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Care Home: Sparrowfields

  • 17-19 Alwold Road Weoley Castle Birmingham B29 5RR
  • Tel: 01214282848
  • Fax: 01214282849

Sparrowfields is a purpose built care home. The home accommodates six men, who have a learning disability, and some additional mental health needs. The home is not suitable for people who have mobility difficulties. The accommodation comprises of a kitchen, laundry room, main lounge with access to the garden, a quiet lounge, and a dining room on the ground floor. On the ground floor are two toilets, for staff and visitors use. On the first floor, are six single bedrooms, all with en suite, a communal bathroom, and a medication room. There is a small garden to the rear, which includes a shelter for smokers. At the front there is parking for several cars. The home is located in Weoley Castle, and is close to main transport links. Shopping and leisure Over 65 06 facilities are available in Weoley Castle, Northfield and Birmingham is accessible. The fees charged are from 1820 pounds per week although the manager stated these are to be reviewed. The reader should contact the home for updated information on fees. Our latest report is available in the home for visitors who wish to read it.

  • Latitude: 52.44100189209
    Longitude: -1.9780000448227
  • Manager: Jacqueline Bernadette Rush
  • UK
  • Total Capacity: 6
  • Type: Care home only
  • Provider: Shaw Healthcare (Specialist Services ) Ltd
  • Ownership: Private
  • Care Home ID: 14180
Residents Needs:
Learning disability

Latest Inspection

This is the latest available inspection report for this service, carried out on 14th May 2009. CQC found this care home to be providing an Good service.

The inspector found no outstanding requirements from the previous inspection report, but made 1 statutory requirements (actions the home must comply with) as a result of this inspection.

For extracts, read the latest CQC inspection for Sparrowfields.

What the care home does well Before a person moves in an assessment is done to make sure that their needs can be met at the home so they know this is the right place for them to live. Each person has their own care plan. This tells staff how to help the person to meet their needs so they can support them in the way they want and need. Professionals who work with the people living there said, `The person centred approach displayed by the service should be commended. ` `I think it is an exceptionally good service.` `Staff are efficient, organised and person centred.` `Communication between staff is excellent. It has been a pleasure working with Sparrowfields.` People who live there go out a lot and do the things they enjoy doing. People living there have a healthy diet to help them keep well. Staff help people to keep well and make sure their health needs are met. Staff listen to people and help to keep them safe from harm. People living there said, `Staff always treat me well.` `Staff listen to me and act on what I say.` The home is well decorated and furnished so it is comfortable to live in. People said, `The home is always fresh and clean.` Staff have the training they need so they know how to help the people living there. The home is safe to live in and all the equipment is checked often to make sure it is safe to use. The manager knows how to manage the home well and has had the training she needs to know how to meet the needs of the people living there. Regular audits are done to make sure the home is run in the way that the people living there need and want. One person said, ` I want to live at Sparrowfields forever.` What has improved since the last inspection? Care plans had more information in them so that staff can help each person living there to meet their needs and do the things they want to do. Some rooms had been redecorated and new furniture bought to make the home more comfortable for people to live in. Most of the checks needed to make sure that staff are suitable to work with the people living there had been done so that people are safe. Staff had more training so they know how to help the people living there and keep them safe from harm. What the care home could do better: Information about the home should be updated so that people have all the information they need to make a choice as to whether or not they want to live there. Care plans should include all the needs of the person so that staff know how to help them to be well. All food records should be completed so that it is clear that each person has a healthy diet to keep them well. The manager needs to make sure that staff who do not have all the checks needed to make sure they are suitable to work with the people living there are supervised so that people are not at risk. Key inspection report Care homes for adults (18-65 years) Name: Address: Sparrowfields 17-19 Alwold Road Weoley Castle Birmingham B29 5RR     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: Sarah Bennett     Date: 1 4 0 5 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 Adults (18-65 years) Page 2 of 29 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 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 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 Adults (18-65 years) Page 3 of 29 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: Sparrowfields 17-19 Alwold Road Weoley Castle Birmingham B29 5RR 01214282848 01214282849 sparrowfields@shaw.co.uk Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Type of registration: Number of places registered: Shaw Healthcare (Specialist Services ) Ltd care home 6 Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 learning disability Additional conditions: The maximum number of service users who can be accommodated is: 6 The registered person may provide the following category of service only: Care Home Only (Code PC); To service users of the following gender: Either; Whose primary care needs on admission to the home are within the following categories: Learning disability (LD) 6 Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home Sparrowfields is a purpose built care home. The home accommodates six men, who have a learning disability, and some additional mental health needs. The home is not suitable for people who have mobility difficulties. The accommodation comprises of a kitchen, laundry room, main lounge with access to the garden, a quiet lounge, and a dining room on the ground floor. On the ground floor are two toilets, for staff and visitors use. On the first floor, are six single bedrooms, all with en suite, a communal bathroom, and a medication room. There is a small garden to the rear, which includes a shelter for smokers. At the front there is parking for several cars. The home is located in Weoley Castle, and is close to main transport links. Shopping and leisure Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 4 of 29 Over 65 0 6 Brief description of the care home facilities are available in Weoley Castle, Northfield and Birmingham is accessible. The fees charged are from 1820 pounds per week although the manager stated these are to be reviewed. The reader should contact the home for updated information on fees. Our latest report is available in the home for visitors who wish to read it. 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: two star good 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: The quality rating for this service is two stars. This means the people who use this service experience good quality outcomes. This inspection was carried out over one day, the home did not know we were going to visit. This was the homes key inspection for the inspection year 2009 to 2010. The focus of inspections we, the commission, undertake is upon outcomes for people who live in the home and their views of the service provided. This process considers the care homes capacity to meet regulatory requirements, minimum standards of practice and focuses on aspects of service provision that need further development. Prior to the fieldwork visit taking place a range of information was gathered to include notifications received from the home and the Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (AQAA) completed by the manager. This provides information about the home and how Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 6 of 29 they think it meets the needs of the people living there. We sent surveys asking for peoples views about the home. We received completed surveys from the people living there, two staff that work there and two professionals involved in the care of the people living there. Their views are reflected in this report. We case tracked the care received by two people living there. This involved establishing individuals experience of living in the care home by meeting and talking with them, discussing their care with staff, looking at care files, and focusing on outcomes. Tracking peoples care helps us understand the experiences of people who use the service. We looked at parts of the home and a sample of care, staff and health and safety records were looked at. The people living there, the manager and staff were spoken with. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 7 of 29 What the care home does well: What has improved since the last inspection? Care plans had more information in them so that staff can help each person living there to meet their needs and do the things they want to do. Some rooms had been redecorated and new furniture bought to make the home more comfortable for people to live in. Most of the checks needed to make sure that staff are suitable to work with the people living there had been done so that people are safe. Staff had more training so they know how to help the people living there and keep them safe from harm. 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 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 good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. People have most of the information they need about the home so they can make a choice as to whether or not they want to live there. Individuals needs are assessed and they can visit before moving in to ensure their needs can be met there. Evidence: The service users guide included photos and pictures and was written in a way that made it easier to understand. It included the details of the previous area manager and our old address so was not up to date. It mentioned fees but did not state what these are. This information should be included so that people have all the information they need to make a choice as to whether or not they want to live there. The statement of purpose also needed updating with our new address and contact details so that people could contact us if they needed to. Since we last visited two people had moved into the home. When people first move into the home they are given a Welcome Pack that tells them all about the home to help them to settle in. This is written in a way that is easier to understand. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 11 of 29 Evidence: The records of the two people who have moved in since our last visit were looked at. Records included an assessment of the persons needs before they moved in to ensure that these could be met at the home. This was completed by staff at the home who visited the person where they were living at the time. Before the person moved in they visited the home they visited the home several times and one person was able to stay overnight. This gave them an opportunity to meet with the other people living there and the staff. They also took part in some of the activities going on inside and outside the home to see if they would like to live there. 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 good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Arrangements are in place so that staff know how to support individuals to meet their needs whilst ensuring their safety and well being. Evidence: The records of two of the people living there were looked at. These included an individual care plan. This detailed how staff are to support the person to meet their needs and achieve their goals. Records showed that the person had signed their care plan to show they were involved in writing it and agreed to the support they needed. One persons records mentioned a medical condition that they have but there was not a care plan in place for how staff are to support them with this. Care plans had been reviewed monthly with the person to make sure they were still effective in meeting the individuals needs. Care plans stated how staff are to support the person to make choices in their lives. One person chooses to smoke and staff respect this, although they help the person Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 13 of 29 Evidence: understand the risks of this to their health. They also make them aware of how much money it costs so the impact it has on their finances. For these reasons, a smoking programme has been developed with the person which restricts the amount they can smoke each day but do not stop the person making an informed choice to smoke. Throughout the day people were observed to make choices about what they did, where they spent their time and what they ate and drank. Meetings are held with all the people living there if they want to go where they discuss activities and what they want to do. Agendas include pictures making them easier to understand. Some people choose not to attend but prefer to meet just with their key worker. Regular opportunities are given for all the people living there to meet with their key worker if they want to. Records included individual risk assessments. These detailed how staff are to support the person to take risks whilst reducing any risks to their safety and well being. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated where necessary to ensure they still meet the individuals needs. Where there is not a risk to the person for a few months the frequency of reviewing the risk assessment is reduced so that it does not become a meaningless exercise and the risks that are relevant can be reviewed in more detail. For example, the risk to one person of getting sore skin was very unlikely but the risk of them behaving in a way that could affect others was high so staff concentrated on ensuring that all action to reduce this happening was taken. 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. The people living there are supported to experience a meaningful lifestyle so ensuring their well being. Evidence: People said that they go out and do the things they want to do. Some people do work placements and others do voluntary work. Each person has an individual activity plan. This includes leisure activities as well as the chores that people need to do around the home to develop their independence skills. Some of the people living there like to have a structured plan so they know what they are doing and this helps to reduce their anxieties. Records sampled showed that people are supported to do the activities they want and plan to do. People who want to are supported to go to church so helping to meet their religious needs. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 15 of 29 Evidence: All the people who live there are supported to go on holiday if they want to. For some people this involves visiting their family in another part of the country or abroad. One persons relatives had raised money for the home. This had been used for individuals to have more money to spend on holidays if they wanted to. One person has said that they do not want to go on holiday so staff are helping them to plan day trips to places they want to go to. Records sampled showed that people are supported to keep in contact with their family and friends if they want to. This may be by visits from family and friends to the home or by visiting them, telephone calls and sending cards for special occasions. Some people wanted to talk to their relatives on the phone during the day and were supported by staff to do this. People said that staff had supported them to visit their family in other places so they could keep in contact. Records showed and people said that people do jobs around the home including cleaning their bedrooms so helping to develop their independence skills. Some people help in jobs around the office which they said they enjoy and helps them to develop skills and feel valued. One persons records showed that they had applied to register to vote by post in elections so to ensure that their rights as a citizen are respected. There were no restrictions on people around the home and they were able to use all communal areas and their bedroom when they wanted to. Each person had a key to their bedroom. People were restricted in going out on their own if they had been assessed as needing staff support for their safety and well being or that of others. However, staff were available to support them to go out when they wanted to. People cook their own meals with staff support. People said that they have so much to spend on food each week and staff support them where needed to go out and buy their food. Staff support people to meet their individual dietary needs and advise them where needed on healthy diets. Food records sampled showed that people are supported to have a healthy diet that includes fruit and vegetables. Some food records were not completed and particularly for people whose diet is monitored for health reasons these should be. One person had lost a lot of weight as part of their weight reducing diet and had been commended by the Dietician for their hard work in this. All staff are to do training with the Dietician on portion sizes and healthy eating so they know how to support the poeple living there with this. 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 good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The personal care and health needs of the people living there are met so ensuring their well being. Evidence: The people living there were well dressed in individual styles that were appropriate to their age, gender, the activities they were doing and the weather. People said that if they want staff to support them to go out and buy their clothes they will do this. Records included details of how staff are to support the individual to maintain their personal hygiene so promoting their confidence and self esteem. People had been well supported with their personal care. Records included the person signing to say they consented to having vaccinations when needed, such as the flu vaccine, their prescribed medication and dental treatment. Records showed that health professionals are involved in peoples care and staff support individuals to attend healthcare appointments when needed. A monthly pattern chart for each person had recently been introduced. This recorded Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 17 of 29 Evidence: whether people had done their planned activities or refused, their behaviours, when their sleep has been disturbed and when they have refused to eat. This gives staff an overall picture of the person over the month and raises any issues about change in their behaviour, which may indicate that their physical or mental health is deteriorating. This ensures that any health problems can be identified so the person can be referred to the healthcare services they need. People had been weighed regularly, although some people refused this and this was recorded. One person had lost a lot of weight on a weight reducing diet. Staff had supported them to do this following advice from the Dietician to help the person to be as healthy as possible. Records showed that people had visited their GP when they needed to and staff recorded the advice received so that all staff knew how to support the person. Medication is stored in a locked cabinet in a locked room. There is an air conditioning unit in the room so that the effectiveness of the medication is not affected by being stored at too high a temperature. Medication is given to people by the Team Leader who is leading the shift. All Team Leaders have received training in how to give medication so they know how to give, what it is for and the possible side effects it may have for the person. They have an annual competency check to make sure they are still able to give the medication to people safely. Boots supply the medication in pre packed blister packs to make it easier for staff to know what, when and how much to give to the person. These showed that medication had been given to people as prescribed. Staff had signed the Medication Administration Record (MAR) appropriately indicating that medication had been given as prescribed. Some medication cannot be stored in blister packs as this affects how effective it is. Boxes of medication sampled showed that the medication had been given as prescribed to the individual. 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 good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Arrangements ensure that the views of the people living there are listened to and they are safeguarded from harm so ensuring their well being. Evidence: The complaints procedure included photos and was written in a way that was easier to understand so that the people living there would know how to make a complaint. People said that they knew how to complain if they needed to and if they did staff would listen to them. We have not received any complaints about the home in the last twelve months and the home has not received any. Staff training records showed that staff have training in how to safeguard the people living there from abuse. Records of all injuries to individuals including cuts and bruises are recorded so that staff can monitor if the person has any unexplained injuries that may mean that they are at risk of abuse. There was information in the home about the Mental Capacity Act 2005. This Act came into force in April 2007 and requires an assessment of a persons capacity to be completed if there is any doubt that they lack the capacity to make a decision about their health or welfare. Training records showed that all staff except those who had recently started working there had training in the Mental Capacity Act. This ensures that they are aware of the implications of this legislation for the people living there. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 19 of 29 Evidence: The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards are linked to the Mental Capacity Act. It requires consideration to be given that if a person living in a care home needs care that may take away their liberty that this is being done to protect them from harm and in their best interests.The Manager and Team Leaders have had training in this and all staff are booked to attend this training so they know how this may affect the people living there. The Manager is not the appointee for the finances of any of the people living there. Two people manage their own money, one person has a relative who manages their money and the other people have a bank account that their benefits are paid straight into. They then withdraw small amounts of this as needed with staff support and it is kept securely in the home. Finance records sampled showed that people spend their money on personal items not on things that should be provided by the home as part of the fees they pay. Receipts are kept of all the money they spend and these matched the records kept in the home. The people living there can sometimes display behaviour that may be challenging to other people. Individual behaviour support plans are in place that show staff how to support the person in a way that reduces their behaviours that may put themselves and others at risk of harm. Staff have training in how to support people to manage their behaviours. Records sampled showed that staff reported in a positive way about each person, how they were and how they had behaved showing that they respect individuals. 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 live in a homely, comfortable, safe and clean environment that meets their needs. Evidence: The home was well decorated and furnished, some rooms had recently been redecorated. Since we last visited the dining room and small lounge had been changed over. This gave more space in the dining room. There is also a small table and chairs in the large lounge so that if people want to they do not all have to have their meals in the same room. The decorations and furnishings are contemporary reflecting the age of the people living there. Staff said that there are plans to get a new TV and sofas to make the lounge more comfortable. Bedrooms seen were well decorated and personalised to individual tastes and interests. People said their bedroom had recently been decorated and one person said they had recently had new furniture. People have their own en suite shower room and toilet. There is a communal bathroom that people can use if they prefer to have a bath. The home was clean and free from offensive odours making it a pleasant place to live. People who responded in the survey said that the home is always clean. The people Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 21 of 29 Evidence: living there said they take part in cleaning the home and are involved in cleaning their bedrooms. Each month there is a prize for the bedroom that is kept the cleanest. People spoken to were obviously motivated by this and wanted their bedroom to be the best. 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. The arrangements for staffing, their support and development ensure that the people living there are supported to meet their needs. Recruitment procedures generally ensure that the people living there are protected so ensuring their safety and well being. Evidence: The AQAA stated that all but the staff that had recently started working there had achieved National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 2 or above in Care. This exceeds the standard that at least half of the staff team have achieved this so ensuring that staff have the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of the people living there. Seven staff have completed NVQ level 3, another eight staff are enrolled to do this and two staff, one of whom is the manager have completed NVQ level 4. This shows that staff are supported to develop their skills and knowledge. The home is fully staffed so all the staff that work there know the people living there and what support they need. Five staff had recently started working there and had completed their induction. Staff responded in the survey saying they had an induction when they first started working there so they knew how to support the people living there. Staff said that it is a nice place to work and that sickness levels are fairly low Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 23 of 29 Evidence: meaning that staff must want to come to work. Some people have extra staff working with them so they have the support they need. Rotas sampled showed that minimum staffing levels were met so the people living there could be supported in the right way. Staff meeting minutes showed that there had been six meetings in the last year so that staff were kept updated with best practice and if there were any changes to the needs of the people living there. At the change of each shift there is a handover between staff so that staff are kept informed of any changes. The records of three of the staff that work there were looked at. These included completed application forms, three written references about the person and evidence of their identity. Records sampled included evidence that a check had been made to ensure that the person was not excluded from working with vulnerable adults. Records showed that all three had completed a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check form so it could be checked that they were suitable to work with the people living there. For two staff these had been returned and the staff were suitable. One persons had not yet been returned but until we questioned this the Manager was not aware of this. There are a number of staff working on each shift so the risks of this member of staff working unsupervised are reduced. The Manager said they would now ensure that this staff is always supervised until their CRB check is returned. Following our visit the Manager informed us that this had been returned and the member of staff was suitable to work with the people living there. Staff training records are held on a computer program that flags up when staff need an update to refresh their knowledge in an area so that staff get the training they need. Training records showed that staff get the training they need to meet the individual needs of the people living there. 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 good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Management arrangements ensure that the home is run in the best interests of the people living there so ensuring their safety and well being. Evidence: The Manager is registered with us and has several years experience of working with people who have a learning disability in a supervisory role. The Manager has achieved NVQ level 4 in Care and Management and relevant courses including Bsc Diploma in Professional Mental Health Studies to ensure she is aware of how to meet the needs of the people living there. Since we last visited there is a new Area Manager in post who supports the Manager in her role. A representative of the Provider visits the home every month to complete an audit as to how the home is meeting the standards and the needs of the people living there. Visits included meeting the people living there and asking their views of the home. Reports of visits were very detailed and there was an expectation that the Manager responded to any issues raised to show how they were going to ensure that action was taken to rectify them. Reports seen showed that any issues raised were Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 25 of 29 Evidence: addressed so that the home is run in the best interests of the people living there. As stated earlier in this report the Manager was not aware that the CRB check for a member of staff had not been returned so the member of staff may have been working with people unsupervised. This may not ensure their safety as it is not yet clear that the staff is suitable to work with the people living there. Fire records showed that staff regularly test the fire equipment to make sure it is working. Regular fire drills are held so that staff and the people living there can practice what they would do if there was a fire. The fire risk assessment had been reviewed annually so that action could be taken to minimise the risks of there being a fire. Staff test the wtaer temperatures regualrly to make sure that people are not at risk of being scalded by the hot water. Records of these showed that temperatures are within the recommended limits so that people are not at risk. An electrician tested the electrical wiring in 2007 as required every five years. They stated that there was some remedial work needed to bring it up to a satisfactory standard. The Manager said that this work had been completed. Portable electrical appliances were tested in February this year and the report stated that they were safe to use. 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 1 34 13 The Manager must be aware 15/06/2009 of which staff checks have not been fully completed. This will ensure that staff are appropriately supervised to safeguard the people living there. 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 1 The service users guide should include the updated information about the home including the range of fees charged to live there. This will ensure that people have all the information they need to make a choice as to whether or not they want to live there. Care plans should include all the identified needs of the person so that staff know how to support them and ensure their well being. Food records should be regularly completed so that individuals diets can be monitored to ensure they are healthy. 2 6 3 17 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 28 of 29 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. 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. 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!

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