Care Home: Alexander House

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Annual service review Name of Service: Alexander House The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: three star excellent service 1 1 1 1 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: Lynda Jones Date of this annual service review: 1 6 1 1 2 0 0 9 Annual Service Review Page 1 of 7 Information about the service Address of service: Savile Park Road Halifax West Yorkshire HX1 2XH 01422345666 01422345666 Pam@eldercare.org.uk Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address:   Name of registered provider(s): Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : old age, not falling within any other category Eldercare (Halifax) Ltd Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 0 20 Have there been any changes in the ownership, management or the Yes 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 Alexander House is a former vicarage, which was opened as a care home for older people in 1984. A purpose built extension was added some years ago and the home now provides personal care and accommodation for up to twenty people. The house is situated next to St Judes church in the Savile Park area of Halifax. It is on a bus route and there are local shops nearby. There is a comfortable lounge, a dining room, and a conservatory that is used as a second lounge. There is an outside seating area for use during the better weather. The private rooms consist of two twin and sixteen single bedrooms, and many of the rooms have en suite facilities. Alexander House has a no smoking policy. none 1 1 1 1 2 0 0 8 Annual Service Review Page 2 of 7 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 or annual service review. This included: 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. Information we have about how the service has managed any complaints. What the service has told us about things that have happened in the service, these are called notifications and are a legal requirement. The previous key inspection and the results of any other visits that we have made to the service in the last 12 months. Relevant information from other organisations. What other people have told us about the service. What has this told us about the service? The home sent us their annual quality asssurance assessment (AQAA) when we asked for it. It was clear and gave us all the information we asked for. We looked at the information in the AQAA and our judgement is that it is still an excellent service. Everyone is assessed and provided with information about the service before any decision is made about moving in. This is to make sure that the home is suitable and can meet individual needs. In the surveys, people told us that they had enough information about the home to decide if it was the right place for them to move into and they said they had been given information about the terms and conditions of residence. Everyone living at the home has an individual care plan which gives details about the care and support that each person requires, the plans outline what action staff must take to make sure that peoples needs are consistently met. The AQAA tells us All service users have a concise care plan and the risk assessments and care plan action is reviewed constantly by staff and then this is reassessed and recorded by the manager on a monthly basis. Service users and relatives participate in this process and are able to communicate their views. In the surveys, people confirmed that they receive the medical care and support they need. People living at Alexander House are supported to access a range of activities inside and outside of the home, and to maintain contact with family and friends. This makes sure each persons needs and aspirations are met. Annual Service Review Page 4 of 7 We asked the home to tell us about the sort of activities that take place, they said We host in-house events and activities such as parties, entertainers, singers, etc. for service users, their families and friends and for the local community to attend and be involved in our activity programme. We have regular outings for service users such as trips to restaurants/pubs to the local tea dance and residents enjoy the tiddlers group that is held at the local church and to the local church recitals . The service users decide where they would like to go as a group and decide on locations for one-to-one outings with the activities co-ordinator. There is a complaints procedure, a copy of which is on display in the home. A copy of the procedure is included in the admission pack. In the surveys everyone said they knew how to complain and they told us they have someone to talk to if they are not happy. This is what they told us in the AQAA We are proud to maintain a mutually happy relationship with family, friends of service users and other visitors. Due to the good rapport we have with the local community we rarely receive any complaints and the risk of receiving any is minimised by the good communicative link we possess. We have not received any complaints about the service. The home is comfortable and well maintained. Everyone who sent a survey to us said the home is always fresh and clean. The AQAA said Any visitors that come say that the home is very welcoming and inviting, this feedback has been verbally received and commented upon in the satisfaction survey and letters and cards. We asked them about their plans for improvement over the next twelve months and they said they hope to change the upstairs bathroom into a hairdressing salon plus also a wetroom. All staff whowork at the home are appropriately checked to make sure they are suitable. The home does this by obtaining CRB checks and taking up two references before new staff start work. They told us We have a good staff retention rate and are lucky to have such flexible and accommodating staff who put the care requirements of service users as their primary objective. Staff frequently volunteer their own free time to participate in extra training courses and to go out on excursions with residents. The home is well managed; the Registered Manager of the home is experienced and competent to run the home. People are consulted about their care and about the way the home is run. In the surveys we asked people to tell us what the home does well. These are some of their comments: Makes you feel welcome and helps you feel at home. I do They give us what we want. I like my porridge and activities Foods nice. They arrange good activities and I am able to go out to town You get help when you need it I am really happy and enjoy living here, as I would be lonely at home by myself. I wouldnt change a thing. Annual Service Review Page 5 of 7 What are we going to do as a result of this annual service review? We are not going to change our inspection plan, and will do a key inspection by 10/11/11. However we can inspect the service at any time if we have 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. 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