Hutton Park Care Home

Introduction

Hutton Park Care Home is a grand house on Largs seafront. It has been extended to 39 beds and offers a variety of accommodation over two floors. It has large landscaped grounds to the front. The service was registered with the Care Commission on 1st April 2002. The home states that “all service users have a right to freedom to make decisions, so long as they do not infringe the rights of others.” A variation to increase the number of en-suites had been lodged with the Care Commission prior to the inspection.

Basis of Report

This service was inspected after a Regulation Support Assessment (RSA) was carried out to determine what level of support was necessary. The RSA is an assessment undertaken by the CCO which considers: complaints activity, changes in the provision of the service, nature of notifications made to the Care Commission by the service, action taken upon requirement etc. This service was required to have a low level of support that resulted in an inspection based on inspection themes and any recommendations and requirements from the previous inspection.

During the inspection which took place on 31 January 2007 commencing at 10.00am and ending at 16.00pm, the Care Commission Officer spoke with the following people:

The Manager
The providers
1 Care Assistant

There were also other informal exchanges with care staff and residents throughout the visit.

The officer reviewed relevant documentation, which included:

Care Plans and Review documentation
Residency agreements
Records of residents finance
Property Book
Aims and Objectives
Information leaflet about the service
Emergency procedure
Complaints procedure
Maintenance contracts

The Care Commission Officer took all of the above into account and reported on whether the service was meeting the following National Care Standards for care homes for older people (revised March 05):

• Standard 1: Your legal rights
• Standard 2: Management and staffing arrangements
• Standard 19: Support and care in dying and death
• Standard 20: Moving on

Particular attention was paid these focus themes for 2006-2007;

• Office of Fair Trading – Contract arrangements, Inspection and Complaints Information
• Office of Fair Trading – Safekeeping of Money and Valuable
• Safer Recruitment

It should be noted that the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 introduced new regulatory arrangements in respect of fire safety, on 1 October 2006. In terms of those arrangements, responsibility for enforcing the statutory provisions in relation to fire safety now lies with the Fire and Rescue service for the area in which a care service is located. Accordingly, the Care Commission will no longer report on matters of fire safety as part of its regulatory function, but, where significant fire safety issues become apparent, will alert the relevant Fire and Rescue service to their existence in order that it may act as it considers appropriate.
Further advice on the service’s responsibilities is available at: www.infoscotland.com/firelaw

The inspection also took account of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2002.
Scottish Statutory Instruments 113 and 114.
This report should be read in conjunction with the inspection report date 26 July 2007.

Action taken on requirements in last Inspection Report

All action required was completed within the four week period for this full inspection time, the reporting officer waited until the paperwork arrived until writing the report.

Comment on Self-Evaluation

This was completed satisfactorily at the beginning of this inspection year.

Views of Service Users

None interviewed at this inspection.

Views of Carers

None interviewed at this inspection.

National Care Standards

National Care Standard Number 1: Office of Fair Trading – Contract Arrangements, Inspection and Complaints Information

Strengths

The theme, Office of Fair Trading – Contract Arrangements, Inspection and Complaints Information was considered:

The service provided prospective residents and their representatives with an Information Pack which included copies of the contract detailing the terms and conditions of residency, a leaflet detailing the cost of services not included in the overall fees and a copy of the most up to date inspection report.

Information on the organisation’s Complaints Procedure including the name and address of the Care Commission was also contained in the pack.
There had been no complaints since the previous inspection and the residents and carers spoke highly of the service.
Information about how to make a complaint was displayed in the main reception area of the service and staff interviewed confirmed their awareness of the complaint process, should they receive a complaint from a resident or visitor.

A signed copy of the Resident Agreement was made available and each person and their representative were provided with their copy when the person took up residence.

Areas for development:

The most up to date inspection report should be made easily available to service users already resident within the unit and their representatives.

National Care Standard Number 2: Office of Fair Trading – Safekeeping of Money and Valuables

Strengths

The service was measured against this theme – The Safekeeping of money and valuables.
The management of residents’ finances was found to be satisfactory.
Good practice was evident in the management of personal finances for residents.
The residents’ financial records were found to be well organised and kept in accordance with recognised good practice, each resident’s monies were accurately recorded and appropriate records maintained.
The service adheres to the organisation’s policies and procedures for the safekeeping of residents’ monies.
A written record of resident’s valuables was maintained by the administrator and items held in the safe until they could be handed over to the resident’s representative where appropriate.
The information provided by staff indicated that the service encourages staff to be caring and conscientious in the utilisation of residents’ funds and money for the benefit and enjoyment of each resident.

Areas for development:

Although staff could describe how each resident would be provided with spending money or how that was to be managed, there were limited written details maintained of the process in the person’s care plan, management was addressing this issue at the time of the inspection.

National Care Standard Number 19: Care Homes for Older People – Support and Care in Dying and Death

Strengths

All aspects of the standard were inspected.

The service would ensure that any resident’s death was handled with dignity, sensitivity and discretion.
The service would discuss and support any other resident who had developed a bond with a dying resident, about their wish to say goodbye. The service would also assist the resident to attend the funeral, if they so wished.

The service would discuss and record any specific wishes expressed by a resident and their family regarding their final care requests. Although medical intervention may change a residents wishes as to their preferred place of death.
The service with the input of the resident’s GP would take steps to minimise any pain experienced by the resident.

The service lacked an identified family room but would offer access to the quiet lounge and make provision in the residents own room for the family to stay with their loved one, should they wish.

Each person’s care plan consisted of detailed information about their individual preferences, likes and dislikes.

The service encouraged the family to remain with their loved one for as long as they wished. In addition, the staff would offer guidance on the formal processes relating to a death.

Areas for development:

None identified at this inspection.

National Care Standard Number 20: Care Homes for Older People – Moving On

Strengths

All aspects of the standard were inspected.

The service would make every effort to ensure that any resident’s move progressed as smoothly as possible, with the involvement of the resident, family and the Social Work Department.

The residents and their family would be offered the opportunity to visit other services.
The service would offer friends of the resident opportunities to visit, where possible, if they wished to go.
The service confirmed that the discussions on the future would involve the resident and their family where appropriate and other agencies to ensure a comfortable and supportive transition to another service.

In the event of the closure of the service every effort would be made to minimise the risk and disruption to the residents.
The staff would ensure all relevant, up to date information was passed to the new service.

Areas for development:

None identified at this inspection.

Enforcement

NIL

Other Information

NIL

Requirements

A requirement is a statement setting out an enforceable action required of a service provider in order that the service comply with current legislation, usually within a specific timescale.

NIL

Recommendations

A recommendation is a statement setting out proposed actions to be taken by the service provider aimed at improving the quality of service (based on good practice and professional judgement) but which would not be subject to enforcement action if not actioned.

NIL

This report was written by Arlene Woods, Care Commission Officer, 04/04/2007

Back to About Us