Care Home: McGowan Court

What the care home does well The home is very well managed, the manager and the staff team have a positive approach to providing good support to the residents. They are particularly successful at treating people as individuals and using each person`s unique strengths, abilities and past experiences as a means to moving them toward recovery and a better life experience. The staff are interested in developing better ways of working with people by keeping their nursing practice up to date and informed by current developments in mental health research. Staff commitment and moral is high and the organisation works at developing the good working practices and team work. The staff team has work hard at developing relationships with other professionals involved in the lives of people living at the home. Staff are given good training and receive regular supervision to make sure that they are knowledgeable, skilled and confident in the roles they undertake. There is a very low level of staff sickness. The records are very good including good pre admission assessments, and good standards of care plans which set out how the home intends to meet the needs of people using the service. There are good arrangements in place to review and monitor peoples placements to ensure that the services being provided were effective. Staff work flexibly so that people could enjoy everyday social events without feeling constrained by staff needing to get back to the office because their shift was over. Staff support people to take sensible risks and to make choices and decisions that had a positive effect upon their lives. They are supported to take part in activities available in their local community, and develop positive relationships with the people they live with and to engage in social events arranged at the home. People living in the home said that they were "confident that they would be looked after" and that they had the opportunities to "live how they want to". They also said that staff were kind, and that they enjoyed living at McGowan Court. What has improved since the last inspection? At the last key inspection carried out on 18th June 2007 four requirements were identified. These were mainly around redecoration and replacement of worn furniture and increasing the frequency of fire instructions for staff. These were met within the timescales agreed. The last random inspection visit did not identify any requirements or recommendations. What the care home could do better: No requirements or recommendations were made as a result of this inspection. The Manager continually works toward developing the quality assurance process so that they can make ongoing improvements to the service. Key inspection report Care homes for adults (18-65 years) Name: Address: McGowan Court Commercial Road Byker Newcastle Upon Tyne Tyne & Wear NE6 2EH     The quality rating for this care home is:   three star excellent 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: Suzanne McKean     Date: 1 6 0 3 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 29 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) © Care Quality Commission 2010 This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any format or medium for non-commercial purposes, provided that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context. The source should be acknowledged, by showing the publication title and © Care Quality Commission 2010. www.cqc.org.uk Internet address Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 3 of 29 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: McGowan Court Commercial Road Byker Newcastle Upon Tyne Tyne & Wear NE6 2EH 01912765557 01912245985 roblambert@mentalhealthconcern.org www.mentalhealthconcern.org Mental Health Concern Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Name of registered manager (if applicable) Mr Rob Lambert Type of registration: Number of places registered: care home 12 Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 mental disorder, excluding learning disability or dementia Additional conditions: Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home McGowan Court is a 12 place care home with nursing. Providing care for adults with enduring mental health problems. Care in the home is provided by Registered Mental Nurses supported by care staff. The home is situated in Byker in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne close to local shops and good public transport links. The building is comprised of two six bedded houses over two floors which are linked by single storey central communal facilities. The philosophy of care in the home is to support the residents in their activities of daily living and to provide for their physical and mental health needs. On the day of the inspection there was 12 residents in occupation 6 male and 6 female. Fees in the home are £922 this does not include toiletries or hairdressing. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 4 of 29 Over 65 7 5 1 8 0 8 2 0 0 9 Brief description of the care home Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 5 of 29 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: three star excellent 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: We have reviewed our practice when making requirements, to improve national consistency. Some requirements from previous inspection reports may have been deleted or carried forward into this report as recommendations, but only when it is considered that people who use services are not being put at significant risk of harm. In future, if a requirement is repeated, it is likely that enforcement action will be taken. Summary: This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection. How the inspection we carried out:- Before the visit we looked at, the information we have received since the last visit on 17th August 2009. How the service dealt with any complaints and concerns or protection of vulnerable Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 6 of 29 adult issues since the last visit. Any changes to how the home is run. The providers view of how well they care for people. The views of people who use the service and their relatives, staff and other professionals. Used surveys to find out the views of residents their relatives or representatives and professionals who visit the home. The visit: An unannounced visit was made on 16th March 2010, this visit was carried out over seven and a half hours. During the visit we: Talked with people who use the service, the staff and the manager. Looked at information about the people who use the service and how well their needs are met. Looked at the records which must be kept. Checked the staff had the knowledge, skills and training to meet the needs of the people they care for. Looked around the building and parts of the building to make sure it was clean, safe and comfortable. Checked what improvements had been made since the last visit. We told the manager what we found. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 7 of 29 What the care home does well: What has improved since the last inspection? What they could do better: No requirements or recommendations were made as a result of this inspection. The Manager continually works toward developing the quality assurance process so that they can make ongoing improvements to the service. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 8 of 29 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 9 of 29 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 10 of 29 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. Potential residents have comprehensive needs assessments to help them and the service make the right decision about the placement. They are given informaton about the service before they make the choice. Evidence: The home sets out the aims and objectives of the service in the satement of purpose and service user guide. This is available to all of the potential and actual residents living in the home. Prior to any placement being offered there is a very detailed, full needs assessment. This is held in the residents care plans. The referals are made through the Consultant Psychiatrist and the Manager ensures that the service can meet the residents needs before a placement is agreed. The information from the Social Services Care Manager (if one is involved and where necessary the nurse assessor is also included in the assessment. There is also information in the preadmission information that relatives have helped to produce an initial care plan based their knowledge of the person. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 11 of 29 Evidence: The assessments are detailed and encourage staff to explore issues relating to equality and diversity as it refers to gender, ethnic origin, religion, social history and preferred likes and dislikes. The service uses a number of assessment tools which are specific to rehabilitation and there is a clear focus on including the service users own priorities and choices when setting the goals which they are careful to ensure are achievable. The baseline assessments are also used to identify any progress made. Before choosing the service potential service users can visit and spend some time getting to know the home and meet some of the current people living there. The home confirms in writing to each individual that they can meet their needs and everyone has a contract that sets out the terms and conditions while living in the home. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 12 of 29 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Very good care planning and review processes make sure that staff are clear about how they should meet the health, personal care and mental health needs of people using the service. This is done in a way that respects their views and supports them to retain control over the way they live their lives. Evidence: All of the people living at the home have a care plan that has been agreed with them. This is shown by the resident signing some sections. Each resident, when spoken to, confirmed that they were aware of the contents of their plan and could identify how the plan is developed as well as the purpose for them. The care records looked at were easy to understand and had been written in plain English. Each of the residents have a key worker and one said that they had talked to theirs to make sure that they understood what was written about them. The key worker spends time trying to help them understanding them. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 13 of 29 Evidence: The care plan cover areas such as information about peoples lives before they came to live at McGowan Court, and an assessment of peoples needs in the seven key areas promoted in the home of independence, choice, fulfillment, privacy, dignity, rights and citizenship. All care plans had been reviewed regularly and they clearly identify how the service would meet peoples needs and support them to maximise their independence and develop their skills and abilities. The care plans also used the Health of the Nation Outcome scale. There are good records of how residents are encouraged to express their choices and work in partnership with staff to make decisions in all areas of their lives including medication management, diet, holidays, and how they spend their day to day lives. They are supported to live actives lives in line with their previous lifestyles, interests and aspirations. Appropriate risk assessments are carried out although they are encouraged in positive risk taking by looking at issues such as medication or going out to a variety of places in the community. The care plans are reviewed monthly with the resident and this is the opportunity for them to identify it it continues to be appropriate and if any changes need to be made. Full annual re-assessments are carried out. The homes key worker system makes sure that there is a supportive relationship with people using the service and the staff. It was clear that staff understood the benefits of involving people in the preparation of their assessments and care plans. People had signed the information contained in their care records to confirm their agreement with the contents. Although all of the care plans were person centered one of them looked at has been completed in the new style which is being introduced, this was particularly person centered and was in excellent detail. Mental Health Concern, has in the past, provided its staff with guidance on how to assess and manage risks. The records in the care plans show that where risks had been identified they plans were put in place. There were also assessments for physical care were also in place around areas such as nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices. There was evidence that the manager and his staff team understood the importance of people being supported and encouraged to take control of their own lives and make their own decisions and choices. An example of this was a resident who has reduced his medication when this was not on medical advice, this has been well managed. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 14 of 29 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Good arrangements are in place to support people to live active and fulfilled lives in line with their rights, choices, abilities and previous lifestyles. They are supported to maintain contact with their families and friends and are given assistance when necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Evidence: People living at the home had been provided with opportunities to develop and maintain important personal and family relationships. The care plans contain information about peoples families and friends. Staff support the individual residents to assist them to maintain positive contact with their relative. People spoken to did not feel that they were subject to any restrictions in the way they receive their visitors but understood that they lived in shared accommodation and the way this had to be taken into account to maintain other peoples privacy. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 15 of 29 Evidence: There was very good evidence that service supports people to join in meaningful daytime activities of their own choice. This included a number of opportunities in the local community and the use of facilities available to all residents of the area. Residents also accompany staff to do the weekly shop which is planned by the group. People in the houses are supported to regularly attend various local social clubs and projects and they are encouraged to participate in local community activities and events. Staff try to foster residents relationships with their family and friends. Residents use local amenities such as General Practitioners, chemist, supermarkets, pubs, cafes. One resident said I can do what I want and the staff help me with the things I cant manage. The residents and staff described the holiday that was taken last year and how much it was enjoyed by all. Assessments completed by staff contained information about how people using the service viewed their own rights and, what had prevented them from fully exercising those rights in the past. There was a discussion with the manager about the way that the home includes the Deprivation of Liberty Act and good practice guidance into the way that the care planning is carried out. There was an expectation that people using the service would be involved in the domestic routines of their house and in the planning and cooking of their meals. Residents said that they were expected to help out with the shopping. The menus covered the main meal times and included details of the range of foods and beverages available at the breakfast and supper time meals. There was good evidence that the home promoted healthy eating although this is not enforced as the residents have thier own view on what they would like to eat. Each of the people interviewed said that they were very happy with the quality and variety of food served at the home. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 16 of 29 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. There are good systems in place to support people living in the home have their health care needs met in a way that is well planned and supports them to lead healthy lifestyles. Evidence: The homes statement of purpose included information about how the health care needs of people living at the home would be met. The residents health care needs are overseen and managed by qualified nursing staff. The staff are knowledgeably about how people using the service are supported to maintain better physical and mental health, through their day to day lifestyle choices and through good care planning. Information about peoples health care needs had been recorded in their care records. They show that medical advice is sought from a variety of sources including physiotherapists, General Practitioners and dietitians. Residents said that that they had been assisted to attend hospital and General Practitioner appointments when they needed to. During the visit one resident chose not to visit the General Practitioner and although the staff encouraged her to attend they supported her decision and made alternative plans for her. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 17 of 29 Evidence: The residents are supported in very individual ways and the staff are aware of the needs of the residents and how they will be met including the way that the person has their preferences were taken into account. Arrangements were in place to provide support workers with health care training where a need to do so is identified. Members of the qualified nursing team usually provide this training. Mental Health Concern had developed a policy that staff were expected to follow when administering medication. The cupboard used to store medication was clean and hygienic. All medication had been properly secured. Photos to identify each person were available in their care records. Records were in place covering the ordering, receipt, administration and disposal of medicines. Controlled drugs were not being administered at the time of the inspection. Only qualified nursing staff administered medication. Some of the people living in the home are encouraged to take part in managing their medication, by collecting their medication from the pharmacy and/or by holding a weeks supply to take themselves. This follows a risk assessment and the development of a plan. Peoples competence to administer their own medication had been reviewed and their care plans reviewed and modified. The manager confirmed that there is a procedure for fully investigating any medication errors and that staff are provided with support to ensure that any incidents do not reoccur. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 18 of 29 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. Good arrangements are in place for handling complaints and safeguarding issues, and residents were confident that their complaints would be listened to, taken seriously and acted upon and that they could feel safe and protected in their own home. Evidence: There are good complaints policies and procedures, that was easy to read and understand as they are written in plain English. All people who move into the home are given the information about how to complain. There are no people accommodated who require the homes complaints procedure to be made available in a different format. The complaints procedure provided staff with guidance about how to handle complaints. People living at the home said that they would be happy to raise any concerns they might have with the manager or a member of the staff team. The providers safeguarding policy provided staff with guidance about how to handle adult protection concerns. There have been two incidents when an issue was considered under the protection of vulnerable adults procedures. The home worked well with the process and the issues were resolved. All staff had received training in the protection of vulnerable adults. People living at the home said that they felt safe and secure. Staff spoken to were able to Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 19 of 29 Evidence: satisfactorily describe the action they would take to protect people from potential harm or abuse. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 20 of 29 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 building is clean and well maintained providing a pleasant, comfortable environment for the residents to live in. Evidence: The service was purpose built to provide care to the client group. It is situated on a busy road in the middle of a mainly residential area close to a small number of shops. The building is brick built and has accommodation and shared rooms on both of the two floors. The home is separated into two areas one accommodating only women and the other for men. There is a small lounge to the front of the home is designated smoking room for the residents who smoke, this room is nicely furnished and homely. Each of the units are similar in the way they are organised with an open plan lounge and dining area. They both have large kitchens which are well equipped, tidy and well organised. The residents bedrooms are equipped with the necessary items for the individual resident. They are very personalised and the residents were satisfied that they were able to keep their personal items safe. Toilets and bathrooms were clean and tidy and they are situated close to the bedroom areas. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 21 of 29 Evidence: The laundry room was clean and tidy COSHH information was displayed here. The majority of the areas seen in the home were clean and tidy and there were no obvious smells or odours. Staff spoken to are aware of the procedures to follow for the control of infection. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 22 of 29 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. The home employs knowledgeable, skilled, well trained and supervised staff. They have been recruited using good procedures, in sufficient numbers to make sure that the people living in the home can be supported and cared for safely. Evidence: The service has had a stable staff team for some time and a number of the staff have worked in the home for a number of years, however there have been recent changes to the staff team. Two new nurses have been employed and they are settling into the home well. There are adequate numbers of staff employed and the rota show that the staffing levels are consistently maintained. On the day of the visit there was the Manager, the deputy manager and one of the new staff nurses. Housekeeping cover was available Monday to Friday. The rotas showed that extra staff were available during busy times of the day to cover such things as staff training, meetings and medical appointments. A member of staff felt that sufficient staff are rostered allowing staff to support people to be independent both within the home and in the local community. On-call cover is available outside of office working hours and was provided by qualified staff. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 23 of 29 Evidence: People living at the home felt well supported by staff. No concerns were expressed about the conduct of staff. Staff had access to a comprehensive training programme that used both in-house and external training providers. There is a very good on line system for the manager to look at the regular notifications of available training courses. The programme covered the mandatory and specialist training needs of both qualified and non-qualified staff. The manager had access to a database that enabled him to track when staff needed to update their training. A sample of two staff training records were examined and it was noted that all staff had up to date training in the following areas, moving and handling, first aid, basic food hygiene and fire safety. They had completed health and safety training and one person needed to complete this training. Mental Health Concern had a robust recruitment and selection procedure and information required to confirm that newly appointed staff had been subject to rigorous pre-employment checks was not available within the home. However these were made available very quickly. In the sample of staff files examined, there was evidence that all of the information needed to make the decision to employ were available including, an application form, Criminal Records Bureau disclosure checks and verification of identity, a contract of employment, and a disclosure statement of any convictions or cautions as well as two written references for each applicant. Staff meetings had taken place approximately every six to eight weeks and detailed minutes had been kept. There was evidence that staff had received regular structured supervision. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 24 of 29 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. There is a clear sense of leadership and very good management procedures resulting in a safe well run home, run in the best interest of the residents. Evidence: The manager is a qualified registered mental health nurse and had obtained the Registered Managers Award. He has extensive experience of working with adults with mental health care needs in a variety of settings. There is also a deputy manager in post who has extensive experience and is a skilled nurse, she has also completed the Registered Managers Award. The staff of McGowan Court work very well together to improve the quality of life experienced by people using the service. Staff felt that the manager ran the home in an open and transparent manner. The home offered care that was focused on the needs of the people living there and staff had established good working relationships with families and other professionals. The manager was aware of current developments in his own field and showed a good Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 25 of 29 Evidence: insight into changes in legislation that would impact on the service they are providing. Unannounced visits to monitor the quality of care and support provided at McGowan Court are carried out by the Mental Health Concern Chief Executive every two months. The providers Practice Standards Manager also visits the home on a monthly basis to carry out a quality audit. All staff receive regular supervision. The home has student nurses for their clinical placements and exit interviews are held with them as part of the strategy to monitor the quality of the clinical support given during their placement. Mental Health Concern has a Service User and Carer Board and although McGowan court do not currently have any active members they are kept informed of the work of the group. There have not been frequent resident meetings lately as the residents do not tend to find them useful. However there has been a recent specific meeting in one of the units for with notes were available. The manager is currently reviewing the need for formal resident meetings as the level of communication is good and it is not felt that meetings are always the most effective communication tool. The home has good records of accidents and these are well completed. There is a range of health and safety records kept although they were not examined at this inspection. The provider had a detailed and comprehensive health and safety policy and supportive documentation. A tour of the premises identified no health and safety concerns. A range of health and safety monitoring tools had been used to check that the building was safe for people to live and work in. These covered areas such as the safety of electrical appliances through to the use of computer equipment. The home has a fire risk assessment and staff received fire instruction, and participated in fire drills, at the frequency recommended by the fire service. A range of workplace risk assessments are in place. External contractors are used to check that the thermostatic valves controlling the temperature of hot water supplied to the homes bathing facilities are working satisfactorily. The finance records of the people using the service were well maintained and are audited regularly. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 26 of 29 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 29 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 28 of 29 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. 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