Latest Inspection
This is the latest available inspection report for this service, carried out on 9th June 2010. CQC found this care home to be providing an Excellent service.
The inspector made no statutory requirements on the home as a result of this inspection
and there were no outstanding actions from the previous inspection report.
For extracts, read the latest CQC inspection for New Swinford Hall.
What the care home does well People have the information they need to help them decide if the service provides what they want. Their needs are thoroughly assessed so that their care and support can be planned properly. They have detailed care plans so that staff are clear about how to support themto meet their needs and to keep safe. The home liaises and works well with other professionals, to make sure that people get the advice , support and treatment they need to stay healthy and well. It provides a highly valued service to people, helping them to regain their confidence and improve or develop their skills so they can get the support they need to live at home independently. People`s routines are flexible according to their wishes. They are able to keep in touch with the people who are important to them. They have a nutritious and balanced diet with variety and choice, and enjoy their meals in relaxed surroundings. Important checks are carried out before staff are employed to work at the home, to make sure they are fit for their jobs. Staff are well trained and supervised, to ensure they have the knowledge and skills and get the support they need to do their jobs well. People are able to enjoy the benefit of a clean, safe, comfortable and homely environment during their stays at New Swinford Hall. The home is well run for the benefit of the people who use the service. They can be confident that their views are listened to, taken seriously and acted upon. Important checks are carried out regularly on essential equipment, so that people living and working in the home are supported to stay safe. People using this service continue to enjoy experience excellent outcomes. What the care home could do better: No requirements were made following this inspection. Good practice recomendations can be found at the end of this report. Random inspection report
Care homes for older people
Name: Address: New Swinford Hall Martley Drive Stourbridge West Midlands DY9 7PE three star excellent service The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: 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. This is a report of a random inspection of this care home. A random inspection is a short, focussed review of the service. Details of how to get other inspection reports for this care home, including the last key inspection report, can be found on the last page of this report. Lead inspector: Gerard Hammond Date: 0 9 0 6 2 0 1 0 Information about the care home
Name of care home: Address: New Swinford Hall Martley Drive Stourbridge West Midlands DY9 7PE 01384815975 01384815978 helen.j.green@dudley.gov.uk Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Name of registered manager (if applicable) Mrs Helen Janet Green Type of registration: Number of places registered: Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council care home 18 Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 18 old age, not falling within any other category Conditions of registration: 0 The maximum number of service users who can be accommodated is: 18 The registered person may provide the following category of service only: Care Home Only (Code PC); To service users of the following gender: Either; Whose primary care needs on admission to the home are within the following categories: Old age, not falling within any other category (OP) 18 Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home New Swinford Hall is a Local Authority owned and managed home. It is fairly unique as the care that it provides is short-term rehabilitation and re-ablement. Up to 18 residents at any one time can receive care from this service, the ultimate aim for them
Care Homes for Older People Page 2 of 10 Brief description of the care home is to enhance or re-learn skills lost by accident or illness, or to acquire new skills to enhance their independence in respect of daily living. The maximum length of stay at this home for each resident is five weeks. The home is a traditional style property. It is located between Lye and Stourbridge in the Borough of Dudley. The home is sited on a residential estate with a few shops and facilities available within the vicinity. There is adequate outdoor space and car parking is available at the front of the home. The home is divided into three units, these are known as Romsley, Clent and Malvern. Each unit has its own living, dining and kitchen facilities. An assisted bath is situated on all units. All bedrooms are single occupancy, each having en-suite facilities to include a walk in shower, hand wash basin and toilet. The service employs one Occupational Therapist and has access to another therapist (Via Dudley group of hospitals) for rehabilitation and re-ablement programmes. The hospitals and Primary Care Trusts also provide physiotherapy support. Care staff are trained to continue with these programmes as directed by the therapists. Placements up to five weeks in duration (which is generally the norm) are not charged for. Charges are made for some services which include hairdressing and private chiropody. Care Homes for Older People Page 3 of 10 What we found:
This services last key inspection was on 05 September 2007, when its quality rating was 3 stars. This means that people using the service experienced excellent outcomes. The purpose of this inspection was to monitor compliance with essential standards of quality and safety against current National Minimum Standards. The Manager sent us an Annual Quality Assurance Assessment. We made a visit to the home and met people who use the service and members of staff. We also received written responses to questionnaires we sent to people who use the service and staff at the home. We looked at records including personal files, care plans, staff records, previous inspection reports, safety records, and other documents. We saw that the home has a current Statement of Purpose and that each person using the service is given a welcome pack containing information about what people can expect from the home. The Annual Quality Assurance Assessment shows that people are encouraged to visit the home before making any decisions about placement. We looked at some personal files and saw that these each contained a detailed assessment of what people are able to do, and what they need help with. This provides a firm basis on which to plan their care and support. We also saw that files contained detailed care plans, and that these had been kept under regular review. We saw that care plans reflected peoples assessed needs and the focus of the services stated purpose. That is, to provide short term interventions to give people the help they need with daily living skills so they can live independently in their own homes. We witnessed staff liasing directly with doctors, nurses and other professionals involved in peoples care. People using the service have direct access to occupational therapy and physiotherapy as an integral part of their support plans. Records show that referrals are made to other professionals for advice and support as required. Care plans showed the support to be given for nutrition, pressure area care and continence promotion. People using the service have daily opportunities for exercise as well as specific therapeutic inputs to develop or improve mobility. We saw that care plans are supported with risk assessments as required, to ensure people get the support they need to stay safe. Appropriate arrangements are in place for storing, handling and administering medication. The Annual Quality Assurance Assessment shows that designated and appropriately trained staff have responsibility for this. We directly observed staff giving support with warmth and friendliness, and in an appropriately respectful manner. People we spoke to told us The staff are really good, theyve done a lot for me. Another person said Staff are very kind and someone else said they were Very thoughtful. People responding to written surveys we sent out told us Staff are always helpful and Apart from the actual care aspect, there is a feeling of being welcomed and a caring warmth shown by the staff. Staff are friendly and the just popping in to ask how you are is also much appreciated. We also spoke to a visiting district nurse, who gave very positive feedback about the home. She said Staff are very good at their jobs and this is a good home, if they agree to do something, it gets done.
Care Homes for Older People Page 4 of 10 We saw that peoples individual activity opportunities tend to centre around their therapeutic interventions. During their stays at New Swinford Hall, people are working at regaining their confidence, mobility and daily living skills as part of a programme of rehabilitation or re-ablement. These include sessions with Physiotherapy staff and the Occupational Therapy team. In addition to these, staff organise social and leisure events and we saw a recent activity schedule that included get cooking sessions, cinema, think back reminiscence sessions, a quiz night and a wartime singalong. There is now a designated activity room available for art / craft and so on. We saw that routines around the home are flexible according to peoples stated preferences. We also saw that people are able to receive their visitors as they wish, and saw people coming and going throughout the day. Meals in the home are prepared in the main kitchen, and taken to each unit in heated trollies. We saw people enjoying their lunches in relaxed and peaceful surroundings. We looked at menu plans and meal records. A five week rolling menu is currently in operation, providing a good range of variety and choice and a balanced, nutritious diet. People we spoke to were generally very positive about the quality of the meals they got. One told us The food here is excellent. Another person said The food is generally ok, sometimes excellent. One person returning a survey told us The choice of food is good. We saw a letter in the homes compliments file that said: My very best wishes to the cook and kitchen staff for the delicious meals. I enjoyed everything I ate. We saw that a comprehensive complaints policy and procedures from Dudley MBC are in place, and that people are given information about these in their welcome packs. None of the people returning surveys to us said that they knew how to make a formal complaint. However, all of them said they had someone they could speak to informally if they were unhappy. The homes complaints record showed that no complaints have been received during the past twelve months. We have not received any complaints about this service either. We looked at staff records and saw that the processes for selecting and recruiting staff are appropriately robust. These include checks with the Criminal Records Bureau as required. We also saw that records show that all staff have received training in protecting vulnerable adults from abuse (safeguarding). No safeguarding referrals have been made or received during the past year. We looked around the building. We saw that people are encouraged to personalise their rooms while they stay at New Swinford Hall. Rooms have en suite facilities and the home is divided into self-contained units accommodating six people. A communal bathroom, kitchen and lounge / dining area is available on each unit. There is a rolling programme of maintenance and renewal. The Annual Quality Assurance Assessment shows that one lounge has been redecorated recently with new furniture , fittings and ornaments provided. Also that the former smoke room has been redecorated and converted to an activity room. There are dedicated spaces for training / assessment (e.g. domestic scale kitchen and laundry rooms for assessment and training purposes). We saw that the laundry room and the sluice facility were maintained in a clean and hygienic condition. The kitchen was organised, clean and tidy. We saw that the home had been given 5 stars in the Scores on the doors scheme by Dudley MBC (Directorate of Urban Environment) and a gold award in the Dudley Food for Health project run jointly by the Local
Care Homes for Older People Page 5 of 10 Authority and Primary Care Trust. Extensive pleasant gardens are available around the home. We saw that staff work hard to ensure that the environment is fresh and clean, safe and homely. As reported above we looked at staff files to see how they had been recruited to their posts. Files we saw contained the required documentation, showing that the home takes positive action to ensure that staff employed there are fit for their jobs. In the Annual Quality Assurance Assessment, the Manager told us that all staff hold qualifications at NVQ level 2 or above. We saw the staff training matrix, showing that staff have received statutory training and when refreshers are due. Available records show that training is organised and delivered systematically. Unfortunately we were not able to meet the Manager on the day of the inspection visit, as she was on a training day. We spoke with her later on the telephone. She is appropriately qualified and experienced to run the service. A visiting professional told us : The Manager and staff in this home are friendly and very approachable. Staff told us We have an exceptional manager. We were able to see that systems are in place to ensure that important information is routinely at hand and that essential tasks are carried out regularly and systematically. We sample checked records relating to health and safety in the home. We saw that important equipment has been serviced and maintained regularly, and that systems are in place to ensure that checks of these are done frequently at required intervals. We saw that systems are also in place for quality assurance and monitoring of the service. People using the service were directly involved in this and the results posted in public spaces in the home. We read the comments that people had made as part of this process and these included: Thankyou for all you have done for mum. She has gained an amazing amount of confidence since being with you. Thankyou for your kindness and consideration during my stay. It has been a very uplifting experience and very much appreciated. My deep appreciation for all the assistance you gave me in adjusting to being independent again. Thanks for all your care and attention. I was well looked after when I had my recent stay with you. I wouldnt have got to where I am now without all of you support, physically and mentally. Thank you so very much. What the care home does well:
People have the information they need to help them decide if the service provides what they want. Their needs are thoroughly assessed so that their care and support can be planned properly. They have detailed care plans so that staff are clear about how to support them
Care Homes for Older People Page 6 of 10 to meet their needs and to keep safe. The home liaises and works well with other professionals, to make sure that people get the advice , support and treatment they need to stay healthy and well. It provides a highly valued service to people, helping them to regain their confidence and improve or develop their skills so they can get the support they need to live at home independently. Peoples routines are flexible according to their wishes. They are able to keep in touch with the people who are important to them. They have a nutritious and balanced diet with variety and choice, and enjoy their meals in relaxed surroundings. Important checks are carried out before staff are employed to work at the home, to make sure they are fit for their jobs. Staff are well trained and supervised, to ensure they have the knowledge and skills and get the support they need to do their jobs well. People are able to enjoy the benefit of a clean, safe, comfortable and homely environment during their stays at New Swinford Hall. The home is well run for the benefit of the people who use the service. They can be confident that their views are listened to, taken seriously and acted upon. Important checks are carried out regularly on essential equipment, so that people living and working in the home are supported to stay safe. People using this service continue to enjoy experience excellent outcomes. 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 set out on page 2. Care Homes for Older People Page 7 of 10 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, Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards.
No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Care Homes for Older People Page 8 of 10 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, 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 1 12 Take action to increase and improve the range of social and leisure activity opportunities that people enjoy, particularly on an individual basis Merely as a matter of good practice, ensure that all people using the service are supported to be fully aware of how to make a formal complaint, should they so wish. 2 16 Care Homes for Older People Page 9 of 10 Reader Information
Document Purpose: Author: Audience: Further copies from: Inspection Report Care Quality Commission General Public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. Copies of the National Minimum Standards –Care Homes for Older People can be found at www.dh.gov.uk or got 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 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. © Care Quality Commission 2010 This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any format or medium for noncommercial 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. Care Homes for Older People Page 10 of 10 - 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!