20th March 2014 / AGENDA ITEM 10
SCRUTINY COMMITTEE MEMBERS’ VISITS TO CARE HOMES
1.0 Matter for consideration
1.1 The Committee to consider the update report on Scrutiny Committee Members’ visits to care homes.
2.0 Recommendations
2.1 That the Scrutiny Committee notes the update report and the ongoing work of the Members undertaking the visits.
3.0 Background Information
3.1 At its meeting on 13th June 2013, the Scrutiny Committee requested that the feasibility of Scrutiny Committee Member inspections of care and nursing homes be investigated. The arrangements for these visits were subsequently made by Adult Services – Contracting and Commissioning and expressions of interest to attend the care home visits were received from Councillors Henderson MBE (Lead Member), Hutton, O’Hara, Ryan and Stansfield.
3.2 An initial briefing meeting was held on 23rd October 2013 with Val Raynor, Head of Commissioning, Michael Watson, Quality Assurance Manager and Stacey Blythe, Quality Monitoring Support Officer and the group of Scrutiny Committee Members who had expressed an interest in visiting the care homes.
3.3 At the briefing meeting, Members were provided with information relating to contract monitoring reviews and it was explained that visits to the care homes enabled an opportunity to for the Council to discuss performance, financial matters, service requirements and to share best practice with the care home.
3.4 The group of Members agreed that they should visit the care homes individually accompanied by the Quality Monitoring Officers. It was agreed that Members’ roles whilst undertaking the visits would be to inspect the premises and to talk to residents and staff.
3.5 Members were provided with a list of the 80 care homes in Blackpool and the scheduled date of each care homes’ review. Members were requested to contact the Council’s Quality Monitoring Support Officer in order to make arrangements to accompany Council officers on planned visits to the particular care homes they had an interest in visiting.
4.0 Details of Care Home Visits
4.1 To date, Members have visited Caxton Lodge, Avondale Lodge, Balmoral Rest Home, Golden Years and UBU 66 Lincoln Road care homes.
4.2 In each of the visits Members have had a tour of the building which consisted of observing the following areas and considering the following issues:
4.3 Residents
· Do residents appear well cared for?
· Do the residents have privacy and dignity when receiving care?
· Are the residents taking part in activities?
· Are the residents offered a choice of refreshments/meals?
4.4 Staff
· Hand hygiene
· Appropriate use of personal protective equipment – aprons/gloves
· Do staff respond to requests for help? Including bell call alerts?
· How do staff interact with and care for the residents? Do they appear to know the residents well and treat them as individuals?
· How do staff interact and care for residents at refreshment/meal times?
4.5 Environment
· General appearance of the home – décor, fixtures, fittings
· Cleanliness of the home
· Are resident’s bedrooms personalised?
4.6 Infection Control
· Aroma
· Hand gel and notices for visitors available at the entrance to the home?
· Liquid soap, soft absorbent paper towels and waste bins available at all hand wash sinks?
· Storage of cleaning equipment
· Furniture in good repair and clean?
4.7 Safety
· Fabric of the building – is the home in good repair?
· Electrical safety – are appliances in good condition? Are plugs, sockets, leads in good condition?
· Moving and handling – is there a lift / lifting aids? How are the residents being mobilised if required?
· Kitchen – cleanliness, correct storage including prepared food
4.8 Members also had a discussion with some of the residents in the home. Members were advised that the following discussion prompts should be considered:
· What do you like about living here?
· What is a normal day like?
· Do you have visitors? What do they think about the home?
· What do you like about the staff?
· Do you have your own room? Do you like your room?
· Is there anything you would want to change about the home?
4.9 Councillors were also encouraged to have a discussion with some members of staff in the home and were provided with the following discussion prompts:
· Which residents do you care for?
· How do you know what residents’ preferences and care needs are?
· How do you know when there has been a change in a resident’s preferences or care needs?
· How often to you have individual supervision?
· Do you have regular team meetings and do you contribute to the decisions made at these meetings?
· What hours do you normally work?
· Do you receive regular training/Continuous Professional Development?
· Is there anything you would change about the home if you were the manager?
4.10 Upon undertaking the visits to care homes and inspecting the buildings and talking to residents and staff, no further concerns were raised by Members.
4.11 It is planned that the Members will continue to accompany officers on visits to care homes throughout 2014. Future reports will be submitted to the Committee should the Members undertaking the visits raise any particular concerns that would benefit from further consideration by the Scrutiny Committee.
5.0 Witnesses / representatives
5.1 As requested by the Committee members, the following persons have been invited to attend the meeting to speak on the matter:
o Councillor Henderson MBE, Scrutiny Lead/Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing and Adult Social Care
o Val Raynor, Head of Commissioning
Relevant officer:
Chris Kelly, Senior Democratic Services Adviser (Scrutiny)
Tel: 01253 477164
Email:
Appendices attached:
None
Background papers:
None.