Care Home: Quarry Hill Resource Centre

Similar services:

• Larch Avenue
• Alderson Road 12
• Cranworth Close Registered Care Home
• The Cornerstone
• John Street Nursing Home
• Pennine Camphill
• Whitwood House
• Whitwood Hall

What the care home does well People who used the service and their carers stated that they were fully satisfied with the care and support that was provided at the home. Management and staff were praised on how well they organised and provided respite care and on the fact that they had done so consistently for a number of years. There was a good, competent and committed staff team and most of its members have been long serving in their post. They worked well together and with carers and other professionals to make sure that the health and welfare of people in their care was always safeguarded and promoted. People who used the service felt that staff respected and promoted their dignity and rights. This was confirmed by their carers and other professionals who were involved in the care of people using the service. We also noted that this service has consistently provided good outcomes for people who used it. The service provided good information that was accessible to people who used it. Staff communicated well with people who had communication difficulties and also with their carers to ensure they were properly involved in the planning and delivery of care. This approach ensured that peoples` lifestyle choices could be respected, encouraged and enhanced. The service is jointly provided by the local Social Services department and the Primary Care Foundation Trust. Staff made the best of the opportunities that this joint service offered to improve the quality of care and support that was provided to people in their care. managers and staff showed a good understanding of the values and principles relating to the `Valuing People Now` policy framework. It is commendable to note the progress that the home has made from having the `Beacon Status` in particular with regards to improving communication for people with learning disabilities. The service continues to provide good training and development opportunities to its staff, to make sure that they have the relevant knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the client group, which very often, are complex and challenging. What has improved since the last inspection? Since our last inspection (June 2007), the service has improved the composition and diversity of its staff team by recruiting male support workers. It has also improved its provision of information to people who use it and this has led to better communication, including the use of makaton, for all the people concerned. A new policy has been developed to guide staff and people who use the service on personal and sexual relationships, in relation to people who have learning disabilities and who use residential care and other support services. The physical environment has been upgraded. Communal areas and bedrooms have been decorated and new furniture, equipment, including television sets have been provided. These have made the home more comfortable and more pleasant for those who live in it. What the care home could do better: There was a good staff recruitment and selection procedure in place. However, there is a continuing need for the service to ensure that efforts are maintained for its staff team to reflect the diversity of the local population and thereby be fully able in the future, to cater for diverse cultural needs. Inspecting for better lives Key inspection report Care homes for adults (18-65 years) Name: Address: Quarry Hill Resource Centre 58 Quarry Hill Road Wath Upon Dearne Rotherham South Yorkshire S63 7TD     The quality rating for this care home is:   three star excellent 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 assessment of the service. We call this a ‘key’ inspection. Lead inspector: Ramchand Samachetty     Date: 0 9 0 6 2 0 0 9 This is a report of an inspection where we looked at how well this care home is meeting the needs of people who use it. 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. 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 Commission for Social Care Inspection aims to: • • • • Put the people who use social care first Improve services and stamp out bad practice Be an expert voice on social care Practise what we preach in our own organisation Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 2 of 29 Reader Information Document Purpose Author Audience Further copies from Copyright Inspection report CSCI General public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Copyright © (2009) Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). 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 CSCI 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 29 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: Quarry Hill Resource Centre 58 Quarry Hill Road Wath Upon Dearne Rotherham South Yorkshire S63 7TD 01709873404 NONE ss.Quarryhill@rotherham.gov.uk Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Type of registration: Number of places registered: Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (LDS) care home 6 Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 0 learning disability Additional conditions: Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home 6 Quarry Hill Resource Centre is a six- bedded residential facility, which provides care and support to younger adults with a learning disability. It is owned by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and is managed jointly with the local health services, under the `Learning Disability Service. Quarry Hill is situated in a residential area of Wath-Upon-Dearne, with access to public transport, local shops, social and recreational facilities. It is a two-storey house with six bedrooms, one of which is on the ground floor. Access to the top floor is through the stairs. There is a lounge, dining room and a kitchen, on the ground floor. There are garden areas in front and at the back of the house. The garden at the back and the patio area are specially designed and adapted for service users with sensory impairments. There is a small parking area at the front of the house. The service has produced a statement of purpose and a service user guide. The fees charged for respite care at 9 June 2009 were £1,405.60 per week and the cost of Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 4 of 29 Brief description of the care home respite stays depended on the number of nights required and on a financial assessment. Further information can be obtained from the manager of the service. 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: This key unannounced inspection was carried out on 9 June 2009, starting at 10.00 and finished at 16.30 hours. The registered manager, Mrs C. Corton was present at the inspection. The service is registered to provide respite care for up to 6 younger adults with learning disabilities. There were six people in residence at the time of our visit. All the key national minimum standards for Care Homes for Adults, 18-65, were assessed. The inspection included a visual check of the premises, examination of care documents and other records, including information about the service, complaints information, staff records, medicines, maintenance of equipment and quality assurance Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 6 of 29 documents. We looked at the information contained in the Annual Quality Assurance Assessment document that was submitted to us before this inspection. We considered the views of people who were using he service and those of their carers. We also spoke to staff who provided care and support to the people living at the home. We gave feedback about our initial findings to the manager and to other senior staff. 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 the 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. What the care home does well: What has improved since the last inspection? Since our last inspection (June 2007), the service has improved the composition and diversity of its staff team by recruiting male support workers. It has also improved its provision of information to people who use it and this has led to better communication, including the use of makaton, for all the people concerned. A new policy has been developed to guide staff and people who use the service on personal and sexual relationships, in relation to people who have learning disabilities and who use residential care and other support services. The physical environment has been upgraded. Communal areas and bedrooms have been decorated and new furniture, equipment, including television sets have been provided. These have made the home more comfortable and more pleasant for those who live in it. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 8 of 29 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 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. People who used the service were provided with good information, which was relevant and accessible to them. This ensured that they could make informed choices about their care. The care and support needs of people who used the service were appropriately assessed and reviewed, with their involvement and before their admission. Evidence: The statement of purpose and service user guide was available at the home. These documents had been improved. They were written in plain English and were appropriately supported with pictures and makaton signs, to help people who use the service to understand them. The manager explained that these documents were also available in other community languages. These new forms in which information was provided ensured equality of access to the service. People who used the service and their carers told us that they were always given sufficient and appropriate information about the service and this helped them in making an informed choice with regards to respite care. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 11 of 29 Evidence: The care records that we checked showed that the needs, aspirations and goals of people admitted for respite care were appropriately assessed before they were offered the service. This helped to ensure that their needs could be met. We noted that staff also took care to make sure that as far as possible people admitted for each respite session were broadly compatible with each other. This helped to make respite sessions more enjoyable to people who needed them. Staff explained that they also regularly reviewed the needs of people who used planned respite care. This helped to make sure that they were aware of any changes that may have taken place in between respite stays. We noted that staff had designed a comprehensive admission and needs assessment procedure, which was used to complement existing care management arrangements. These procedures ensured that the service was working closely with those who were important in the life of people who used the service. 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. People who used the service and their carers were fully satisfied with the care and support that was provided by the staff team. The needs of people who used the service were well met, in a manner which promoted their independence, choice and rights. This helped them to live fulfilling lives. Evidence: People who used the service had individual person-centred care plans in place. These were based on a comprehensive assessment of their needs, goals and aspirations. Staff explained that they regularly reviewed and updated the care plans to make sure that all identified needs and risks could be appropriately addressed. We checked the care plans of two people who were on respite care at the time of our visit. Staff explained that the care plans had been developed with the involvement of the person and their relatives. In some instances, the development of care plans had also involved staff of other agencies, like day centres and colleges. This personCare Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 13 of 29 Evidence: centred approach ensured that individual preferences about the provision of care and support were considered as central to the care planning. The care plans were written in plain English and also included pictures and makaton signs These helped people using the service to understand their care plans and make reference to them.The care plans showed that risks faced by people concerned were appropriately identified, assessed and managed. This helped to encourage people to exercise maximum choice and independence in their daily lives. One person said that he enjoyed going to the pub on his own and to meet his friends and this made him feel good. Staff explained that they had to work with him to identify the risks involved and then agreed an action plan to support him to achieve this goal. Staff were satisfied that he was safe to undertake short trips on his own. Each of the care plans included a health action plan, which indicated how various professionals and their carers were involved in ensuring the health and wellbeing of the person concerned. Care records were appropriately maintained and they included regular updates of the health action plans. People who used the service and their carers told us that they were very satisfied with the care and support that was provided at Quarry Hill. One relative commented that this respite service provides a life line to us and allows us to continue to care for our loved one. 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. People who used the service were encouraged and supported to participate in various social and recreational activities of their choice. This helped them to maintain their preferred lifestyles and achieve their goals, whilst enjoying their rights. Evidence: People who used the service and their carers told us that the home provided excellent opportunities for both personal and social development. The manager explained that people who used the service were encouraged and supported with their usual day time activities, as when they were at home. This could include attending day centres, social clubs, outreach support services, work and college. Staff would also make sure that there were opportunities for additional recreational and social activities at the home and within the local community. these would include indoor games, watching television, local shopping trips and outings, gardening sessions and one-to-one support Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 15 of 29 Evidence: with chosen past-times. People who used the service told us that routines at the home were flexible and this allowed them to choose how to spend their free time. We noted that computer facilities and in particular, internet access had been introduced for use by people who come in for respite. Also a thought board had been set up, in response to request by people who used the service. They were able to put drawings, photos signs and messages for each other on this board and therefore used it to facilitate communication among them and the staff. People who used the service told us that they were very happy when they come in for respite. They said that they looked forward to the opportunities to go out and do things with the help of staff and their friends. Relatives commented that the period of respite were excellent opportunities for their loved ones to make friends and socialise. these opportunities were seen as good in developing social skills and in preventing social exclusion. People who used the service and their relatives complimented staff at the home with regards to their approach to the care and support they provide. Relatives said that staff were excellent in their interactions with their loved ones, who they felt were treated as equal citizens and had all their rights respected and promoted. We noted that issues relating to confidentiality, dignity and privacy of people who used the service were well addressed. The manager explained that the service has developed a Personal Relationship policy to guide staff and to offer the right support to people who use it. This policy included advice on sexual relationships for younger adults with learning disabilities, in care settings. Staff said they have been appropriately briefed on the policy and were satisfied with the guidance it provided. People who used the service had their main meals at the day centres. those who had other day time occupations were provided with packed lunches of their choice. People who were in respite at the time of our visit, told us that they liked the meals that were provided to them. Some said that they had taken part in food shopping and this ensured that they could have meals of their choice. In discussion, staff stated that they took into account the nutritional needs of people when preparing meals and this helped to ensure their health and wellbeing. 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The personal and health care needs of people who used the service were well identified and well met during their respite stays. This helped to promote their health and wellbeing. Evidence: The individual care and support plans that we checked contained the necessary information about what personal and healthcare support was required for the people concerned. The plans contained a section called health action plan. This included both the general and specific health needs of the person and actions being taken to meet them. This helped to make sure that people had good, relevant and prompt access to community health care services, including those of the GPs, psychologists and community nurses. During our visit, we met a relative who was attending the home in order to share information about the special health condition that her loved one had and ways of addressing those specific needs. Her advice was well received by staff, who were eager to ensure that they could meet the specialist healthcare needs of that person. However, we noted that in general, staff had good knowledge of the health and personal care needs of people in their care. People who used the service told us Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 17 of 29 Evidence: that they were able to talk to staff if they had anything that worried them. They said that staff would spend time with them, advise them and sort out problems. They commented that this made them feel good. Care records showed that peoples healthcare needs were appropriately addressed while they were in respite care. People were supported to keep and attend any appointments that they had made. Referrals to and interventions by other healthcare professionals with regards to individuals in respite care were appropriately recorded and the information communicated to their relatives as necessary. We looked at the management of medicines at the home. The manager explained that medicines were usually brought in by relatives at the start of the respite stays. The medicines brought in were appropriately recorded. We checked a sample of the records relating to receipts and administration of medicines and they were satisfactory. None of the people who were in respite at the time of our visit were self-medicating. The manager confirmed that, in line with the homes medication policy, there was no secondary dispensing or administration of medicines. She also confirmed that staff who administered medicines had received the appropriate training to do so. 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. People who used the service were provided with appropriate information, about how to express their concerns, in a manner that was easier for them to understand. People were encouraged and well supported to make their views and feelings known. There were appropriate procedures in place to safeguard and protect people who lived at the home. These made sure that peoples safety and wellbeing were promoted at all times. Evidence: The service had use of a corporate complaints procedure provided by the Social Services Department of Rotherham Borough Council. A copy of this procedure was available to people who used the service and their relatives. A summary of the procedure was also included in the statement of purpose and service user guide. The manager explained that as result of a user satisfaction survey, the service had taken action to improve the complaints procedure and make it more accessible to people with a learning disability. Staff had produced a makaton/symbol version of the procedures. Staff explained that they had involved people who used the service in developing this new format of the complaints procedure, which has now been widely implemented in the local learning disability service. The manager had stated in the Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA) document that the service had not received any complaints since our inspection of June 2007. This was confirmed at this visit. People who used the service and their Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 19 of 29 Evidence: carers told us that they had been given good information about the complaints procedure. They said that they would use it if it they had to do so. However, they commented that staff were good at listening to and communicating with them. This ensured that issues, that they might have were promptly and effectively dealt with. In discussion, staff told us that they were able to talk to people in their care to find out what they felt about the service. They would also talk about the complaints procedure in order to raise their awareness about its use. The home also had use of the Rotherham Borough Councils adult safeguarding policy and procedures. Again, staff had produced a summary of these procedures with makaton signs and symbols in order to make them more accessible to people who use the service. We noted that staff had also discussed safeguarding issues with people in their care and therefore helped them to be more aware of their safety and wellbeing. The manager confirmed that there had been one referral to the local adult safeguarding team in the last twelve months. This was in relation to a matter between two people who used the service. The matter had been investigated by the safeguarding team and satisfactorily concluded. In discussion, staff commented that they had been provided with appropriate training and guidance on the protection of vulnerable adults. This included topics on the use of restraint and the application of guidance on the Deprivation of Liberty safeguards. They said that they could access more e-learning opportunities and so were able to update their safeguarding knowledge on an on-going basis. 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. People who used the service were satisfied with accommodation and facilities that were provided to them and said that they found the place very homely. The home was well maintained, clean and hygienic. Evidence: Quarry Hill provides its accommodation and services in an ordinary two-storey detached house located in a residential area. It was not signposted as a care home and this ensured that it was not portrayed as an institution. There was one bedroom on the ground floor and this was often used for people who have mobility problems. The five other bedrooms were on the top floor. Access between the floor was provided by stairs only. The communal areas, which were on the ground floor, included a dining room and a lounge. Toilets and bathrooms were provided on both floors. The kitchen and laundry facilities were located on the ground floor and were domestic in character. We noted that the laundry facilities continued to used by staff only because of the assessed risks that its use, by people who use the service, entail. Appropriate risk assessments for various parts of the building were in place. The manager confirmed that regular checks regarding the environment were carried out to make sure all aspects of health and safety were adhered to. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 21 of 29 Evidence: We checked the premises in the company of senior staff. The building was in good state of repair and was well decorated and maintained. The lounge has been refurbished and new seating has been provided. We viewed a couple of bedrooms with the permission of the people who lived in them. They were well decorated and well furnished. The home was found to be clean and tidy. There was an infection control policy in place and staff were able to implement it. The garden areas to the front and back of the building were well maintained. The manager explained that the sensory garden at the back was being maintained by a group of people who have learning difficulties and who operated a private venture to do so; Project 400. Staff felt that the initiative itself was enabling and provided employment opportunity and a good role model for the people with learning difficulties. The garden areas and the patio were well set out with garden furniture to ensure that people who were on respite could enjoy the summer days. People who used the service and their relatives said that the home was very comfortable, safe and very homely and that they were very satisfied with it. 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. People who used the service and their carers were satisfied with the care and support that was provided. There was a good, competent and committed staff team in place and it was well able to meet the needs of people in its care. Evidence: There were six people receiving respite care at the time of this inspection. Besides the registered manager, there were two support workers and a senior officer on day duty. There were two support workers on night duty, one of whom was a senior officer who did the sleep-in. The manager explained that the home had been experiencing long term sickness absences from some staff members. However, the staffing level had been maintained through the use of agency care staff. Information from the Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA) indicated that the 68 care shifts were provided by an approved agency in a three months period. The agency workers were appropriately recruited and trained and the same ones were deployed on a regular basis. This helped to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people who used the service. The manager also confirmed that the service was planning to recruit additional staff to manage this staffing problem. People who used the service and their carers told us that there were always sufficient Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 23 of 29 Evidence: staff to provide all the help and support that were needed. They said that they were very satisfied with the service that was being provided to them. The home had use of the Rotherham Councils recruitment and selection policy. This included guidelines on the practice of equal opportunities and of anti-discrimination. The manager confirmed that one new member of staff had recently been recruited. We noted that male carer had been appointed. This helped towards redressing the gender balance relating to the current staff team. However, information from the Annual Quality Assurance Assessment showed that staff profile at the home did not adequately reflect the ethnicity and diversity of the local population. In discussion, the manager explained that efforts were being made to attract interest in the service from a wide range of potential employees. We checked the files of two members of staff. We found that the recruitment procedures had been appropriately followed. All the preemployment checks had been carried out and were satisfactory. Staff had been provided with the appropriate induction and initial training to ensure they could undertake their duties. Staff told us that they were satisfied with the training opportunities provided to them. They commented that they were able to undertake on-going e-learning and this helped the to keep abreast on subjects like adult safeguarding, mental capacity act and the deprivation of liberty safeguards. Training records confirmed that staff had been provided with regular training on a wide range of topics, including moving and handling, first aid, fire safety, health and safety, adult safeguarding and the use of restraint (Respect Course). The manager also confirmed that all support staff had received training in Makaton, which was funded through the Beacon Award. Staff stated that this initiative had been widely recognised within the Learning Disability service and was being continued at a corporate level. We noted that 15 out of th 16 support workers at the home had achieved their National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 2 in care. Most of the staff had also achieved an NVQ level 2 in customer care. Staff stated that they were receiving regular supervision and support, which they felt helped them to continue improving their care practices. They were also with a biannual Personal and Development Review, which gave them an appraisal of their skills and career development within the service and also their contribution to the welfare of people in their care. 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. The service was well organised and well managed and this benefited the people who used it. Appropriate monitoring methods were used to continually improve the service and to ensure safe care practices. Staff were making good contribution to raise the standard of care in the local learning disability service. Evidence: The registered manager has wide experience of working and managing care services for people with a learning disability. she has achieved the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 4 in care and level 5 in management. The manager is accountable to, and is supported by, the local Learning Disability Service, which is a joint service led by Rotherham Borough Council and the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust. We noted that the manager has contributed to various project works in the learning disability service and in particular in the field of improving communication. This included a communication strategy project, The right to be understood, which has benefited people who use the service. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 25 of 29 Evidence: People who used the service, their carers and staff commented that they were satisfied with the way the service was managed on a day-to-day basis. Carers told us that the respite service was well organised and well run. One person said We know exactly when our respite stays will be, but if anything needs changing, the staff always make sure you get the help you need. Staff were appreciative of the managers commitment to the service. They told us that she had been working hard to secure additional resources to improve the building for the benefit of people who use the service. We noted that there was a good and long-serving staff team at the home and this ensured continuity of good outcomes for people who use the service. The manager told us that she was using various quality monitoring and quality assurance tools in order to obtain feedback from people who use the service and from the service provision itself. She explained that regular feedback was sought and obtained from people at the end of each respite stay. Staff commented that they organised regular coffee mornings for people who use the service and their carers and this allowed for their views to be sought and obtained. Staff also carry out yearly customer satisfaction surveys as part of the overall respite service. The last survey was conducted in April 2009 and the results showed that people were highly satisfied with the service at Quarry Hill. Information obtained from the survey has been used to improve the service, in particular, the complaints procedure. This procedure has been made more accessible to people who use the service by presenting it in a makaton signs and pictorial version. Other quality monitoring methods in use included the reports of the monthly unannounced visits by the provider and regular health and safety audits relating to both care practices and the home environment. Records relating to these checks and copies of the providers reports were checked and found satisfactory. The manager had confirmed in the Annual Quality Assurance Assessment document that was sent to us, that appropriate health and safety policies were in place. Risk assessments about the environment, fire safety and work practices had been developed and regularly reviewed. Records showed that equipment and utilities in use at the home had been appropriately checked and maintained as required, in order to ensure the continued safety and welfare of people who lived and worked at the home. 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 1 34 Efforts should continue to be made to ensure that care and support staff who work at the home, reflect the ethnicity and diversity of the population it serves. This will help in ensuring that the service is well equipped to meet diverse cultural needs of people. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 28 of 29 Helpline: Telephone: 03000 616161 or Textphone: or 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) Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). 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 CSCI copyright, with the title and date of publication of the document specified. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 29 of 29 - 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!