Care Home: Falconers Court

Similar services:

• Insight - Eastchurch
• Southfields
• Thorndene
• Magenta
• Seabourne House
• 33 St John`s Church Road
• Dovedale Court
• Lyncol House

What the care home does well The environment is purpose built and wheelchair accessible. It is welcoming, clean and well maintained . There is a friendly and homely atmosphere and reflects the personalities and interest of the people who live there. The registered manager and staff have a good understanding of the needs of the residents and care is person centred. The home works hard to promote the health and well being of each resident. There is a dedicated and enthusiastic staff team who work well together. Staff training is good with relevant specialist training being undertaken as well as all statutory areas, such as moving and handling and fire safety, being covered. Over sixty-five percent of staff hold the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at level two or above. The home offers a wide variety of activities that based on the individual preferences of each resident. The home is well managed with and open and inclusive atmosphere. What has improved since the last inspection? This was the first inspection since the home was registered to new providers. Therefore this section is not applicable in this instance. What the care home could do better: No requirements were placed as a result of this visit and the home has made good progress in all the care outcome areas. Key inspection report Care homes for adults (18-65 years) Name: Address: Falconers Court Falconers Court High Street Edenbridge Kent TN8 5NW     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: Wendy Mills     Date: 2 7 0 1 2 0 1 0 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 28 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 28 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: Falconers Court Falconers Court High Street Edenbridge Kent TN8 5NW 01732866407 01732866407 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Larkfield Hall Ltd Name of registered manager (if applicable) Mr Stephen Richard Shepherd Type of registration: Number of places registered: care home 7 Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 learning disability Additional conditions: The maximum number of service users who can be accommmodated is: 7 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) Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home Falconers Court is a residential home providing care and support for up to seven adults with learning disabilities and associated physical disabilities. The home has been established for some years but last year it was registered to new providers, Larkfield Hall Ltd. It was then registered as a new service with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The home is situated just off the main high street in the smalll town of Edenbridge in Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 4 of 28 Over 65 0 7 Brief description of the care home Kent. It is very close to all local amenities including a post office, bank, small shops, churches and a supermarket. There is a railway station close by although wheelchair users needing to use the train service have to give British Rail twenty-fours hours notice as not all areas of the station are easily accessible. There are good road links to the nearby, larger towns of Sevenoaks and Tonbridge. The home has its own vehicle for the use of the people who use this service. The premises is a single story building with a good-sized kitchen dining room, two comfortable lounges and accessible and specially adapted toilets, bathrooms and shower rooms. All the people who use this service have their own bedrooms and these rooms are suitable for wheelchair users. Outside there is a safe and enclosed patio area with seating. Further information about this service may be obtained by contacting the registered manager of the home. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 5 of 28 Summary This is an overview of what we found during the inspection. The quality rating for this care home is: Our judgement for each outcome: 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: This was the first inspection of the home since it was registered to new providers in 2009. This visit was unannounced and formed part of the annual inspection process of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) under the Care Standards Act. This report is complied using evidence gathered both before the visit, and during the visit. The evidence gathered before the visit includes information that the service is required to give us, such as the homes Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA) and notifications of significant events that occur throughout the year; and things that other people have told us, such as the views of relatives and visiting health and social care professionals. The evidence we have found using this process is used to make a judgement about quality rating for the service. During this visit we looked at important documentation such as care plans, staff files and records of management and administration of medicines. We spoke to some of the relatives of the people who use this service and some of the staff. We made a tour of Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 6 of 28 the home, discussed care practice and staff training in depth with the registered manager. Direct and indirect observations were made throughout this visit. We asked the supporters of the people who use this service how they would like to be referred to in this report. They told us they would like to be called residents. We have, therefore used this term to refer to them throughout this report. The people at Falconers Court are thanked for the welcome they gave and their help during this inspection. The quality rating for this service is two stars. This means that the people who use this service experience good outcomes in all aspects of their care. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 7 of 28 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 28 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 28 Choice of home These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People are confident that the care home can support them. This is because there is an accurate assessment of their needs that they, or people close to them, have been involved in. This tells the home all about them, 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. The home has robust admissions policies and procedures and gives prospective service users, and current service users and their supporters, good information about the home so that can make informed decisions about living there. Evidence: We looked at standards 1 and 2 in this outcome area. In order to make a judgement about these standards we looked at information from the care Commissions registration team, spoke to the registered manger for the service and some of the staff and examined important documentation such the homes Statement of Purpose, Service User Guide and the care plans of the people who use this service. The home was registered as a new service some six months ago. This was because there was a change in the registered provider and registered manager for the home. However, the people who use this service have all lived in the home for some years. In order to comply with the regulations for registration with the Care Quality Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 10 of 28 Evidence: Commission (CQC), the new providers were required to submit a comprehensive Statement of Purpose that includes clear information about the home. The Statement of Purpose submitted by the registered providers satisfied the scrutiny of the CQC registration team and the providers and manager were deemed fit to provide and manage the service. Three care plans were examined. Care plans are important documents because they are one of the ways that the people who use this service and their supporters can be assured that their care needs have been identified and the way these needs will be met has been recorded. They are also an important source of information for staff who must ensure that they give care in a consistent way in line with best care practice. Further, care plans can provide a basis for informing the decision making process in cases where there is failing mental capacity. The care plans are in good order and contain extensive information about each person. No new residents have been admitted to the home since the new providers took over. We found good evidence that a thorough review of each resident and her respective care plan has recently been carried out. The home has no vacancies at present but there are robust pre-admission policies and procedures in place so that prospective service users will be properly assessed to ensure that the home can meet their needs, and that they are suited to the home, before a place would be offered. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 11 of 28 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. The home supports the residents to make informed decisions and choices in a way that they can understand so as to improve their independence and control over their lives. Evidence: We looked at Standards 6, 7 and 9 in this outcome area in order to make a judgement as to how well the service helps the residents to make decisions about the way they live their lives. The evidence we took into consideration included things the home told us in their Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA), conversation with staff and the registered manager and things that were written in care plans and related documents such as the daily records. The care plans contain comprehensive information about all aspects of care and support, including religious and cultural needs, likes and dislikes and family involvement. This information provides a good basis for helping the residents make informed decisions about how they spend their time. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 12 of 28 Evidence: The AQAA told us that there are regular, weekly meetings at which the residents talk about what they would like to do and plan the menus for the following month. Pictures and symbols ans staff support are all used to help them for this. The care plans contain behavioral guidelines and risk assessments in place for the environment and for individual activities. This means that the residents can take responsible risks, with the support of staff. to help them improve their independence. Conversation with staff and the manager confirmed that they understand how to offer choice in a way that is meaningful to the residents. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 13 of 28 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. The home supports the people who use this service to access a variety of meaningful activities so that they can maximise their independence. Evidence: We looked at Standards 11, 12, 13, 15, 16 and 17 in this outcome area. In order to make a judgement about how well the home meets the lifestyle needs of the residents we looked at care plans, activity records and the environment. We spoke to the registered manager, staff and relatives and made direct and indirect observations throughout the time spent in the home. The care plans contain plenty of information about the cultural and religious needs, lifestyle needs, likes and dislikes and any special dietary requirements that the residents may have. We found good evidence to show that the home uses this information to ensure that the residents are offered a variety of activities that meet Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 14 of 28 Evidence: their aspirations and cultural needs. The residents attend a day centre where they take part in a variety of activities. These activities include arts and crafts, swimming and horse riding. The residents have been attending the day centre for a considerable time. The home is now looking into the possibility of providing more variety of activities during the day. At present, the home has made arrangements for more individual activities to be on offer in the late afternoons, evenings and weekends. The home now has its own vehicle. This means that there are more opportunities for outings and that a wider variety of activities is on offer. Activity records show that recent activities have included pub meals, visits to nearby towns, bowling and various clubs. One person is a regular church goer and is supported to attend church each Sunday. We looked at the guidelines for staff giving this support. These are clear and include directions as which entrance to be used and how to support the person to participate in the service as much as possible. Relatives said that they are very pleased with the changes in activities that the home has introduced. They said that it was especially good that activities are now much more tailored to the preferences of each person. One said, The more individualised attention gives my daughter what she needs. She now does all the things she enjoys, going out to the pub, outings - that sort of thing. Shes much happier now. The registered manager said that he feels that the residents are less likely to display challenging behaviour now because they have more individual support from staff. Mealtimes at the home are flexible. The manager and staff displayed a good understanding of the importance of good nutrition, how to offer choice in respect of food and how to encourage a healthy diet. The manager told us that shopping is done locally and that the residents help out with this task. There are weekly meetings with residents and their supporters to decide what food will be on the menus for the next month. Residents are supported and encouraged to help in food preparation of they wish. There are pictorial menu cards to help them choose and the daily menu is displayed on a notice board in the kitchen. There was plenty of fresh local produce in the home on the day of this visit. The kitchen/dining room is light and airy. Recently three small tables have been purchased to replace the large dining table. The manager said that this change has made mealtimes more relaxed as the residents can choose who to sit with. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 15 of 28 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. The home promotes the health and well being of the residents in a way that respects their privacy and dignity. Evidence: We looked at Standards 18, 19 and 20 in this outcome area. In order to make a judgement about how well the home ensures that the people who use this service stay as healthy as possible we looked at a random selection of care plans and other health records, such as the Medicines Administration Records (MARs). We spoke to relatives, staff, the manager and health and social care professionals. The care plans contain life histories and clearly identify the health and personal care needs of the residents and describe how these needs are to be met. There is good evidence that the home has liaises well with visiting health and social care professionals to ensure that specialist advice is sought and followed. For example, the home has worked closely with the Speech and Language Therapists to set up communication passports for each resident. The staff we spoke to were knowledgeable about the specific needs of each resident Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 16 of 28 Evidence: and were able to describe how support is given in a way that respects privacy and dignity. There are sound policies and procedures for the management and administration of medicines in the home. Staff administering medicines have received training in how to do this safely and only staff who have received this training are allowed to do so. At present there is one senior carer who takes an overview of the management of medicines and reports any concerns to the manager. There have been no errors in the administration of medicines since the home was registered to the new providers. We looked at the storage of medicines in the home and found this to be safe and secure with temperatures being regularly checked to ensure the medicines are stored at the recommended temperatures. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 17 of 28 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. The home has sound policies and procedures for managing concerns,complaints and safeguarding. The residents and their supporters are listened to and their concerns acted upon when indicated. Evidence: We looked at standards 22 and 23 in this outcome area. In order to make a judgement about how well the home listens to concerns and complaints and ensures the safety of the residents we looked at documentation such as staff training records, the complaints and safeguarding procedures, and spoke to relatives, staff and the manager. We also made direct and indirect observations throughout the time spent in the home. The homes complaints procedures is contained in the Statement of Purpose and was carefully scrutinised by the CQC registration team at the time the home was registered. The manager said that no changes to this procedure have been made since then but that he has introduced a book where staff can note day to day concerns as they arise. He said that there have been been no formal complaints in the six months that the new provider has run the home and he has been in post. Relatives said that they are very happy with the way the home is now being run and spoke positively about the way it is managed. One said, Were very happy with the home - the manager seems to have sorted a lot out and made some good improvements in the short time he has been there. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 18 of 28 Evidence: As noted under previous outcome areas, there are regular residents meetings and staff are encouraged to raise concerns on behalf of residents. There are sound policies and procedures for keeping residents safe from all forms of harm and abuse. Staff spoken to understand these well and said they would have no hesitation in reporting any concerns to the manager. They praised the way the staffing levels had improved and said that the staff team is much more cohesive now that the home hardly ever has to use agency staff. Training records show that safeguarding is included in the induction training and that there are regular updates. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 19 of 28 Environment These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People stay in a safe and well-maintained home that is homely, clean, 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 is well-maintained and clean with a welcoming atmosphere. This gives the residents a pleasant, safe and homely place in which to live. Evidence: We looked at Standards 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30 in this outcome area. In order to make a judgement about how well the environment of the home meets the specific needs of the people who use this service we looked at the information the home gave us about environmental safety in their Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA), we looked at policies and procedures and risk assessments and we made a tour of the home. The home is a purpose built, one story building situated just off the main High Street in the village Edenbridge. The home has a welcoming and homely feel. All areas of the home and gardens are wheelchair accessible. There is plenty of communal space with two lounges and a kitchen/dining room. The bathrooms are adapted to meet the specialist needs of the residents who are all wheelchair users. All the people who use this service have their own rooms that they have been able to personalise to reflect their interests and families. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 20 of 28 Evidence: All areas of the home were noted to be very clean and well maintained on the day of this visit and there are sound infection control measures in place. The AQAA confirmed that all necessary health and safety checks are made on the environment and that certificates such as electrical safety, are in place and up-to-date. There are risk assessments in place for environmental risks and no health and safety hazards were noted during a tour of the home. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 21 of 28 Staffing These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People have safe and appropriate support as there are enough competent, 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. Staffing levels, staff training and staff recruitment procedures are good. Staff supervision is established and morale is high. This means that the residents are cared for by a well qualified, carefully vetted and cheerful staff team who work well together. Evidence: We looked at Standards 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 in this outcome area. In order to make a judgement about how well the staff are selected, trained and supported so that they can meet the needs of the residents we looked at staff training records and tracking forms. We talked to relatives, staff and the registered manager and we made indirect observations during a tour of the home. Since taking over the registered provider and the registered manager have worked hard to ensure there are more permanent staff in the home. Under the previous management there was a heavy dependence on the use of agency staff and this led to lack of continuity of care. The home now has a dedicated staff team and only uses agency staff to cover for unexpected situations such as staff sickness. The staff team now consists of some newly recruited staff, some staff who have moved over from other homes in the company, and some of the permanent staff who worked under the previous management. Staff said that there is now a more cohesive staff team. One Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 22 of 28 Evidence: said, Its much better now that we dont have so many agency staff, its better for the residents - they know the staff on duty and we know who will be looking after them the next day so handover is better. Staff rosters are now more flexible. Rosters take into account the needs of the people who use the service so that there are enough staff to support them on late afternoons and evening outings. There are four members of staff rostered on each day shift. There has been a lot of work done on staff training over the past six months. The registered provider funded staff training for staff who were already working at the home before the change of ownership. This meant that staff could get up to speed with training before the new provider took over. The home has a training matrix that shows any gaps in statutory and specialist training. We found good evidence that there training is ongoing. On the day of this visit a day seminar on epilepsy was being held in the home. Ten out of the fourteen staff hold the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at level two or above. We found good evidence that all staff have been carefully vetted. The registered provider has robust recruitment policies and procedures in place and the registered manager told us that he has been involved in the recruitment of new staff and has ensured that the appropriate checks, such as Criminal records Bureau (CRB) checks and written references are in place. Staff files are held centrally but there are tracker forms in the home that note key information such as CRB numbers. The staff we spoke to said that they felt things had improved in the home now that there are more permanent staff and less agency staff are used. Staff morale appeared to be good and staff said they have worked well as a team over the past months. There are regular staff meetings where any ideas, concerns or other issues can be raised. There are staff appraisals and one-to-one supervision is established. Relatives spoke positively about the staff and praised the way they work as a team. Communication between staff, residents, relatives and management is good. The registered provider produces a newsletter to keep staff informed about what is going on within the organisation. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 23 of 28 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 home is well managed and the views of the residents and their supporters are listened to and acted upon. This means that they home is run in the best interests of the people who live there. Evidence: We looked at Standards 37, 38, 39 and 42 in this outcome area. In order to make a judgement about how well the home is managed and run in the best interests of the residents, we spoke at length with the registered manager; we looked at information given to us in the Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA); we looked at information we hold about the registered provider and information from the CQC registration team; we spoke to staff and relatives, we looked at documentation and made direct and indirect observations throughout the time spent in the home. The registered provider has many years experience of providing residential care for people with learning disabilities. The registered manager has worked for the company for nine years, previously holding a post as registered manager in another care home for people with learning disabilities. He has over eighteen years experience of working Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 24 of 28 Evidence: in care settings, fourteen of these as a registered manager. He holds the Registered Manager Award (RMA) and is about to start a course that is part of a teaching degree. He demonstrates a good awareness of work and research currently being carried out by a department of a university in the county that is leading developments to improve understanding, standards and service for people with learning disabilities. The manager has made contact with this centre in order to keep his practice updated and to introduce new concepts in care and support. Conversation with the registered manger showed him to have a very good understanding of the needs of people with learning disabilities and of best care practice. The home has a welcoming atmosphere and staff said that he is open to new ideas and easy to talk to. Relatives and staff praised the manger and the improvements he has made since coming to the home. He works some shifts as a carer so that he can keep in touch with the issues staff may have. This has been very well received by staff who feel that it makes it easier to communicate with him. The registered provider has sound quality assurance systems in place. There are regular visits by representatives of the provider and there are regular financial audits of residents monies. Relatives confirmed that their views are sought and listened to. There are weekly residents meetings and communication passports are used to help residents express their views and needs. The AQAA confirmed that all policies and procedures required for ensuring the safety of the residents, staff and the environment are in place and that regular checks are made. All certificates for the safety of the home, for example, the electrical safety certificate, are in place and up-to-date. No health and safety hazards were noted during a tour of the home. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 25 of 28 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? Yes £ No R Outstanding statutory requirements These are requirements that were set at the previous inspection, but have still not been met. They say what the registered person had to do to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Care Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 26 of 28 Requirements and recommendations from this inspection: Immediate requirements: These are immediate requirements that were set on the day we visited this care home. The registered person had to meet these within 48 hours. No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Statutory requirements These requirements set out what the registered person must do to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Care Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must do this within the timescales we have set. No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action 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 27 of 28 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 28 of 28 - Please note that this information is included on www.bestcarehome.co.uk under license from the regulator. Re-publishing this information is in breach of the terms of use of that website. Discrete codes and changes have been inserted throughout the textual data shown on the site that will provide incontrovertable proof of copying in the event this information is re-published on other websites. The policy of www.bestcarehome.co.uk is to use all legal avenues to pursue such offenders, including recovery of costs. You have been warned!