Latest Inspection
This is the latest available inspection report for this service, carried out on 9th June 2010. CQC found this care home to be providing an Excellent service.
The inspector made no statutory requirements on the home as a result of this inspection
and there were no outstanding actions from the previous inspection report.
For extracts, read the latest CQC inspection for Thornhill House.
What the care home does well People are clearly informed about service provision and the home continues to have an excellent reputation, a lengthy waiting list and to meet peoples needs. People receive the care they expect, as agreed with them and from staff that treat them with dignity and respect. The service continues to be proactive, sensitive and responsive in dealing with any matters that people raise during the course of their daily lives at the home, without the need for them to make a formal written complaint. People are safeguarded from harm and abuse. People continue to live in a home that suits their needs and is clean and comfortable, safe and suitably equipped. Peoples needs are met by the numbers and skill mix of staff. The home is well managed and run in peoples best interests, with their health, safety and welfare effective promoted and protected. What the care home could do better: The service is usually proactive in its own self monitoring and in seeking to continuously develop its care and service provision for people, in accordance with recognised standards of care and practise. Random inspection report
Care homes for older people
Name: Address: Thornhill House Church Lane Great Longstone Derbyshire DE45 1TB three star excellent service The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: A quality rating is our assessment of how well a care home, agency or scheme is meeting the needs of the people who use it. We give a quality rating following a full review of the service. We call this review a ‘key’ inspection. This is a report of a random inspection of this care home. A random inspection is a short, focussed review of the service. Details of how to get other inspection reports for this care home, including the last key inspection report, can be found on the last page of this report. Lead inspector: Susan Richards Date: 0 9 0 6 2 0 1 0 Information about the care home
Name of care home: Address: Thornhill House Church Lane Great Longstone Derbyshire DE45 1TB 01629640034 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: matron@thornhillhouse.org Name of registered provider(s): Name of registered manager (if applicable) John Thornhill Memorial Trust Type of registration: Number of places registered: Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : care home 19 Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 19 old age, not falling within any other category Conditions of registration: 0 The maximum number of service users who may be accommodated is 19 The registered person may provide the following category of service only: Care Home with nursing - Code N - 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 - Code OP. Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home Thornhill House is operated by a registered charitable trust whose patron is the Duchess of Devonshire. The home provides nursing and personal care and support for up to nineteen older persons. It is purpose built single storey accommodation located in the village of Great Longstone, approximately three miles north east of the market
Care Homes for Older People Page 2 of 10 Brief description of the care home town of Bakewell. All single room accommodation is provided with an en suite facility to each. There is a choice of lounge and dining facilities and suitable bathing and toilet facilities. There is a central kitchen and a dedicated laundry facility and a range of equipment is provided to assist those persons with physical disabilities, including an emergency call system throughout. Gardens are well maintained and provide level access for service users, together with seating. Car parking spaces are also provided. The manager has administrative support and there is a team of nursing, care and hotel services staff, together with a number of volunteers from the local village and surrounding area. External support is also provided via the charitys board of trustees. There are excellent arrangements to enable residents to engage in activities of their choice, which are planned by the activities co-ordinator employed. Close links are also well established with the local community and there is a meals on wheels service, which also operates from the home via employed volunteers. A copy of the most recent inspection report for this service is available on request from the office at the home. Funding arrangements are by way of either individually agreed private contracts or via local authority and, or primary care trust agreements for those who may be eligible to assistance with funding for their personal and, or nursing care. Up to date information about fees charged, what they cover and funding arrangements may be obtained directly from the home. Care Homes for Older People Page 3 of 10 What we found:
Thornhill House is assessed as a 3 star rated home. This means it provides excellent quality outcomes for people who use the service. This rating was given on 19 September 2007 at our last key inspection of the service. For the purposes of this visit we undertook an unannounced random inspection. This is shorter targeted inspection, which focused on assessing how the home complies with identified National Minimum Standards for Older People, in accordance with the Care Homes Regulations 2001. We have also considered any information that we already hold about the service. This includes, Their annual quality assurance questionnaire (AQAA) that we ask the home to complete; any written notifications that we have received about events or incidents that have happened in the home; any complaints or safeguarding referrals made about the service; what other people have told us about the service and feedback and survey returns from people who use the service, or who have an interest there. We have specified below the standards that we assessed at our inspection visit in accordance with the relevant 7 key outcomes sections of the Department of Healths National Minimum Standards for older People. Our findings are as follows, SECTION ONE, CHOICE OF HOME. NMS OP 3. In our AQAA completed by the home they described a comprehensive and suitable admission and needs assessment process for people. They told us that that they usually have a significant waiting list for admissions to the service, which at the time of completion of their AQAA was at some 72 people, demonstrating their reputation with the local and wider community. At our visit, we saw that the homes statement of purpose was recently updated and a copy provided. People told us they received the information they needed to help them choose the service and that they were well supported throughout their admission there. We are advised that key service information can also be made available for people in large print to assist those who have sight difficulties. People told us that their individual needs are discussed with them and we saw that these were well accounted for by way of comprehensive and well maintained records that accord with a recognised model of assessment. SECTION 2, HEALTHCARE. NMS OP 7. In the AQAA, the home gave us satisfactory and comprehensive information about how they ensure peoples health and personal care needs are accounted for and met. Including their arrangements to enable peoples access to outside heatlh and social care professionals. They told us that people are treated with the utmost of respect and their dignity and privacy considered a high priority.
Care Homes for Older People Page 4 of 10 They also told us that they ensure regular auditing of peoples care plans and associated care records to ensure they meet with current practise and guidance. At this inspection people told us that their health and personal care needs are well met, including their medical needs. They said that staff treat them with respect and promote their dignity and privacy. Although one person said they would like a privacy curtain around the sink area in their own room. We discussed this with the manager who assured us she would act on this. Peoples care plans that we looked at were person centred and reflective of current practise and guidance concerned with the care of older people. They were up to date with regularly recorded reviews and were written in consultation with people and in accordance with their risk assessed needs. We saw how people are provided with the choice to manage their own medicines. With suitable checking systems in place to ensure they are safe to do so and with personal lockable storage facilities provided. No one had chosen to do so at the time of our visit, although people said they were offered this. SECTION FOUR,COMPLAINTS. NMS OP 16. Information given to us by the home in their completed AQAA return, together with information that we hold about the home, tells us that there have been no complaints or safeguarding investigations against the service over the last 12 months. At this inspection people told us that they know who to speak with if they are unhappy and how to complain if necessary. We also saw that suitable written information is provided for people to assist them in making a complaint. People said that the activities co ordinator and acting manager regularly consult with them, obtaining their views and any issues arising from their day to day care. This is done by regular group and one to one meetings with people. Matters arising from those meetings are recorded and people said that any issues raised are always promptly dealt with without the need for formal complaints. SECTION FIVE, ENVIRONMENT. NMS OP 19. In their AQAA return the home told us about their plans to increase the number of places they offer by two to assist them in meeting with service demand from their local and wider community. Since then their registration application submitted to us in respect of this increase has been approved. Thereby increasing the total number of places they are registered to provide, from 17 to 19. At this visit we saw that people continue to live in a safe and well maintained environment that suits there needs. Providing level access throughout all indoor and outdoor communal and private facilities. The home is pleasant and hygienic and peoples own rooms are personalised. People said they were pleased with their environment and that it is is always kept fresh and clean. We also received positive comments about the standard of the laundry service provided. One recently admitted person said,
Care Homes for Older People Page 5 of 10 The home was the absolute best I had seen. Welcoming, clean and with no smells. I knew I would be happy to move here. SECTION 6, STAFFING. NMS OP 27. Information that the home provided us in their AQAA return tells us that peoples needs are met by the number and skill mix of staff employed. At our visit, observations, discussions with people and examination of staffing records reflected this. We saw that almost 90 percent of care staff have achieved at least NVQ level 2 in care. With many staff having or in the process of undertaking NVQ level 3 for this. We also saw that there is a staff training plan in place, relevant to promoting and ensuring recognised practise for the care of older people and also in providing a rolling programme of training and updates for all core health and safety areas, such as fire and moving and handling training. During our visit we saw that staff were professional, courteous and respectful in their approaches with people. People surveyed said that staff is always available when they need them and that they listen and act on what they say. One person told us, The staff are very good, polite and very caring and always do their best for me. Information provided in the AQAA told us the home is well managed in peoples best interests and that they ensure peoples views are promoted and incorporated into what they do. They provided examples here of ways in which they do this, which include by way of an open door philosophy, holding monthly residents meetings and promoting person centred care planning. SECTION 7, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINSTRATION, NMS OP 31, 33 & 38. Over the last 12 months there have been management changes in the home, with the registered manager leaving her employment there during the summer of 2009. A new manager was recruited, although did not submit an application for registration with the Commission, leaving their employment at the home in March 2010. The home notified us on both occasions of changes in their management arrangements and for ensuring the day to management of the home until such time as a suitable manager is appointed. At our visit we were advised that a new manager is recently appointed and due to commence employment at the home, with a planned 3 month handover period from the acting manager, so as to support this change. We discussed with the acting manager that we had not received any written notifications of any service users deaths since March 2009. However, we saw copies of 7 completed notifications retained on file, which were thought to have been sent to us at the time they occured during this time period. The acting manager agreed to forward these again to the Commission, which we have since received.
Care Homes for Older People Page 6 of 10 We saw that comprehensive information had been recently sourced for staff regarding the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards 2009 and with staff training planned for this. We also saw that information about peoples mental capacity to make key decisions about their care and treatment was accounted for by way of peoples individual needs assessment and care planning records. What the care home does well: What they could do better: If you want to know what action the person responsible for this care home is taking following this report, you can contact them using the details set out on page 2. Care Homes for Older People Page 7 of 10 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, Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards.
No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Care Homes for Older People Page 8 of 10 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, 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 9 of 10 Reader Information
Document Purpose: Author: Audience: Further copies from: Inspection Report Care Quality Commission General Public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. Copies of the National Minimum Standards –Care Homes for Older People can be found at www.dh.gov.uk or got 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 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 noncommercial 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. Care Homes for Older People Page 10 of 10 - 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!
