Care Home: Pottles Court

Annual service review Name of Service: Pottles Court The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: two star good service A quality rating is our assessment of how well a care home, agency or scheme is meeting the needs of the people who use it. We give a quality rating following a full review of the service. We call this review a ‘key’ inspection We do an annual service review when there has been no key inspection of the service in the last 12 months. It does not involve a visit to the service but is a summary of new information given to us, or collected by us, since the last key inspection or annual service review.   Has this annual service review changed our opinion of the service?   No You should read the last key inspection report for this service to get a full picture of how well outcomes for the people using the service are being met. The date by which we will do a key inspection: Name of inspector: Teresa Anderson Date of this annual service review: 1 9 1 1 2 0 0 9 Annual Service Review Page 1 of 6 Information about the service Address of service: Days Pottles Lane Exminster Exeter Devon EX6 8DG 01392833101 01392833743 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address:   Name of registered provider(s): Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : dementia Conditions of registration: Classic Care Homes (Devon) Ltd Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 16 0 The maximum number of service users who can be accommodated is 16. The registered person may provide the following category of service only: Care home only - Code PC to service users of either gender whose primary care needs on admission to the home are within the following categories: Dementia (Code DE) Have there been any changes in the ownership, management or the No service’s registration details in the last 12 months? If yes, what have they been: Date of last key inspection: Date of last annual service review (if applicable): Brief description of the service Pottles Court provides residential care for fifteen older people with dementia. The accommodation is set over two floors and there is a shaft lift. Most of the bedrooms have en suite facilities, and all are for single occupancy. There are two assisted baths as well as a walk in shower room. The Home has two lounges, a conservatory and a dining room, and an attractive courtyard garden with level access. External doors are secured with keypad locks. Pottles Court is in the village of Exminster with a shop and post office within a short walking distance. Annual Service Review Page 2 of 6 Details about current fees are available from the home. These do not include the cost of escorted travel outside the home, including medical appointments. Annual Service Review Page 3 of 6 Service update since the last key inspection or annual service review: What did we do for this annual service review? We looked at the information we have received, or asked for, since the last inspection or annual service review. This included: The annual quality assurance assessment (AQAA) that was sent to us by the service. The AQAA is a self assessment that focuses on how well the outcomes are being met for the people using the service. It also gave us some numerical information about the service. Feedback and information people living and staff working here have given us in surveys. Information we have about how the service has managed any complaints. What the service has told us about things that have happened in the service. These are called notifications and are a legal requirement. The previous key inspection and the results of any other visits that we have made to the service in the last 12 months. Relevant information from other organisations and what other people have told us about this service. What has this told us about the service? The home sent us their annual quality assurance assessment (AQAA). This was delayed as the manager had been away from the home and the service informed us that this was the case. This was completed comprehensively, was clear and gave us most of the information we asked for. However, although the home had specifically mentioned the majority of the strands of diversity, it did not specifically record how inequalities due to age and disability (including dementia) are addressed. The AQAA told us that a number of people had attended the accident & emergency department. However, as was the case last year, the commission were not always notified of these events as they should be. The AQAA told us how the home gets feedback from people living at and visiting the home, including health care professionals through the use of surveys. As a result of these, dining arrangements have been altered so that people who wish to can sit together. The type and amount of activities on offer have been increased and the home now employs an activities worker for 6 hours a week. This person has a pet as therapy (PAT) dog which they bring with them to the home each week. New activities include going out to a local coffee shop, flower arranging and the introduction of raised vegetable beds for people to use. We received 5 surveys from people and they told us that there are always activities arranged which they can join in with. People told us that they always get the medical care they need and the AQAA told us Annual Service Review Page 4 of 6 that the home has a good relationship with local doctors and nurses whom they call when needed. The AQAA also tells us that referrals are made to specialists as needed. In the 4 surveys we received from staff they told us they need more staff, especially at night where there is one waking member of staff on duty and one sleeping. However, people living here told us (in surveys) that they always receive the care and support they need. they say that staff always or usually listen to them and act on what they say and that there is always someone to speak with if they are not happy. This home has not received any complaints since the last inspection, and neither has the commission. However, the service reports that they have received a number of suggestions which they have acted upon. People told us the home is always clean and fresh. Staff told us they need anything or if things need repairing that this happens but can take a long time. One person said the fence in the garden needs fixing and another said that the home is looking tired and needs a lick of paint. The AQAA told us refurbishment and redecoration of the home has continued with the focus being on the garden, exterior paint work and the laundry. The home is currently taking advise about signage in the home to help people with dementia to better understand their environment. The AQAA told us that there is a low turnover of staff at the home and that they provide training based on peoples needs as well as mandatory training. People were very positive about the staff working at the home. They say they care for me and staff seem to understand dementia well. When asked what the home might do better suggestions given to us include more chocolate and a way of recording who has visited a person with dementia so that other visitors can use this information as a talking point. People living here and relatives told us they are happy with the home and that the home offers a calm and peaceful place to live where people with dementia are care for sensitively. The home continues to work well with us and have shown us that their service continues to provide good outcomes for the people who use it. What are we going to do as a result of this annual service review? We are not going to change our inspection plan, and will do a key inspection by August 2010. However, we can inspect the service at any time if we have concerns about the quality of the service or the safety of the people using the service. Annual Service Review Page 5 of 6 Reader Information Document Purpose: Author: Audience: Further copies from: Annual service review CQC General Public 0870 240 7535 (national contact centre) Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. The content of which can be found on our website. 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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