Care Home: Ravensmount

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What the care home does well Information is provided to help people make up their mind about coming to live at Ravensmount. There is good information available to show that peoples` care and health needs are well met by the service in a way that suits their individual needs. Individual records are well maintained to show how staff meet peoples` needs. Good recording systems are in place for dealing with medicines and these protect people living in the home. Peoples` individuality and diversity is respected and met by the good service offered at Ravensmount. Social activities and outings are well organised and planned to suit the needs of the people using the service. The people using the service enjoy the programme of events. The food is well cooked and presented with a choice available at each mealtime. People feel able to make their views about the service known and have plenty of opportunities to raise issues with the manager and staff. There are good systems in place for dealing with complaints and safeguarding matters and these protect people living at Ravensmount. Staffing levels are generally sufficient to meet the individual needs of the people living in the home. Good recruitment practices and procedures are in place to protect people using the service. Staff training is provided to make sure that they have the skills to meet peoples` individual needs. Good systems are in place for reviewing the quality of the service and these take account of the views of the people living in the home. Good health and safety systems protect people living and working in the home. What has improved since the last inspection? The bath that was leaking at the last inspection has been repaired. People are now able to use the bath without concerns about water leaking on the floor. The door into the kitchen has been fire proofed and painted. The surrounding wall has also been painted and this has improved the decor in this area. Some bedrooms have been redecorated and some rooms have new furniture. This makes them a safer and more pleasant place to live. Staff have completed safeguarding training so they know what action needs to be taken in the event of an allegation being made. The care planning sysem is now working well and information is well recorded. It is clear what support is being provided to each person living in the home. There has been improvements in the arrangements for storing equipment and corridors and bathrooms are not being used for this purpose. This means that people are not at risk from equipment stored in areas that they frequently use. What the care home could do better: The treatment room should be used exclusively for the storage of medicines, it should be locked and entry should be controlled. Easily cleanable work surfaces should be available to ensure that staff have sufficient space to work. Flooring should be easily cleaned and impermeable. Facilities for hand washing should be available. The cooker hood needs to be replaced and the extractor fan needs to be repaired. This will ensure that the kitchen is better ventilated and reduce the need to keep the back door open. This will reduce the draught in the dining room. The door to the conservatory needs to be draught proofed so that a comfortable temperature can be maintained and this pleasant room can be enjoyed by people living in the home. Further improvements are needed to the decor and furnishings in the public areas and bedrooms to ensure that the home is a safer and more pleasant place to live. The laundry floor needs to be repainted to ensure that an impermeable surface is provided to lessen the risks of cross infection. Staffing arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that there is enough flexibility in staffing levels to provide cover for sickness. This will ensure that enough staff are available to keep people safe and provide the care and support they need. Key inspection report Care homes for older people Name: Address: Ravensmount Alnmouth Road Alnwick Northumberland NE66 2QG     The quality rating for this care home is:   two star good 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: Anne UrwinBrown     Date: 1 6 1 2 2 0 0 9 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 Older People Page 2 of 26 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 Older People 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) Copyright © (2009) Care Quality Commission (CQC). 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 CQC copyright, with the title and date of publication of the document specified. www.cqc.org.uk Internet address Care Homes for Older People Page 3 of 26 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: Ravensmount Alnmouth Road Alnwick Northumberland NE66 2QG 01665603773 01665605901 ravensmount@tiscali.co.uk Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Type of registration: Number of places registered: Moorlands Care Homes (N.E.) Limited care home 30 Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 old age, not falling within any other category Additional conditions: Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home Ravensmount is a large detached house that has been extended to provide more spacious accommodation. It is registered to accommodate up to thirty older people. Moorlands Holdings NE Ltd is the service provider. Ravensmount is located on the edge of Alnwick and there is a local bus service to Alnwick town centre from just outside the home. Main line train services run from Alnmouth a few miles away. There are attractive public rooms in the home and all bedrooms have en-suite toilet and washbasin. Accommodation is arranged over three floors and a shaft lift is fitted. Fees range from £444:60 to £450:00 per week. A Statement of Purpose and User guide is available at the home that provides good information about the service. 0 Over 65 30 Care Homes for Older People Page 4 of 26 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: two star good service Choice of home Health and personal care Daily life and social activities Complaints and protection Environment Staffing Management and administration peterchart Poor Adequate Good Excellent How we did our inspection: The quality rating for this service is 2 stars. This means that the people who use the service experience good quality outcomes. We have reviewed our practice when making requirements, to improve national consistency. Some requirements from previous reports may have been deleted or carried forward into this report as recommendations - but only when it is considered that people who use the service are not put at significant risk of harm. In future, if a requirement is repeated, it is likely that enforcement action will be taken. How the inspection was carried out Before the visit we looked at: Information we have received since the last visit. How the service dealt with any Care Homes for Older People Page 5 of 26 complaints and concerns since the last visit. Any changes to how the home is run. The providers view of how well they care for people. The Visit: An unannounced visit was made on 16 December, 2009. The visit lasted a total of six and a half hours. During the visit we: Talked with people who use the service, staff and the manager. Looked at information about the people who use the service and how well their needs are met, Looked at other records which must be kept, Checked that staff had the knowledge, skills and training to meet the needs of the people they care for, Looked around 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 Older People Page 6 of 26 What the care home does well: What has improved since the last inspection? The bath that was leaking at the last inspection has been repaired. People are now able to use the bath without concerns about water leaking on the floor. The door into the kitchen has been fire proofed and painted. The surrounding wall has also been painted and this has improved the decor in this area. Some bedrooms have been redecorated and some rooms have new furniture. This makes them a safer and more pleasant place to live. Care Homes for Older People Page 7 of 26 Staff have completed safeguarding training so they know what action needs to be taken in the event of an allegation being made. The care planning sysem is now working well and information is well recorded. It is clear what support is being provided to each person living in the home. There has been improvements in the arrangements for storing equipment and corridors and bathrooms are not being used for this purpose. This means that people are not at risk from equipment stored in areas that they frequently use. 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 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 Older People Page 8 of 26 Details of our findings Contents Choice of home (standards 1 - 6) Health and personal care (standards 7 - 11) Daily life and social activities (standards 12 - 15) Complaints and protection (standards 16 - 18) Environment (standards 19 - 26) Staffing (standards 27 - 30) Management and administration (standards 31 - 38) Outstanding statutory requirements Requirements and recommendations from this inspection Care Homes for Older People Page 9 of 26 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 and the support they need. People who stay at the home only for intermediate care, have a clear assessment that includes a plan on what they hope for and want to achieve when they return home. People can decide whether the care home can meet their support and accommodation needs. This is because they, or people close to them, have been able to visit the home and have got full, clear, accurate and up to date information about the home. 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 them 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. The home has in place good assessment and admission processes to ensure that peoples needs can be met and that they have enough information about the service. Evidence: The manager says she has prepared a new information pack that is available for people thinking about coming to live at the home. The pack includes the Statement of Purpose and Service User Guide, both of which have been reviewed since the last inspection as well as other information about the service. It is planned to give a pack to each person living in the home to ensure that they have the information they need about the service. A comprehensive pre admission assessment is completed before a person is admitted to the home to ensure that staff are able to meet their needs. Good information was available in individual assessments from different sources including the person, their relatives and care manager where appropriate. Records seen showed that information Care Homes for Older People Page 10 of 26 Evidence: from the assessment is used in the care planning process. Staff said that they have enough information about people when they come to live in the home. People living in the home said that the staff knew what they needed help with and provided good support when they first moved in. Intermediate care is not provided at Ravensmount. Care Homes for Older People Page 11 of 26 Health and personal care 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 health, personal and social care needs are met. The home has a plan of care that the person, or someone close to them, has been involved in making. If they 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. People’s right to privacy is respected and the support they get from staff is given in a way that maintains their dignity. If people are approaching the end of their life, the care home will respect their choices and help them 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. Good care planning systems are in place to ensure that each person has the care and support they need. Evidence: People have in place an individual plan that identifies their needs and how these are met by staff. Good use is made of assessment tools to identify peoples health, personal and social care needs. This information is used to develop and update individual care plans. People are involved in planning their care and have a key worker who monitors and helps to update care plans. Good assessment tools are used to collect nformation about peoples current needs and this is used in planning peoples care. The recording was detailed, specific and personalised. Individual plans showed the care and support to be provided by staff and what the person can do independently. Records showed that risks are managed positively to help people using the service lead the life they want. Any limitations on freedom and choice are always in the persons best interests. Care Homes for Older People Page 12 of 26 Evidence: During the inspection people were relaxed and seven people said they received a good service. One person said We get really good support from the staff who are really kind. Staff showed during the inspection that they were aware of the need to treat people with respect. Equality and diversity is included in staff training and within induction training for new staff. Medication policies and procedures are in place to guide staffs practice. Samples of medication administration forms were seen and these were in good order. Staff giving out medicines have completed appropriate training. There are regular checks carried out by the manager of medication administration records against stocks of medicines. Good systems are in place for ordering and disposal of medicines. In the room where medicines are stored there are no work surfaces available to ensure that stocks can safely checked in and audited. Space is very limited as the room is also used as the managers office and the flooring is unsuitable as it cannot be easily cleaned. There are no facilities for hand washing in the room. Also there are times when the room is not locked. Care Homes for Older People Page 13 of 26 Daily life and social activities 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 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. They are as independent as they can be, lead their chosen lifestyle and have the opportunity to make the most of their abilities. People have nutritious and attractive meals and snacks, at a time and place to suit them. 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. People are encouraged to make choices about their daily lives and activities. Social, emotional, cultural and recreational needs are met in a way that suits individuals. Evidence: Daily living routines are organised to suit peoples individual needs. Good information about social care needs is recorded in their records to show peoples preferences about activities and routines. There are good opportunities provided for people to take part in planned activities. Two people living in the home said that they enjoyed the opportunities to join in arranged activities. They said that there had plenty of choice about what they want to do. Another person said that they preferred to spend time in their own room and that they were able to do this. The residents said the food was very good and alternatives were available at each meal time. The menus provide a good variety of food that takes account of healthy eating principles. The kitchen is well organised and stocks of food and storage arrangements are satisfactory. The extractor fan, cooker hood and one of the freezers was not working at the time of the inspection. All kitchen staff have undertaken appropriate Food Handling training. Drinks are provided regularly through the day. There was tea, coffee, or cold drinks of either juice or milk. There were biscuits Care Homes for Older People Page 14 of 26 Evidence: provided. People have visitors at any time and are able to use their own rooms, or the lounges to see them. People said they were happy with the arrangements for visitors. People are encouraged to retain links with their family and friends as well as the local community. Care Homes for Older People Page 15 of 26 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. Any concern is looked into and action taken to put things right. The care home safeguards people from abuse and neglect and takes action to follow up any allegations. People’s legal rights are protected, including being able to vote in elections. 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 are protected by the good systems in place for dealing with complaints and safeguarding matters. Evidence: There is a written complaints procedure available that provides clear information about how to make a complaint and the action that is taken to deal with complaints. Good systems are in place to record complaints, their investigation and outcome. Four people said that they felt able to raise any concerns or complaints with the manager or the staff and they were satisfied that these would be taken seriously. Twelve complaints have been made in the past year and there were good records kept of the investigation and outcome. There are written procedures for dealing with safeguarding matters. Two safeguarding referrals have been made since the last inspection and records showed that the manager had taken appropriate action to safeguard people living in the home. The manager said that staff training is ongoing to ensure that all staff members have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures. There is a policy in place for whistle blowing so that staff can feel confident that if they had any concerns they would be listened to and the information would be treated in confidence. Good systems are in place for dealing with money held on behalf of people living in the home. Care Homes for Older People Page 16 of 26 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, 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. 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 physical standards in Ravensmount have continued to improve since the last inspection and more work is planned to provide a more comfortable and attractive environment for the people living in the home. Evidence: The home is in a quiet residential area about half a mile from the centre of Alnwick. The grounds were tidy and accessible at the front and rear of the building. At this inspection it was homely, clean, generally well maintained and odour free. The home is accessible and has a range of equipment and aids to suit the needs of the people living there including a shaft lift. The gardens are pleasant and seating is available so that people can take advantage of any good weather to sit out. There are level pathways around the garden making it a pleasant place for a short walk. The lounges and dining room are attractive rooms with good views to the gardens. There is a large conservatory that is used for activities. The door to the garden from the conservatory is draughty and needs attention to ensure that it is able to be used in the winter. There are two other lounges, one on the ground floor and the other on the first floor. Some of the furniture in these rooms is shabby and would benefit from replacement to provide a more attractive and comfortable environment. Care Homes for Older People Page 17 of 26 Evidence: Maintenance records are kept and most things are generally addressed. Staff report that maintenance is still a problem and sometimes things do not get addressed quickly enough. The manager said that she has been told that a handman will be made available three days per week shortly. This will allow her to prioritise work and get any repairs completed sooner. There is ongoing work to redecorate and refurbish bedrooms as they become vacant. Bathrooms and toilets are tidy and clean. Good systems are in place for infection control and staff training has been provided. Some bedrooms are decorated and furnished to a good standard and people have brought in items from their previous homes to personalise their own space. There are some bedrooms that need to be redecorated and some furniture needs replaced. Staff showed that they were aware of good health and safety practice during the inspection. During the inspection people said that they were happy with the accommodation provided and most liked their own rooms. One person said that she had moved to a larger room, which suited her needs better. Another person said that he had a huge room and I like to paint so it suits me very well. The laundry was clean and tidy. One of the washers was not working, but staff said that they were managing to complete all the laundry with the existing machines. Infection control procedures are in place and staff training is organised. The floor has been painted, but this is damaged in some areas. The kitchen was clean and tidy. The extractor fan next to the cooker was not working and the cooker hood has not been replaced. Care Homes for Older People Page 18 of 26 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 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 to care for them. Their needs are met and they are cared for by staff who get the relevant training and support from their managers. 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. There are generally enough well trained and experienced staff to meet the needs of the people living in Ravensmount. Evidence: At the time of the inspection the Manager, one senior carer and three carers were on duty. The manager said that the staffing level varies from two carers to four plus a senior staff member. Four staff said that at times, mostly evenings or weekends, there are not enough staff on duty as the senior has their own duties to complete and cannot always be available to help them. They said that some of the people living in the home need two people to assist them and that leaves only one other member of staff to cover three floors. Care Homes for Older People Page 19 of 26 Evidence: The manager said that staff sickness sometimes affects the rota and existing staff members work additional hours to cover this and annual leave. People living in the home said there are sometimes not enough staff particularly in the evenings when they may need to wait for staff to come. There was evidence from the rota that the manager frequently works to cover staff shortages. Good staff recruitment procedures are followed for appointing new staff that take account of equality and diversity principles. Records showed that recruitment procedures are followed and that emphasis is placed on the importance of carrying out appropriate checks including reference, Criminal Records Bureau, employment gaps and Protection of Vulnerable Adults list. Staff have good training opportunities to make sure that they can meet the needs of the people living in the home. Training is focused on achieving better outcomes for people using the service. Staff said that they get enough training opportunities and most felt supported by the manager and senior staff. Individual training records are in place and are kept up to date. At the time of this inspection sixteen out of twenty staff have completed national qualifications in care. This means that eighty per cent of staff are qualified in care, which is well above the minimum requirements. There is a settled staff team who are very experienced in providing care. Staff meetings are held regularly and a staff supervision programme is in place. Staff said that they are able to raise issues and concerns and their views are taken seriously. Care Homes for Older People Page 20 of 26 Management and administration 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 led and managed appropriately. People control their own money and choose how they spend it. If they or someone close to them cannot manage their money, it is managed by the care home in their best interests. The environment is safe for people and staff because appropriate 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. The people staying at the home are safeguarded because it follows clear financial and accounting procedures, keeps records appropriately and ensures their staff understand the way things should be done. They get the right care because the staff are supervised and supported by their managers. 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 benefit from living in a well managed home and they are encouraged to make their views about the service known. Evidence: The manager is experienced and qualified in care and management. She has a good understanding of the services aims and objectives. She makes reports to the owner every week on current issues. She has a clear vision of the homes priorities and communicates a clear sense of direction. Equality and diversity, human rights and person centred service delivery are all given priority by the manager. She has an experienced senior staff team. The manager undertakes regular training that has included equality and diversity. She says that she receives regular supervision from a senior manager in the company. She said that she felt well supported. The home has a clear statement of purpose that sets out the aims and objectives of the service. There is evidence that the manager and the senior staff team have in place good systems for monitoring practice and compliance with the plans, policies Care Homes for Older People Page 21 of 26 Evidence: and procedures of the home. Good systems are in place to ensure that the quality of the service is regularly reviewed taking account of the views of people living in the home and relatives. People are encouraged and supported to retain control of their own money. All transactions relating to money held are clearly recorded and appropriate procedures for managing residents money are in place so that staff are clear about their responsibilities. Systems are in place for auditing the money held. Lockable storage is provided in each persons room so that they can keep money or valuables safely. Health and safety policies and risk assessments are in place and staff receive appropriate training at regular intervals. Records of training are kept. Regular checks and servicing of fire equipment are carried out and records show staff have received appropriate fire training. Good records are kept of all accidents and there was evidence that these are monitored by senior staff. Care Homes for Older People Page 22 of 26 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 Older People Page 23 of 26 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 9 The treatment room should be used exclusively for the storage of medicines, it should be locked and entry should be controlled. Easily cleanable work surfaces should be available to ensure that staff have sufficient space to work. Flooring should be easily cleaned and impermeable. Facilities for hand washing should be available. The extractor fan needs to be repaired and the cooker hood needs to be replaced. This will ensure that the kitchen area is better ventilated and reduce the need to keep the back door open. The door to the conservatory needs to be draught proofed so that a comfortable temperature can be maintained and this pleasant room can be enjoyed by people living in the home. Further improvements are needed to the decor and furnishings in the public areas and bedrooms to ensure that the home is a safer and more pleasant place to live. The laundry floor needs repainted to provide an impermeable surface that is easy to clean. This will help to Page 24 of 26 2 15 3 19 4 20 5 26 Care Homes for Older People 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 prevent the spread of infection. 6 27 Staffing arrangements should be reviewed to ensure that there is enough flexibility in staffing levels to provide cover for sickness. This will ensure that enough staff are available to keep people safe and provide the care and support they need. Care Homes for Older People Page 25 of 26 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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