The Care Quality Commission
  • Care Home
  • Care home

Archived: Alsop House

2 Roland Vernon Way, Tipton, West Midlands, DY4 0PS (0121) 553 2722

Provided and run by:
The Sandwell Community Caring Trust

All Inspections

3 April 2014

During a routine inspection

During our inspection we spoke with four of the people staying at the home and a visitor. We spoke with all the staff on duty and the manager. We considered all the evidence we had gathered under the outcomes we inspected. We used the information to answer the five questions we always ask;

Is the service safe?

We saw that people were cared for in an environment that was safely maintained and suitable to meet their needs. One person told us, 'I feel very safe here and I have not fallen since I have been in the home.'

Whilst the provider had procedures in place to ensure that adequate records relating to the care of each person was kept. These records were not being consistently maintained. This meant that care records did not always demonstrate that people were receiving safe care. A compliance action has been set in relation to this and the provider must tell us how they plan to improve.

Staff personnel records that we looked at contained all the information required by the Health and Social Care Act to ensure that people were safeguarded.

CQC monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards which applies to care homes. Staff told us that the home does not provide a service to people that may lack the capacity to agree to being admitted therefore no applications have needed submitted. However, the organisation has procedures in place should this be necessary and staff spoken with understood the procedures.

Is the care effective?

Everyone staying at the home that we spoke with told us they were happy with the care and that their needs were being met. One person told us, 'It's a nice easy going home. I get up when I want to and go to bed when I want. They let you take your time to do things.' We saw that staff knew people well and were attentive to their needs, whilst supporting them to be independent. We saw a person being discharged after a short stay in the home, which meant they had been supported by the home to become independent and to return to their own home.

Is the service caring?

Everyone living at the home that we spoke with and a visitor to the home told us that the staff were caring. One person said, 'All the staff are caring.' We saw that a person staying at the home could not communicate verbally and we saw that staff took the time to use sign language and to write things down so that they could communicate with the person. A visitor told us, 'I can't say anything bad about the home. The staff are always friendly.'

Is the service responsive?

Where people were admitted from hospital the home received a summary of needs from the hospital and there was a process in place for the home to conduct a needs assessment upon admission. Where people were admitted from the community the local authority provided an assessment of needs, this was supported by the home's own assessment process. People told us that staff were responsive to their needs. One person told us, 'They always ask what we would like to eat and drink and we say if there is anything we don't like.' A visitor told us that they could visit the home at any time.

Is the service well led?

We saw that the home had a staffing structure that would enable the service to be managed appropriately. This included a manager that we have registered to be responsible for the running of the service. We saw that there was a good atmosphere in the home. People were consulted about the quality of service they received. We saw that the provider had started to analyse people's comments and suggestions to identify where improvements may be needed. Staff said that they were able to put forward ideas for improvement in the home.

5 December 2013

During a routine inspection

During the inspection we spoke with everyone that was staying at the home, the manager and all the staff on duty.

Everyone told us that their needs were being met. One person said, 'I am happy being here and I am being treated very well I get all the help that I need.' We saw that staff knew people's needs, however, we found that procedures needed to be improved to ensure that people's needs were met safely.

We saw that people were cared for in a clean, hygienic environment. Everyone spoken with said that the home was very clean.

All the people that we spoke with said that they enjoyed the food and had a choice. We saw that people received a suitable choice of food and fluids to meet their needs.

Everyone told us that they were happy with the care they received. One person told us, 'It's absolutely brilliant. I never believed that such places existed.' We found that improvement was needed to show how the service was being monitored.

We found that adequate records were not maintained to ensure that people were protected from the risk of unsafe care.

7 December 2012

During a routine inspection

During the inspection we spoke with the manager, the two care workers on duty and visiting professionals to the home and we observed how people that lived at the home were being cared for.

We saw that the provider acted in accordance with the law in obtaining people's consent to care and treatment.

We saw that people received the care that the needed in a sensitive way, which maintained their dignity. We saw that the families of the people that used the service were happy with the care their relatives had received whilst living at the home.

We saw that people were safe in the environment that they lived in and that the provider had process in place to ensure they were protected from abuse.

We found that safe systems were in place to ensure that people received their medication safely.

We found that staff were trained and supported to deliver care and treatment safely and to an appropriate standard.

We found that there were systems in place to monitor the quality of service people received.

We found that there were systems in place to investigate and respond to people's complaints.

22 February 2012

During a routine inspection

We carried out a visit on 22 February 2012. There were three people living at Alsop house when we visited. We were told that the service usually provides care and accommodation to people on a short term basis. The manager told us that the service was planned for closure but did not have a date for this. Due to the imminent closure several staff members had left leaving a core group of three permanent staff. This had impacted on how well staff could support people with their chosen lifestyle options.

We spoke with three people living at Alsop House who told us that circumstances had led to them becoming long term residents, and that they were anxious about plans for their future accommodation and support. However they were exceptionally positive about their experiences. They said that they were very comfortable and happy with the level of care and support they have.

One person told us they liked to go to the local public house and have a drink, which they did independently. We saw facilities available to make hot drinks and snacks whenever people wished. People told us they liked the food that was prepared for them and that they could ask for something different if they did not like what was on offer.

People told us they were able to tell a member of staff if they had any concerns or worries and that staff would sort things out for them.

The manager stated that the numbers of permanent staff had decreased, and that as the circumstances of the people had changed they now required long term alternative accommodation. We were told that no specific plans had been made about future accommodation and that this was causing anxiety for people.

We saw that care plans identified people's short term and immediate care needs, and provided the necessary guidance to staff.

Alsop House is a purpose built bungalow equipped with a full range of equipment to support people with physical disabilities. We saw that staff had the necessary training to use equipment safely and that regular checks and audits of the home are done to make sure that people are getting the care and support they want and need.