Care Home: Rockdale House

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What the care home does well The home and gardens are very well maintained. This provides the residents with a pleasant and homely place in which to live. The residents receive excellent care and support and the home actively promotes their health and well-being. There is wide variety of activities for residents to take part in so that they can continue to lead interesting and meaningful lives. The staff at the home are well trained and carefully vetted. They work well as a team and staff turnover is low. The residents were unanimous in their praise for the staff saying that they are kind, hard working and caring. The home is well managed and the views of the residents and their supporters are actively sought. What has improved since the last inspection? The registered manager has retired and a new manager was appointed in November 2009. She previously managed the supported housing scheme that is on the same site as the home and knows the home well. Staff training has increased and improved with staff receiving training in specialist area such as dementia care and stroke management as well as all statutory training. The staff handbook, which includes all policies and procedures, has been completed revised. There have been a number of environmental improvements. Improvements include fitting handrails to the patio area to make it safer and redecoration of some rooms. A knitting group has been established and menus have been revised, in response to ideas put forward by residents. What the care home could do better: No requirements were made as a result of this visit. Key inspection report Care homes for older people Name: Address: Rockdale House Rockdale House Rockdale Road Sevenoaks Kent TN13 1JT     The quality rating for this care home is:   three star excellent 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: Wendy Mills     Date: 2 2 0 4 2 0 1 0 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 27 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) © Care Quality Commission 2010 This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any format or medium for non-commercial purposes, provided that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context. The source should be acknowledged, by showing the publication title and © Care Quality Commission 2010. www.cqc.org.uk Internet address Care Homes for Older People Page 3 of 27 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: Rockdale House Rockdale House Rockdale Road Sevenoaks Kent TN13 1JT 01732454763 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Rockdale Housing Association Limited Name of registered manager (if applicable) Type of registration: Number of places registered: care home 34 Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 old age, not falling within any other category Additional conditions: The maximum number of service users to be accommodated is 34 The registered person may provide the following category of service only: Care home only (PC) to service users of the following gender; Either whose primary care needs on admission to the home are within the following category: Old age, not falling within any other category (OP) Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home Rockdale House is a registered residential care home providing accommodation, care and support for up to thirty-four older people. The home has a fair housing policy which means that all residents and prospective residents will be treated equally regardless of race, nationality, religion or sex. The home has plenty of communual Care Homes for Older People Page 4 of 27 Over 65 34 0 Brief description of the care home space including separate lounges, two dining areas and a quiet room. All residents are accommodated in single rooms. None of the rooms has en suite facilities but the home has plenty of bathrooms and toilets conveniently located around the home. The home is run by the Rockdale Housing Association which was set up over fifty years ago with the aim of providing housing and care for older people in Sevenoaks. Rockdale House is set in attractive, accessible and well-maintained gardens on the same site as a supported living project for older people run by the Association. It is close to the centre of the town of Sevenoaks where there are very good local ammenities including a theatre and cinema, places of worship and a large variety of shops. The town has good public transport links. The railway station and the A 25 are about a mile away and bus stops are within walking distance of the home. Rockdale Housing Association have planning permission to build a new home within the existing grounds and it is hoped that work will begin on this project in the near future. Further information about this home, including current fees, may be obtained from the home manager. Care Homes for Older People Page 5 of 27 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 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: This visit formed part of the annual inspection process of the Care Quality Commission (CQC). This process takes into information we have received prior to the visit, such as the homes Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA), notifications of significant incidents and surveys of the views of the people who use this service and staff who work there; and evidence we gathered during this visit. During this visit we spend time talking to the people who use this service, their relatives and staff; we examined important documentation such as care plans and staff files; we discussed the service at length with the manager; made a tour of the home and made direct and indirect observations throughout the time we spent in the home. We asked the people who use this service how they would like to be referred to in this report. They told us that they prefer the term Residents. We have, therefore used this term interchangeably with, The people who use this service, throughout this Care Homes for Older People Page 6 of 27 report. The residents and their relatives praised the home, the staff and the manager for making it a Home from home, and Looking after us so well. The residents, their relatives, the staff, the deputy manager and manager are all thanked for the welcome they gave and their assistance throughout the time of this visit. The quality rating for this service is 3 stars. This means that the residents experience excellent outcomes in the care and support they receive at the home. Care Homes for Older People Page 7 of 27 What the care home does well: What has improved since the last inspection? 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 27 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 27 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The home gives prospective residents and their supporters plenty of information so that they can make an informed decision about moving into the home. Thorough pre-admission assessments are made so that only those people whose needs can be met and who are suited to the home are offered a place there. Evidence: We looked at Standards 1 and 3 in this outcome area. In order to make a judgement about how well the home meets these standards we took into account the information we were given in the Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA). This is a self assessment document that the home is required to send us. It tells us about the progress the home has made over the past year and what has changed since the last inspection. We spoke to residents and relatives and examined important documentation such as pre-admission assessments and care plans. Care Homes for Older People Page 10 of 27 Evidence: The home has a comprehensive Statement of Purpose and Service User Guide. In addition there is plenty of information around the home on noticeboards and in leaflets to tell residents about what is going on in the home. Residents said that the staff are very good at reminding them when something interesting is going on so they can join in. The care plans of recently admitted residents showed that thorough pre-admission assessments take place before a place is offered at the home. Conversation with the manager confirmed that there are robust pre-admission policies and procedures in place and that plenty of time is giving to the settling in process. The home has one short stay room where a prospective resident can stay for respite care or to see if they are suited to the home. The home also welcomes prospective residents and their relatives for pre-admission visits and to spend time in the home, sharing a meal with the other residents. Care Homes for Older People Page 11 of 27 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The home promotes the health and well-being of the people who use this service so that they can maintain their independence for as long as possible. Evidence: We looked at Standards 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 in this outcome area. In order to make a judgement about how well the home meets these standards we looked at a sample of care plans, some picked at random and some chosen because of the specific needs of the individual resident; we spoke to eight of the residents, three in private and some of their relatives; we looked at the medication is handled in the home; we spoke to staff and the manager; and made direct and indirect observations throughout the time we spent in the home. We looked at three care plans in detail. Care plans are important documents because they are one of the ways in which residents and their supporters can know that their needs have been identified and the way in which these needs will be met have been agreed. In addition, they can provide a basis for decision making on behalf of people who may have lost the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves. Care Homes for Older People Page 12 of 27 Evidence: The care plans are up-to-date and in good order but could be better organised so that information would be easier to find. As well as the care plans each resident has a synopsis of their care plan in their room so that they, their supporters and staff can all be sure that support is offered in the agreed manner. Risk assessments are in place both for individual and environmental risks. The new manager told us that she is in the process of revising the care plans and has considered a number of formats that will make the plans more user-friendly. She showed us the work she has carried out to date. It is clear that she has given this very careful consideration and is in the process of consulting staff and residents about this process. The home operates a keyworker system for care staff. This means that each staff member takes responsibility for three to four residents, getting to know them and their families, and taking a lead in meeting health needs and ensuring health care appointments are kept. Nutrition is carefully monitored and special diets are catered for. All the residents we met appeared to be in good health, were well nourished and in good spirits on the day of this visit. Staff training is very good and up-to-date. Staff receive thorough training in all statutory areas such as health and safety and moving and handling. In addition they receive training in specialist areas such as stroke management, palliative care and diabetes. This means that they are able to understand the specific health needs of the residents and provide care in line with best practice guidelines. We asked eight residents and some of their relatives about the care they receive. All responded in a very positive manner. They made comments such as, They look after us really well; The staff are wonderful; and The staff make this place - theyre always friendly and helpful and will join in a joke and keep us all happy. Residents confirmed that their privacy is respected. Staff were noted to knock on doors and talk to people in a caring and respectful way whilst enjoying friendly banter at the same time. Conversation with staff and the manager showed that they know the residents well and understand their needs. Good relationships are maintained with local health and social care professionals. All residents are registered with General Practitioners and Care Homes for Older People Page 13 of 27 Evidence: can chose their GP as transport and escorts are provided for health care appointments when necessary. District nurses visit the home regularly and other health and social care professionals, such as Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, chiropodists and care managers, visit the home as necessary. We looked at the way the home manages and administers medicines. The home takes responsibility for managing and administration medicines in the home but supports residents to self-medicate if they wish. Medicines are stored safely and securely and at the correct temperature. A sample of Medicines Administration Records (MARs) was examined. Entries were up-to-date and we were told that there have been no recent medication errors. There were some hand written entries in the MARs, these were either when a homely remedy was being used or when a GP had asked for a change in dosage over the telephone. It is recommended that, when hand written entries are made, the entry should be signed and countersigned by two members of staff. The home tries, where ever possible, to provide a home for life. Where needs can still be met, the home works with local health care teams to provide end of life care to ensure that the dignity of the person is upheld at all times. Staff receive training in end of life care and bereavement. They are are given good support from the management team when necessary. Care Homes for Older People Page 14 of 27 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The home encourages and supports a wide range of activities so that the residents can continue to lead interesting and meaningful lives. Evidence: We looked at Standards 12, 13, 14, and 15 in this outcome area. In order to make a judgement about the way the home enable the residents to lead interesting and meaningful lives we talked to residents and their relatives, we reviewed the information the home gave us in their AQAA, we indirectly observed lunchtime and examined important documentation such as care plans and risk assessments. Routines in the home are flexible within a sound risk management framework. Environmental and individual risk assessments are in place. The care plans identify likes and dislikes, special interests, religious and spiritual needs and, where possible, contain life histories. A weekly activity programme is displayed on notice boards throughout the home. The programme on the day of this visit included a coffee miring at the local housing association, a church service, exercises, bingo, and knitting and poetry groups. Other activities include arts and crafts, gardening, trips to the local cinema and places of Care Homes for Older People Page 15 of 27 Evidence: interest and celebrations of special occasions such as religious festivals and birthdays. Residents who responded to our surveys said that they enjoy the activities. One commented, I really like the entertainment here, we have all sorts, theres something for everyone if they want it. Another said, Were always having parties and celebrations, Christmas, Easter, birthdays, you name it we celebrate it. The home is set in very attractive and well maintained gardens. Some residents told us that they really enjoy spending time there when the weather permits. The home is centrally located. It is close to the main high street of the town of Sevenoaks and forms part of the wider community. There is sheltered housing accommodation on the same site as the home and this increases the number and variety of social opportunities. Visitors said that the home always makes them feel welcome. The visitors books shows that the home gets a large number of visitors. One visitor praised the home saying that it has, A marvellous atmosphere. Each year the home holds a number of events such as summer garden parties and Christmas parties to which relatives are particularly welcome. The residents all said that the food in the home is very good. The AQAA confirmed that menus are agreed with residents and that individual likes and dislikes and dietary needs are catered for. Food is nutritions and there is a good variety of food available. We observed lunchtime, when the main meal is taken, on the day of this visit. The food smelled delicious and appetising and residents all said that they had enjoyed their meal very much. There was a great deal of friendly banter amongst the residents. They joked that the food is too good and that they are all putting on weight. Meals are seen as a social occasion. There are two dining areas. One area is devoted to those people who require more assistance with their meals. Both areas are light and airy, comfortably furnished with attractively laid tables. All residents appeared to be well nourished on the day of this visit. Care Homes for Older People Page 16 of 27 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. The home has robust policies and procedures for handling concerns, complaints and safeguarding that staff clearly understand. This means that the home does all it can to act on the views of the residents and their supporters and to protect them from all forms of abuse. Evidence: We looked at Standards 16 and 18 in this outcome area. In order to make a judgement about how well the home listens to the views of the residents and protects them from harm we looked at the information the home gave us in their AQAA, we examined documentation relating to managing concerns, safeguarding and complaints, including staff records and we spoke to residents and the manager. There are robust complaints policies and procedures in place for managing concerns, complaints and safeguarding. The AQAA confirmed that all complaints are recorded and acted upon within the stated quality standard times. The home receives very few complaints but welcomes expressions of concerns, suggestions and complaints as they are seen as one of the ways in which feedback can be received and on which improvements based. Neither the Commission nor the home have received any formal complaints since the last inspection. The residents we spoke to said they are very happy with their care in the home. They said that they know how to complaint if they need to but no-one we spoke to had Care Homes for Older People Page 17 of 27 Evidence: made any complaints. One said, Ive no complaints at all. Another said, Weve nothing to grumble about at all - its all very nice here. There are regular residents meetings when views can be expressed openly. In addition, the manager makes a point of talking to each of the residents on a daily basis. Observation showed that, although relatively new into post, she knows all the residents by name and understands their individual needs. She has a friendly and open manner and it was clear, during this visit, that the residents feel able to speak freely to her and the other staff in the home. Staff receive training in the safeguarding of vulnerable people and the home has a robust whistle-blowing policy and procedure. Staff say that there is an open and supportive working culture. Care Homes for Older People Page 18 of 27 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The home is very clean, comfortably furnished and very well maintained. This gives the residents a pleasant, safe and homely place in which to live. Evidence: We looked at Standards 19, 21, 23, 24 and 26 in this outcome area. In order to make a judgement about how well the home maintains the environment we made a tour of the home, we looked at the information about safety of the environment in the AQAA and we spoke to residents. The home is a detached, three story, property that is set in very well maintained gardens on the same site as supported housing. Accommodation is arranged over two floors with office accommodation on the third floor. It is situated close to the main High Street in Sevenoaks. The building itself is old was converted for use as a care home some years ago. There are current plans for a construction of a new, purpose built home on an adjacent site. The home has a warm and welcoming atmosphere. There is plenty of communal space with a choice of lounges and dining areas. All the residents are accommodated in single rooms but none of these rooms have en-suite facilities. There are sufficient bathrooms and toilets to meet the needs of the residents. Care Homes for Older People Page 19 of 27 Evidence: The home has a well equipped kitchen and laundry and there are robust infection control policies and procedures in place. All areas of the home are easily accessible. Where necessary there are ramps and the home has a passenger lift for access between floors. The home is very clean, pleasant smelling, well maintained and well decorated. It is warm,light and airy. There are attractive and accessible gardens surrounding the home. Maintenance, cleaning and gardening staff are employed and they are all commended for the high standards of cleaning and maintenance both inside and outside the home. The residents we spoke to all said that they are very pleased with their rooms. They said they were very comfortable and had lovely views. They told us that they were able to bring things from home to make their rooms more homely. Some were looking forward to having en suite facilities when the new home is built but others said how content they are in their present home. Care Homes for Older People Page 20 of 27 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Staff training, staff recruitment procedures and staff morale are all very good. This means that the residents are cared for by a well qualified, carefully vetted and cheerful staff team. Whilst staffing levels are sufficient at present, the changing and increasing needs of the residents mean that this must be kept under review. Evidence: We looked at Standards 27, 28, 29 and 30 in this outcome area. In order to maker a judgement about how well the staff team meet the needs of the people who use this service we talked to residents, relatives, staff and the manager; we looked at a sample of staff files and training records; we considered the responses made to the surveys we sent out; and we made direct and indirect observations throughout the time we were in the home. There is a stable, cohesive and committed staff team. The organisational structure of the home is good with clear staff roles, responsibilities and reporting mechanisms. There are sufficient care staff on duty on each shift at present. Responses to our staff surveys indicated that the needs of the residents are increasing as they age. Some felt that their time is increasingly needed for residents with higher dependency levels. They said they would like to be able to devote more time to support other less dependent residents. They felt, if there were more staff on duty especially in the Care Homes for Older People Page 21 of 27 Evidence: afternoons,they could spend more time encouraging the residents in activities. There is now a need to keep staffing levels under closer scrutiny to ensure that the needs of all the residents can be met. In addition to the care staff team there is a team of ancillary workers, including housekeepers, laundry assistants, gardeners and maintenance people. There is a strong commitment to staff training and development. Staff training is well organised and carefully recorded. Records show that all statutory training, such as fire safety, moving and handling and health and safety is on schedule. Care staff also receive training in specialist areas such as stroke management, diabetes, palliative and dementia care. Staff receive regular one-to-one supervision and these sessions are used to discuss training needs as well as other issues. Over seventy percent of staff now hold the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in care at level two or above. Residents and relatives praised the staff for their professionalism, kindness and caring. One resident said, The staff are lovely. They look after us very well - we never want for anything. One relative said, The staff here make the home. They manage to be professional about their jobs but can still enjoy a laugh and a joke with the residents. They seem to have endless patience. Responses to our surveys included comments such as, The staff are caring and this is a friendly and happy place. The organisation has robust recruitment and selection policies and procedures to ensure that staff are subject to rigorous vetting before being offered employment in the home. Inspection of a sample of staff files and other staff records showed Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and safeguarding checks are carried out, written references sought, employment histories checked and interviews carried out before employment is offered. There is then an induction period where initial training is given and competencies assessed. Care Homes for Older People Page 22 of 27 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The home is well managed and the views of the people who use this service and their supporters are sought and acted upon. This means that the home is run in the best interests of the residents. Evidence: We looked at Standards 31, 32, 33, 37 and 38 in this outcome area. In order to make a judgement about how well the home is managed we spent time talking to the manager; we considered the responses to the surveys we sent out; we talked to residents, their relatives and staff; we took into consideration the things the home told us in their AQAA; and we make direct and indirect observations of the way the manager interacted with staff and residents. Since the last inspection the registered manager has retired. A new manager has been in post since November 2009. She is well qualified and experienced. Prior to taking up the post as manager she managed the supported housing service which is on the same site as the home for ten years. She holds relevant management qualifications in Care Homes for Older People Page 23 of 27 Evidence: business and finance and is due to complete the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ)in Care in the near future. She is currently in the process of applying to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Indirect observation showed that the manager has an open and friendly manner with staff and residents. The home has a good organisational structure that makes roles and responsibilities clear to all staff. Staff said that communication is good and that they are given plenty of opportunities to put their ideas forward. They spoke positively about the way the home is managed. The home has sound quality assurance processes in place. There are regular residents meetings, a suggestion box and an annual service user survey. As a result of listening to the views of the residents the staff at the home were trialling the use of name badges so that they are more easily identified. This is particularly helpful for people with short term memory loss. The trial had been going on for about two weeks when this inspection took place and the early indications were that the residents had found the staff name badges very helpful. The AQAA confirmed that all certificates for the safety of the home are in place and up-to-date. No health and safety hazards were noted during a tour of the home. The new manager has carried out a recent fire safety audit and identified some improvements. It is strongly recommended that the organisation acts upon the findings in this report and funds replacement of door closures where necessary. Care Homes for Older People Page 24 of 27 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 25 of 27 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 Care Homes for Older People Page 26 of 27 Helpline: Telephone: 03000 616161 Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk Web: www.cqc.org.uk We want people to be able to access this information. If you would like a summary in a different format or language please contact our helpline or go to our website. © Care Quality Commission 2010 This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any format or medium for non-commercial purposes, provided that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context. The source should be acknowledged, by showing the publication title and © Care Quality Commission 2010. 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