 0 8 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 review of the service. We call this review a ‘key’ inspection We do an annual service review when there has been no key inspection of the service in the last 12 months. It does not involve a visit to the service but is a summary of new information given to us, or collected by us, since the last key inspection or annual service review.   Has this annual service review changed our opinion of the service?   No You should read the last key inspection report for this service to get a full picture of how well outcomes for the people using the service are being met. The date by which we will do a key inspection: Name of inspector: Christine Bowman Date of this annual service review: 1 6 1 0 2 0 0 9 Annual Service Review Page 1 of 7 Information about the service Address of service: 85 Highfield Avenue Aldershot Hampshire GU11 3DA 01252350677 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address:   None United Response Name of registered provider(s): Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : learning disability Conditions of registration: Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 6 0 The maximum number of service users to be accommodated is 6. 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: Learning disability (LD). Have there been any changes in the ownership, management or the No service’s registration details in the last 12 months? If yes, what have they been: Date of last key inspection: Date of last annual service review (if applicable): Brief description of the service 85 Highfield Avenue provides a service for up to six younger adults with a learning disability. Staffing is provided twenty-four hours a day. Service users are encouraged to maintain their independence and rules are kept to a minimum. Visitors are welcome and service users families are encouraged to play an active part in their relatives life where appropriate. The home has well-established links with local general practitioners and community nursing team to support and enhance the service provided. The home has been developed and managed by United Response and is well Annual Service Review Page 2 of 7 3 0 1 0 2 0 0 8 established in the local community. The home is situated in a residential area on the outskirts of Aldershot. Transport facilities are provided for service users to access local facilities and larger towns in the area. Annual Service Review Page 3 of 7 Service update since the last key inspection or annual service review: What did we do for this annual service review? We looked at all the information that we have received, or asked for, since the last key inspection. This included: 1. The annual quality assurance assessment (AQAA) that was sent to us by the service. The AQAA is a self-assessment that focuses on how well outcomes are being met for people using the service. It also gave us some numerical information about the service. 2. Six service user, staff, and health and social care professionals surveys were sent out to be completed, but only one healthcare professional survey was returned in time to be included in this report. 3.Information we have about how the service has managed any complaints or allegations. 4. What the service has told us about things that have happened in the service, these are called notifications and are a legal requirement. 5. The previous key inspection report. What has this told us about the service? The home sent us their annual quality assurance assessment (AQAA) when we asked for it. It was clear, detailed and gave us all the information we asked for. The service confirmed that the service users had been regularly consulted about the running of the home and that changes had been made as a result of listening to their views. Some of these changes included; evolving activities to reflect individuals personal preferences, supporting people to grow, pick and cook their own vegetables, and supporting everybody who wished to have a holiday, to go to somewhere of their choice, and to be supported by the staff of their choice. One service user had chosen to go back to their native homeland, Ireland, to stay in a cottage with a log fire, and go fishing from a small boat. Another service user had been supported to take a helicopter ride. Changes planned as a result of listening to the people who use the service included, refurbishing the summerhouse so that it can be used as a quiet area, investigating ways of cooling one persons bedroom down during hot weather, and to look into an alternative means of offering more choice about what people have for their evening meal. The AQAA confirmed that the management were aware of how they could improve the service for the benefit of the service users and recorded improvements in all outcome areas with further improvements planned over the next twelve months. Some of the improvements made over the previous twelve months included; producing a one page leaflet for prospective new clients, introducing Positive and Productive meeting formats into reviews that involve care management and relatives, ensuring specific information with respect to the likes, dislikes and preferences of the service users recorded in their care plans, is more easily accessible to inform the staff, and matching staff to individuals and activities wherever possible, and particularly for holidays. One service user, who had been reluctant to go out due to their fear of open spaces, had been able to visit the theatre to see their favourite performers this year, with support from the staff. We have supported the people who live here after the sudden death of a friend, the manager wrote in the AQAA, this has taken a variety of forms ranging from attending the funeral, planting a tree in the garden in memory of this person, to compiling memory books. Annual Service Review Page 4 of 7 The manager recorded in the AQAA, the combined roles of Registered Manager and Deputy working across two services have been more positive than we expected. We have been able to develop consistent approaches to support needs and practice development. We have worked hard to ensure that there is consistent practice and that person centred approaches are at the centre of everything we do. The Registered Manager had attended training in relation to Deprivation of Liberties Safeguards and had fed back information to the staff team, and the local authority advisor had visited to discuss any potential issues. The manager wrote, we are confident that our practices reflect the best interests of the people we support and are not unnecessarily restrictive. Some environmental improvements completed, included adapting the physical environment to meet service users changing needs by installing a ceiling tracking hoist in one persons bedroom and in the downstairs bathroom, and replacing the bathroom, kitchen and laundry room flooring, which had been damaged by water from leaks. The AQAA recorded, we continue to benefit from a committed, skilled, flexible and enthusiastic staff team who provide support to individuals in a very person centred way. There is a strong sense of team spirit and we utilise and value the strengths of each individual team member. A healthcare professional, who completed a survey, recorded that the home always properly monitors, reviews and meets the health and social care needs of the people who use the service, and that the care service always seeks advice and acts upon it to meet the service users social and healthcare needs, and to improve their well-being. They commented under the heading of what the home does well, the home provides a friendly service, which is client-centred. Clients are respected and treated with dignity and the staff are kind and caring. They confirmed there was nothing much the service could do better because; they are a very well-organised and caring team. This health care professional also commented that, we need more care like this for other vulnerable adults such as the mentally ill and the very elderly. The AQAA recorded that two complaints had been received over the previous twelve months and that had been resolved within twenty-eight days. One complaint had been upheld. One safeguarding referral had been made by the home over the previous twelve months with respect to a service user, who had spent some time in hospital and an investigation had been carried out. The manager wrote in the AQAA, our concerns were investigated and the conclusion was a positive one for all parties. The home continues to let us know about the things that have happened since the last key inspection and they have shown us that they have managed issues well. The previous key inspection report completed on 30th October 2008 included good outcomes for service users under six of the eight outcome areas and individual needs and choices and lifestyle were judged as excellent. Information available confirms that the home continues to provide good outcomes for the people who use it. The management work well with us and have shown us that their service continues to develop and take into account the views of all stakeholders in their plans for the future of the service. Annual Service Review Page 5 of 7 What are we going to do as a result of this annual service review? The Care Quality Commission (CQC) will continue to monitor the service and the schedule of inspection remains the same. However, the CQC can inspect the service at any time should there be any concerns about the quality of the service or the safety of the people using the service. Annual Service Review Page 6 of 7 Reader Information Document Purpose: Author: Audience: Further copies from: Annual service review CQC General Public 0870 240 7535 (national contact centre) Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. The content of which can be found on our website. 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 copy of the findings 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. Annual Service Review Page 7 of 7 - 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!