Care Home: Northernhay

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What the care home does well People were seen to be treated with respect and dignity and there was a good rapport between the people living at the home and those who care for them. People are given enough information about the home to enable them to make an informed choice about whether they want to move into the home. A pre-admission assessment ensures that staff are aware of and are able to meet people`s needs. Everyone has a care plan that sets out their care needs and gives directions to staff on how to meet these needs. People are able to access specialist medical services such as GPs, District Nurses and chiropodists as needed. Medication is managed appropriately. There is a good range of activities and entertainments on offer and staff told us they have time to spend with people on an individual basis. Well balanced and nutritious food is provided with an alternative being available. There is a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere throughout the home and it was clean and free from offensive odours. Staffing levels are suitable and staff receive a variety of training to ensure they can successfully meet the needs of the people living at the home. The home is well managed and provides people with a pleasant and safe place in which to live. What the care home could do better: One concern was identified in relation to medication administration ,which was that hand written entries did not have 2 signatures to ensure the correct information had beenwritten down. No accidents had been recorded for some while. However, the Accident Book did not identify if accidents had been reported under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985). Therefore there was no evidence that the home had complied with these Regulations. Random inspection report Care homes for older people Name: Address: Northernhay 6 Townstal Pathfields Dartmouth Devon TQ6 9HL 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: Sue Dewis Date: 1 2 0 5 2 0 1 0 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: Northernhay 6 Townstal Pathfields Dartmouth Devon TQ6 9HL 01803833964 01803835186 office@northernhaycarehome.co.uk Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Name of registered manager (if applicable) Mrs Jane Susan Garland Type of registration: Number of places registered: Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Mrs Jane Susan Garland care home 14 Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 14 old age, not falling within any other category Conditions of registration: Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home 0 Northernhay is a converted and extended house, set in a quiet residential area above the town of Dartmouth. The accommodation is provided on three floors. The first floor is accessed via a passenger lift and the lower ground floor by a stair lift. On the ground floor there are a lounge, separate sun lounge and a dining room. There are 14 single bedrooms with en-suite facilities. There are a further four WCs. There is an assisted bathroom on each floor. The home has attractive gardens to the front. The home is registered to provide care for up to eighteen people who require 24hr care for reasons of old age. The home does not provide intermediate care and it is not registered to Care Homes for Older People Page 2 of 10 Brief description of the care home provide nursing care. Information about the home including a copy of the last inspection report can be obtained on request from the administration office. Information in the guide to the home and the brochure indicates the current range of fees is from £468.56 to £570.54 per week. Additional charges are made for chiropody, hairdressing, optician, dentist, dry cleaning, escorted trips to appointments etc and toiletries. Care Homes for Older People Page 3 of 10 What we found: This unannounced visit took place over 3 hours, one day in the middle of May 2010, as part of our usual inspection programme. The home had been asked to complete and return an AQAA (Annual Quality Assurance Assessment). This shows us how the home has managed the quality of the service provided over the previous year. It also confirms the dates of maintenance of equipment and what policies and procedures are in place. Information from this document was used to write this report. Although only one inspector undertook this inspection, throughout the report there will be reference to what we found and what we were told. This is because the report is written on behalf of the Care Quality Commission (CQC). During the inspection 2 people were case tracked. This involves looking at peoples individual plans of care, and, where possible speaking with the person and staff who care for them. This enables the Commission to better understand the experience of everyone living at the home. As part of the inspection process CQC likes to ask as many people as possible for their opinion on how the home is run. We sent questionnaires out to some people living at the home, and some staff. At the time of writing the report, responses had been received from 7 people living at the home and 6 staff. Their comments and views have been included in this report and helped us to make a judgement about the service provided. During the inspection 2 people living at the home were spoken with individually, several in a group setting, 2 staff, the owner and the care manager. We also observed the interaction between staff and people living at the home. A brief tour of the communal areas of the building was made and a sample of records was looked at, including medications, care plans, the accident book and staff files. This report is based on a sample of the evidence available during our inspection process. It does not provide a comprehensive risk assessment of the home. Registered persons are reminded that it is their responsibility to assess and manage risks in accordance with the Care Homes Regulations 2001 (Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2009) and other relevant legislation. Most people have lived at the home for some while. The files of the last 2 people to be admitted to the home were looked at. Both contained a pre-admission assessment that looked at peoples needs and assessed whether they could be met by the home. All 7 people who responded to our surveys told us that they felt they had received enough information about the home before they moved in. The care files of 2 people were looked at and each contained a care plan. Although the plans are quite basic, they do set out what the persons needs are and give clear instructions to staff on how these needs are to be met. Care Homes for Older People Page 4 of 10 The care plans also contained some risk assessments which were mostly around the risk of falling. The people living at the home are generally mentally able and can let someone know if their needs are not being met. There was good evidence that people are supported to access health care services, with written records of health care professionals having visited the home on a regular basis. People told us via surveys, that they received the care and support they needed and commented that Everything is marvellous and We are well looked after. Medications (including Controlled Drugs) were stored appropriately. Staff were able to describe correct administration methods and told us that they had received training that tested their competency. Medication Administration Records (MAR) were up to date with no gaps. Staff know the people who live at the home and their social needs well as they have all lived at the home for some time. Time is spent 1:1 with people if they wish, but most people like to sit together in the lounge and chat. On the day of the visit there was much talk about the recent election with everyone putting the world to rights. One relative commented via a survey form that there is very little of the sitting vacantly around in chairs that characterises some care homes. People told us at the home and on survey forms that they always or usually liked the food at the home. The owner told us that the chef usually prepares the menus around peoples preferences and that if someone doesnt want what is on the menu, they can have an alternative. No complaints have been received by CQC and there have been no safeguarding referrals since our last visit. People told us on their survey forms that they knew who to speak with if they were unhappy about anything. A brief tour of the communal areas of the home was made and 2 people showed us their rooms. They were very individual and both people said that they had all they needed in their rooms. The home is comfortable, well maintained and homely. New dining chairs have recently been purchased. Everywhere was clean and fresh smelling. Three staff files were looked at and they had been employed between 31/10/09 and 25/11/09. All 3 had been employed through an agency and had come to work at the home from the Philippines. None were available to speak with. The files contained all the necessary documentation, including proof of identity and CRB checks. We spoke with 2 staff who told us that there were plenty of opportunities to talk with Care Homes for Older People Page 5 of 10 individuals on a 1:1 basis. They also said they were very happy with everything at the home. There are 2 staff on duty at all times during the day and 2 staff sleeping on the premises overnight. Staff also told us and records confirmed that there was plenty of training on offer. Staff told us via survey forms that they always had enough information to be able to care for people, and that they generally received a good range of training. There were several comments on the survey forms about not having received training on using some Moving and Handling equipment, but the owner said this has now been addressed. The owner, Mrs Garland has run the home for over 26 years. She is supported by a care manager who is generally in day to day charge of the staff and people living at the home. The home is well managed and is currently rated as excellent. Staff told us at the home and also on survey forms that they felt well supported by management and each other. What the care home does well: What they could do better: One concern was identified in relation to medication administration ,which was that hand written entries did not have 2 signatures to ensure the correct information had been Care Homes for Older People Page 6 of 10 written down. No accidents had been recorded for some while. However, the Accident Book did not identify if accidents had been reported under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985). Therefore there was no evidence that the home had complied with these Regulations. 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 9 You are recommended to ensure that hand written entries made to MAR (Medication Administration Record) charts have 2 signatures in order to confirm the correct information has been written down. You are recommended to ensure that the Accident Book identifies when accidents have been reported under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985). To ensure there is evidence that the home has complied with these Regulations. 2 38 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. 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