Care Home: William Blake House

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What the care home does well lThe home finds out about peoples needs before they stay and has good care plans to tell volunteers about people’s needs, likes and dislikesVolunteers have a good understanding of people’s needs and support them in the right way.People are helped to make choices.People enjoy active lives. What has improved since the last inspection? lThe home is working with people to help them communicate with others more easily.Medication records have improved.People’s care plans have been made more detailed. What the care home could do better: lA record must be kept of all medication when it is delivered to the home. Inspecting for better lives Key inspection report Care homes for adults (18-65 years) Name: Address: William Blake House Stone Cottage Milthorpe Lois Weedon Towcester Northants NN12 8PP The quality rating for this care home is: two star good service 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 assessment of the service. We call this a ‘key’ inspection. Lead inspector: Catherine Perrins Date: 0 5 0 5 2 0 0 9 This is a report of an inspection where we looked at how well this care home is meeting the needs of people who use it. 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 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 Commission for Social Care Inspection aims to:  Put the people who use social care first  Improve services and stamp out bad practice  Be an expert voice on social care  Practise what we preach in our own organisation Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. Reader Information Document Purpose Author Inspection report CSCI Page 2 of 31 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Audience Further copies from Copyright General public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Copyright © (2009) Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). 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 CSCI 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: William Blake House Stone Cottage Milthorpe Lois Weedon Towcester Northants NN12 8PP 01327860141 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) : adminwblakehouse@phonecoop.coop William Blake House care home 2 Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 2 0 learning disability Additional conditions: Learning Disability - up to 2 Service Users Both Male & Female 18 - 65 Years of age Date of last inspection 0 5 0 6 2 0 0 7 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 4 of 31 A bit about the home. Two people live at Stone Cottage with the volunteers who support them. Each person has their own room. The cottage also has a garden. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 5 of 31 The home is in Weedon Lois, a small village in the countryside. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 6 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: 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 Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 7 of 31 How we did our inspection: This is what the inspector did when they were at the care home We did not tell the home we were going to visit. We talked to some of the people who stay at the home. We talked to some of the staff that work at the home. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 8 of 31 We looked at some of the policies and procedures in the office. Policies are rules about how to do things. Procedures tell people how to follow the rules. What the care home does well l The home finds out about peoples needs before they stay and has good care plans to tell volunteers about people’s needs, likes and dislikes Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 9 of 31 Volunteers have a good understanding of people’s needs and support them in the right way. People are helped to make choices. People enjoy active lives. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 10 of 31 What has got better from the last inspection l The home is working with people to help them communicate with others more easily. Medication records have improved. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 11 of 31 People’s care plans have been made more detailed. What the care home could do better l A record must be kept of all medication when it is delivered to the home. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 12 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 Catherine Perrins Care Quality Commission, Eastern Regional Contact Team CPC1 Capital Park Fulbourn Cambridge CB21 5XE Tel: 01223 771300 e-mail: catherine.perrins@cqc.org.uk 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 13 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 14 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 . The admissions process ensures that people who move to Stone Cottage can be confident that their needs will be met. Evidence: The home has a comprehensive statement of purpose which gives good information about the home and the William Blake community. Details of the registered manager need to be updated. The care manager, who is currently applying for registration to be the registered manager, explained that this would be done when she receives her registration. The care manager explained that they were currently in the process of devising a service user guide. A copy was sent to us two days after the inspection. It contained good information with a lot of pictures and symbols to make it easier for people with learning disabilities to understand. The admissions process appears well managed. The home manager explained that great effort is made to support people moving to Stone Cottage and to ensure that the home has all of the information needed to care for and support people in the right Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 15 of 31 Evidence: way. When one of the people we case tracked moved into the William Blake Community three volunteers went to visit in them in their previous home, one volunteer spending two days with the person to get to know them really well. Records show that the home has involved an independent advocate to offer additional support to people moving to the home. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 16 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 have their needs very well met, their preferences respected and they are encouraged to have choice and autonomy in their lives. Evidence: Both of the people who live at Stone Cottage have Comprehensive care plans. These give volunteers good information about peoples individual needs and preferences such as their preferred morning routines, their likes and dislikes and detailed accounts of how they like to be cared for. This is particularly important as the people who live at Stone Cottage have some very complex support needs as well as limited verbal communication and so volunteers need to have in depth information to make sure that people are supported in the right way. Volunteers were seen helping people to make and communicate their choices. Records show that people are supported to use a range of different methods to communicate such as sign language, objects of reference and visual aids. The home is working closely with speech and language therapists to ensure that people are fully supported to be able to maximise their communication. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 17 of 31 Evidence: Each person has detailed assessments of any risks that they may face in their day to day lives and how volunteers support them to minimise these risks. These are very comprehensive and cover all aspects of peoples lives. There is evidence that the home had sought advice from health and social care professionals when carrying these assessments. An occupational therapist notes in a recent report ...seems to enjoy a positive relationship with carers and it is encouraging to see the many ways ....is allowed to express their needs without unnecessary restrictions. Records show that care plans and risk assessments had been reviewed regularly and updated as required. Each person has a life book. These are very visual and contain photographs and pictures of things that people have enjoyed and of family members, friends and volunteers who are important in people’s lives. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 18 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service . People enjoy active and fulfilled lives both at home and within their local community. Evidence: People who live at Stone Cottage enjoy active lives. They visit the nearby spa for swimming and Jacuzzis, go horse riding and attend craft sessions. On the day of inspection both of the people who live at Stone Cottage were out in the morning at a gardening workshop and in the afternoon one person went for a ten mile walk while the other went shopping to Milton Keynes. The home manager told us that people enjoy gardening and a gardener visits the home weekly to help maintain the garden. People enjoy various therapies such as massage, art therapy and movement therapy. One person has weekly English lessons with a Steiner teacher and a music teacher visits the home each week to do a singing session. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 19 of 31 Evidence: The home manager told us that people enjoy visiting the pub in the next village, going to the theatre and going to watch the racing at nearby Silverstone. People are involved in the local community and recently attended the May Day celebrations. The home manager explained that the home delivers the village newsletter to everyone in the village. Both people have a work placement with a local recycling project. A volunteer spoken to told us that people have an absolutely brilliant life at Stone Cottage with good food and a homely environment and that they go out a lot and have a very good quality of life. Menus seen appeared healthy and varied with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. The home manager explained that ninety percent of the food bought at the home is organic. Records indicate that people participate in the running of the home by helping with the food shopping and household chores. The home holds weekly house meetings where everyone can be involved in discussing any issues to do with the home. The home manager explained that at breakfast time people plan the day a head which gives people the structure and routine that they need. People enjoy going on holiday each summer with the people in the other homes in the community, volunteers and some family members. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 20 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 . The homes holistic approach ensures that people have their health and personal care needs very well met. Evidence: In line with its philosophies the home takes a holistic approach to people’s health and well being. People have complimentary therapies as well as rational healthcare. Records show that people have involvement from a range of health and social care professionals such as General practitioners, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, dentists, chiropodists and opticians. The home manager explained the improvements that one person had made in their personal care. The administration of medication appears to be well managed with all entries on the medication administration record being signed and all tablets accounted for. It is recommended that the home record receipts of medication more clearly in order to provide a better audit trail. The storage of medication complies with the latest guidance and regulations. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 21 of 31 Evidence: Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 22 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 . The homes policies, procedures and practices ensure that people are safe and protected from harm. Evidence: The homes complaints procedure was viewed. It detailed what people should do if they have any concerns about the home. The home manager told us that they had not received any complaints since the last inspection and that there had been no referrals made to the Local Authority under the local Safeguarding Adults policy and procedure. Some staff have received training on how to keep people safe and how to raise any concerns that they may have about peoples safety. The home manager explained that arrangements were being made for the other staff to also receive this training. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 23 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 good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service . People enjoy a very high standard of living accommodation which is homely and comfortable. Evidence: People who live at Stone Cottage enjoy a very homely and comfortable living environment. Weedon Lois is a small rural village approximately five miles from the market town of Towcester. Stone cottage blends in with the other properties in the village. Accommodation comprises of a Lounge, dining room, kitchen with breakfast bar, utility room, upstairs bathroom and bedrooms. One of the bedrooms is en suite. The people who live at the home are encouraged to make their rooms personal with pictures and personal effects that reflect their personal taste and interests. The home is attractive, clean and well maintained throughout. It is furnished and equipped to a high standard with plenty of space for everyone who lives there. At the rear of the property there is an attractive, enclosed garden which people help to maintain. 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 excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service . People benefit from having a team of volunteers who know them very well and support them in a sensitive and caring manner. Evidence: Staff files showed that all the necessary pre recruitment checks are completed to ensure that people who work and volunteer at the home are suitable to work with people who have learning disabilities. The home employs a combination of volunteers on placements from overseas and employed staff. When new volunteers arrive from oversees they initially stay in another property owned by the William Blake Community in a nearby village which is used solely to accommodate staff and volunteers. This allows time for the necessary checks to be carried out. Volunteers usually do a placement of one year. The majority of new volunteers arrive over the summer. The home invites people who have previously volunteered at the home to return over the summer period to assist with the induction of the new volunteers and ensure that there are plenty of people around who know the people who live at Stone Cottage well. This ensures consistency and also allows people the opportunity to keep in touch with volunteers that they have known and often lived with in the past. The paid staff and long term volunteers also help to ensure that there is a consistent approach to peoples support and care. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 25 of 31 Evidence: Because the home takes volunteers from overseas they are regulated by the Border Agency. The Border agency are a home office department who enforce immigration controls. Following a recent visit by the Border Agency the home was awarded the top rating and commended for its recruitment processes. Volunteers receive supervision from an external consultant as well as from the homes manager. Following their induction volunteers have an ongoing programme of training including moving and handling, food hygiene, first aid, medication, epilepsy and autism. Volunteers were observed interacting with people in a positive manner which demonstrated an in depth knowledge of their needs and communication. Because the volunteers often live at Stone Cottage whilst they are on placement they have a close relationship with the two people who live there. 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 good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service . The home is managed in the best interests of the people who live there and the management seek continual improvement to the service offered. Evidence: The Care Manager for the home is in the process of applying for registration with the Care Quality Commission. As well as the Care Manager, who covers the three homes within the community, the home has a home manager and a senior. The home manager detailed a number of recent improvements that the home had made such as improvements to the administration and record keeping and development of communication passports to help people maximise their communication. She also told us about several areas that the home was currently working to develop and improve such as looking for an additional work placement for one of the people who lives at the home, developing a hand book to give to new volunteers to give them information about the home and community and additional training for volunteers. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 27 of 31 Evidence: The home was in the process of distributing questionnaires to relatives at the time of the inspection. The home manager told us that they receive a lot of positive feedback from families. Discussions with the home manager showed that she had a good understanding of peoples needs and how they liked to be supported. A spot check of the homes fire and safety documentation showed that all required checks were up to date. Volunteers appear to be well supported both in their professional and personal lives being offered English lessons and use of designated vehicles. 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 20 Medication received into the home should be clearly entered onto the medication administration record to show the date received and the amount of medication. This is important to provide a clear audit trail. Care Homes for Adults (18-65 years) Page 30 of 31 Helpline: Telephone: 03000 616161 or Textphone : 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) Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). 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 CSCI 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. 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