Care Home: The Poplars

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What the care home does well This is an excellent care home, with a number of positive areas of practice, these are particularly with regard to choice and decision making for the people who live there. The risk assessment process is very good, and people are supported to take risks as part of their lifestyle. There are very good activities on offer, and everyone is supported to go away for an annual holiday. The building is well equipped, and people have comfortable, well personalised bedrooms. The quality assurance system, which focuses on how well the home does, and how well it provides a service to the people who live there, is person centred, rather than service focused. What has improved since the last inspection? Since the last key inspection in April 2007, a new kitchen (including a new flooring) has been installed, new flooring has been laid in the shower room, much of the building has been redecorated, a dishwasher has been bought and installed in the kitchen, the garden has been developed, and the door into the garden from the conservatory has been altered totake account of the Deprivation of Liberty standards that have recently come into force.There is a new kitchen at the home What the care home could do better: No Statutory requirements have been made as a result of this key inspection visit, and one good practice recommendation has been made. This relates to producing a signs and symbols version of the service user guide, to aid those people who have difficulty with written English.The information should have signs and symbols Key inspection report Care homes for adults (18-65 years) Name: Address: The Poplars 1 Station Road Whitwell Derbyshire S80 4TD 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: Rob Cooper Date: 0 9 0 4 2 0 0 9 This report is a review of the 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 stars – excellent  2 stars – good  1 star – adequate  0 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. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: 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 31 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 31 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: The Poplars 1 Station Road Whitwell Derbyshire S80 4TD (01909)722244 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Type of registration: Number of places registered: Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : kevinp@norsaca.org.uk www.norsca.org.uk Nottingham Regional Society for Adults and Children with Autism care home 5 Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 5 0 learning disability Additional conditions: The registered provider 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 category:- Learning Disability - Code LD Date of last inspection Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 4 of 31 A bit about the care home The Poplars care home is situated in a quiet residential cul de sac near the centre of Whitwell. The home is a brick built bungalow in a residential area with a secure private garden. The accommodation consists of five single bed rooms, and a number of communal rooms. The home is registered as a care home to provide personal care for up to five adults with learning disabilities aged 18 to 65 years. The home specializes in providing care for adults with Autism. The fees are currently £1008 per week. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 5 of 31 Summary This is an overview of what we found during the inspection. The quality rating for this care home is: Our judgement for each outcome: three star excellent service Choice of home Individual needs and choices Lifestyle Personal and healthcare support Concerns, complaints and protection Environment Staffing Conduct and management of the home Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 6 of 31 How we did our inspection: This is what the inspector did when they were at the care home The quality rating for this service is 3 stars. This means the people who use this service experience excellent quality outcomes. This was an unannounced visit as part of the key inspection process, so that no one at the Poplars knew that the inspection visit was going to take place. The visit took approximately six hours through the middle of the day, with one inspector present. We looked at policies, care plans and reports In preparing for this inspection, the information that the Commission holds about this care home was reviewed, this included looking at the last inspection report, the inspection record, considering any complaints or concerns that have been made about the service, and reviewing any notifications made relating to incidents that affect the well being of people living at the Poplars. The methods used during this key inspection and visit were to visit the Poplars, where a method called case tracking was used; this involved identifying four people who live at the care home and looking at their individual files and making a judgement about the Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 7 of 31 quality of care they are receiving, and if their needs are being met. This was followed by a partial tour of the Poplars, and talking to three members of staff about the quality of the service, and their experiences of working at the Poplars. We also sent out an Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (known as an AQAA) as part of the inspection methodology, this allows care homes like the Poplars to self assess their service. Information provided by the care home helped to form the judgements in this report. We also sent out five surveys asking for views and information to people who live at the home, which were all returned which helped with the judgements that we made. The registered manager Kevin Pakenham provided much of the information during this key inspection visit. On the day of this inspection there were five people living at the Poplars. People can get more information direct from the home People who might want to live at the Poplars can obtain information about the home direct from them, and this would include seeing previous inspection reports prepared by the Commission. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 8 of 31 What the care home does well What has got better from the last inspection Since the last key inspection in April 2007, a new kitchen (including a new flooring) has been installed, new flooring has been laid in the shower room, much of the building has been redecorated, a dishwasher has been bought and installed in the kitchen, the garden has been developed, and the door into the garden from the conservatory has been altered to Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 9 of 31 take account of the Deprivation of Liberty standards that have recently come into force. There is a new kitchen at the home What the care home could do better No Statutory requirements have been made as a result of this key inspection visit, and one good practice recommendation has been made. This relates to producing a signs and symbols version of the service user guide, to aid those people who have difficulty with written English. The information should have signs and symbols Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 10 of 31 If you want to read the full report of our inspection please ask the person in charge of the care home If you want to speak to the inspector please contact Rob Cooper CPC1 Capital Park Fulbourn Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB21 5XE 01223771300 If you want to know what action the person responsible for this care home is taking following this report, you can contact them using the details set out on page 4. The report of this inspection is available from our website www.cqc.org.uk. You can get printed copies from enquiries@cqc.org.uk or by telephoning our order line - 0870 240 7535. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 11 of 31 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 12 of 31 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 who would want to live at the home have the information they would need to make an informed choice about living there, they would also have their individual needs assessed before they moved in. Evidence: The Statement of Purpose and Service User Guide for the Poplars were both seen. The Statement of Purpose contains all of the information that Care Homes Regulations say that it should. Both documents contain a great deal of useful information about the service being offered at the home, and the home itself, although there is not currently a signs and symbols version of the service user guide available for people who have difficulty with written English. Four peoples care files were seen as part of the case tracking process. Each file contained detailed assessments by a range of professionals, covering areas such as communication, mobility, and social skills. Due to the length of time since people moved into the home, the original assessment tools have been archived, however the minutes of review meetings were seen, with evidence that assessments had been updated or rewritten. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 13 of 31 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 14 of 31 Individual needs and choices These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People’s needs and goals are met. The home has a plan of care that the person, or someone close to them, has been involved in making. People are able to make decisions about their life, including their finances, with support if they need it. This is because the staff promote their rights and choices. People are supported to take risks to enable them to stay independent. This is because the staff have appropriate information on which to base decisions. People are asked about, and are involved in, all aspects of life in the home. This is because the manager and staff offer them opportunities to participate in the day to day running of the home and enable them to influence key decisions. People are confident that the home handles information about them appropriately. This is because the home has clear policies and procedures that staff follow. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. People living at the care home know their assessed and changing needs and personal goals are reflected in their individual plan of care. People are also supported to make decisions about their lives with assistance if needed. Evidence: Each of the four files that were seen, contained a clear plan of care, based on their individual assessments. Documentation within the files was clear, and identified peoples needs and how they would be met. Evidence that care plans are being reviewed regularly was seen, the National Minimum Standards suggest six monthly, and the evidence showed that care plans were being reviewed in line with the Standards. A great deal of evidence was seen to support the view that people living at the home were supported to make decisions. In the kitchen there are communication boards, with pictures to help people make choices, around food and drink, and the speech and language department have helped develop communication books, which help identify a range of different preferences and favourite things in peoples lives. Towards the end of the inspection visit, the people who live at the Poplars returned home from their day Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 15 of 31 Evidence: care, and everybody wanted a drink, but no one wanted the same. The staff were skilfully following the lead, as people chose tea, coffee, hot chocolate, Horlicks etc. For several of the people the choices were made in a non-verbal way, yet everyone got what they wanted. One person who lives at the home has family living in Australia, and they were supported to fly there to visit their relatives. Documentation in a file about the trip clearly showed how the individual had been helped to make key decisions and choices, for example where they would stay, and what they would do while they were in Australia, and even make the choice over which member of staff would accompany them on the trip. All four files contained detailed risk assessments covering both individual needs and risks, and more general risks related to everyday living. The risk assessments were clear and easy to understand, and followed a logical approach to the management of the risks. Each person has an independent living skills day, where they are at home rather than attending day care, and there are risk assessments around the activities involved, washing, going into town, road safety. The best example seen was of the risk assessments involved in the aforementioned trip to Australia. This is a gentleman who had never flown before, and whos care needs meant that there had to be in depth risk assessments. The fact that the trip went without a hitch, demonstrated that the risk assessment process had worked, and worked well. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 16 of 31 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 good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The people who live at the home are able to take part in appropriate activities, and are part of the local community, with their rights and responsibilities being respected by the staff. Evidence: The people who live at the home are able to take part in appropriate activities, and are part of the local community, with their rights and responsibilities being respected by the staff.The people who live at the Poplars all attend organised day time activity away from the home, this is either at a college or a local community group. Details of each individuals programme were seen, including the independent living skills day, where the person spends the day at home and their bedrooms are tidied, washing is done, and shopping is often accompanied by lunch out. There was plenty of documentary evidence to support the activities taking place, both in individuals files and in activity books. Three people are part of a Boccia league (a type of bowls game) and recently they were awarded medals for playing. Everyone has an annual holiday, and they are encouraged to be involved in deciding where they will go, and the type of activities they will undertake. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 17 of 31 Evidence: The Poplars is located within walking distance of the centre of Whitwell, and close to the railway station. Evidence was seen within files that people are using local community facilities, such as the local bank, post office and shops. Some of the people living at the home are also involved with the local church, and the home has a minibus for trips out into the local community. Most of the people who currently live at the Poplars have regular involvement with members of their family, with some staying away at their relatives houses for overnight visits or their relatives visiting the home to see them. An independent advocacy service provides a service, with an advocate visiting, particularly to support a person who has elderly parents. Documentation within files provided evidence of family involvement. People living at the Poplars have an independent living skills day, where they are at home, and are supported to tidy their bedrooms, wash their clothes and do their shopping. As the name implies, this about developing indsependence, and supporting people towards independence. Documentation seen in care plans and in individual daily programmes, showed that this was a structured and planned activity. Within the home some people take responsibility for tasks such as laying the table, although this is through personal choice, and not an expectation. In addition everyone takes responsibility for their own plate and cutlery, and ensuring that they are put in the dishwasher after a meal. The menus are interactive with pictures and signs and symbols used so that people are able to make choices, and are involved in the process of choosing food, there is also a similar photo/ symbols chart for drinks, to help people make choices. Food storage and preparation areas were seen to be clean and well organised, and records relating to food were found to be correct and complete. There are different menus for different times of the year (based around the seasons) which were seen. The idea being that the menus take account of seasonal vegetables, and for example: salads in the summer, and stews and casseroles in the winter. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 18 of 31 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. People living at the care home receive personal support in the way that they prefer, and they are protected by the policies and procedures in place for dealing with medication. Evidence: The Poplars is equipped with both shower and bathing facilities, and people living at the home are able to choose which they would prefer, although in most cases this is a bath. Both male and female staff are employed at the home, but it is policy that male staff do not assist females with personal care. Within each of the peoples files that were seen, there were care plans relating to health care needs. These care plans identified the individuals specific needs, and how they would be met. There was an ongoing record in each of the files of healthcare professionals involvement, including visits to the doctor or by the nurse, and a number of monitoring tools for conditions such as epilepsy. In addition the files contained a great deal of information for staff around medical conditions. The Poplars use a medication system supplied by a local chemists. Inspection of the storage and recording systems in place showed that people living at the home are safe, staff have been suitrably trained (training records were seen) and the administration records showed no errors or ommissions. A copy of the medication policy is kept in the Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 19 of 31 Evidence: medication cupboard, and should anyone require additional medication, known as PRN or ar required, the decision will be discussed with a manager and recorded before progressing. No one currently licving at the home self medicates. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 20 of 31 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. People living at the care home and their relatives feel their complaints are listened to and acted upon. The policies and procedures in place ensure people are protected from abuse, neglect and self harm. Evidence: The Poplars have received one complaint since the last key inspection in April 2007, which was identified in their AQAA. A review of the complaint showed that they had been dealt with in line with the homes complaints procedure, which is on display in the foyer, oin a signs and symbols format, and also forms part of the service user guide. In their AQAA the Poplars said: Complaints procedures are in Symbol and pictorial versions on full display around the bungalow. A formal system is in place for documenting and filing complaints. The complaints procedures has appropriate time scales for response and action. The Commission have not received any complaints or concerns about The poplars since the last key inspection. A review of the staff training records in relation to safeguarding adults showed that the manager had attended an introduction to safeguarding course run by Nottingham County Council in January 2009, with further training courses for the whole staff team booked throughout 2009 from May to November, and being run by an external training agency. This is in addition to internal training around safeguarding adults being run by the manager. The training is aimed at raising staff awareness of abuse, and issues around abuse and through raising those issues, offering people greater protection against abusive practice, while also making sure that the staff understand the correct policy and Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 21 of 31 Evidence: procedure to follow if abusive practice is found. The Poplars have not had made any safeguarding adults referrals since the last key inspection. In their AQAA they said: Relevant polices and procedures are in place for Adult Protection. The DCVAP (Derbyshire Committee for Vulnerable Adults ) is held within the bungalow. The Registered Manager, Kevin Michael Pakenham, has attended and succesfully passed, a three day course on the protection of vulnerable adults, held in conjunction with our local Police force. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 22 of 31 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 excellent 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 safe, homely and comfortable environment, their bedrooms suit their needs and lifestyle, and promote independence. The home is clean and hygienic. Evidence: The Poplars is situated in a bungalow, on a small cul-de-sac, close to the centre of the village. Discussions with the manager indicated that there are good relationships with the neighbours, and people are well settled. A partial tour of the building showed that the fixtures and fittings are to a high standard, and the bungalow has been decorated to a good standard, which makes for a very homely feel. Since the last key inspection a new kitchewn has been installed, and much ofd the bungalow has been redecorated, and a new floor has been laid in the shower room. All of the bedrooms showed a good level of personalisation, and clearly reflected the individuals personality and interests. Outside there is a private garden, with quiet sitting areas, and a patio, and a sensory area that is being developed. In their AQAA they said: All our bedrooms are personalised to reflect individual service users tastes. The environment at the Poplars is homely, with adequate communal space, which meets the needs of our Service users. The environment has been re-decorated and we have fitted a new kitchen, there is a bright and airy feel to the bungalow. The Kitchen is now more spacious enabing Service users to develop cooking and daily living skills. At the start of the inspection visit the manager was seen hoovering carpets and cleaning Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 23 of 31 Evidence: bathrooms. As mentioned elsewhere in this report the people who live at the home have a day a week to clean their bedrooms, and attend to other domestic tasks. The majority of the day to day cleaning is undertaken by the staff, and signature sheets on the cleaning shedules were seen. the Poplars was found to be clean and tidy, with no odour or signs of stained carpets, which created the impression of a clean, pleasant homely environment. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 24 of 31 Staffing These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People have safe and appropriate support as there are enough competent, qualified staff on duty at all times. They have confidence in the staff at the home because checks have been done to make sure that they are suitable. People’s needs are met and they are supported because staff get the right training, supervision and support they need from their managers. People are supported by an effective staff team who understand and do what is expected of them. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. People living at the care home have their needs met by appropriately trained and well supported and supervised staff. Evidence: The staffing rota was seen, and this showed a good skill mix through the staff team, and a level of different staff with levels of seniority and experience. Additional support is available (if needed) from an on call manager or from other homes in the group locally. Discussions with three members of staff indicated that they thought there were enough staff, and that they were well supported. In their AQAA the home said: The rota demonstrates a high level of support for our Service users. the staff rota displays two support staff throughout the week and weekend with one staff member of sleepin. We have designated reliefs to cover for sickness and absense ensuring we maintain the 2/5 ratio. On Call arrangements are covered by experienced Service Managers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to ensure expert advise and deal with any unexpected and unplanned for circumstances. Staff training files were seen, and these showed that there was a good training programme in place for all staff, covering training issues relevant to the work being undertaken. Further discussions with three members of staff around training issues identified that the staff thought they were well trained and had access to on-going staff training. The training records showed that staff were receiving all of the mandatory Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 25 of 31 Evidence: training; fire safety, moving and handling, health & safety etc, and there was also the opportunity to request training if required. Two thirds of the staff team have their National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) to level II or above, with the remaining staff due to start training for this qualification in April 2009. NVQ level II is seen as the basic qualification in care, and the National Minimum Standards recommend that at least half the staff team should hold this qualification. Four staff files were seen at the agencys Human Resources Department (Personnel) where they are stored, and these all contained information that showed that staff had been recruited safely, in that every applicant had been through a formal recruitment process, and had filled out an application form, provided two written references and had undergone a Criminal Records Bureau check. In their AQAA they said: Robust recruitment and selection practises ensures Service users safety. All potential staff are vetted, Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks are compulsary and References are fully checked before any commencement of employment. Staff files containing information relating to formal supervision were seen, and these showed that staff have a regular formal supervision session with a senior member of staff. Formal supervision offers staff support and guidance in carrying out their work, and is seen as an essential management tool in care. Discussions with two members of staff confirmed that there is regular (approximately) six weekly staff supervision. The staff members both said that they felt very well supported within their role, and that additional support and advice was always available. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 26 of 31 Conduct and management of the home These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People have confidence in the care home because it is run and managed appropriately. People’s opinions are central to how the home develops and reviews their practice, as the home has appropriate ways of making sure they continue to get things right. The environment is safe for people and staff because health and safety practices are carried out. People get the right support from the care home because the manager runs it appropriately, with an open approach that makes them feel valued and respected. They are safeguarded because the home follows clear financial and accounting procedures, keeps records appropriately and makes sure staff understand the way things should be done. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. People living at the care home and their relatives are confident their views underpin all self-monitoring, review and development, and that the health, safety and welfare of everyone living and working at the home are promoted and protected. Evidence: The manager of the Poplars - Kevin Pakenham is suitably qualified and experienced to be running the home, and has been through the Commissions own screening process. In addition to several years experience Kevin has had Licentiaship of the City & Guilds of London Institute conferred upon him in recognition of achievement in Education, Employment, and Training. The ethos of the home focuses on individual development, and choice, and evidence seen in care plans and documentation together with the organization of the home shows that this is happening. Annual holidays for every person living at the home, and particularly the decision to support one person to fly to Australia to see family members indicates a level of commitment to the ethos and the people living at the home. In addition everyone is encouraged to have a day at home to focus on their personal development, while family contact is supported and encouraged. Observations of staff working with people in Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 27 of 31 Evidence: the care home were positive, and the activity that was seen, was clearly led by the people who live there, rather than the staff. The Poplars are piloting a quality assurance system for NORSACA (The Nottingham Regional Society for Adults and Children with Autism) that is called My life, my choice. This is a very focussed system that looks at the choices and values that an individual experiences in a care service. A copy of the My life ... document was seen and discussed with the manager, who said the approach was looking at the service from the point of view of the person, rather than focussing on the services strengths and needs, which many other quality assurance systems do. In addition, people living at the home are given copies of the Commissions questionnaires to complete, and relatives views are sought on an occasional basis around specific issues. A range of different health & safety records were seen, including the fire safety records, water temperature checks and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) records, all were found to be correct and up to date, which shows that people are living and working in a safe environment. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 28 of 31 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? Yes  No  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 29 of 31 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 Description 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 Description 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 1 A signs & symbols version of the service user guide would help people who have difficulty with written English. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 30 of 31 Helpline: Telephone: 03000 616161 or Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk Web: www.cqc.org.uk We want people to be able to access this information. If you would like a summary in a different format or language please contact our helpline or go to our website. Copyright © (2009) 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 31 of 31 - 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!