INSPECTORS CONCLUSIONS
STANDARD ASSESSED AS 2, MINOR SHORTFALLS.
MY CONCLUSIONS
AS THE CHART ON PAGE 36 COULD NOT EXIST WITHOUT KNOWING ASSESSED NEEDS IN
THE FIRST PLACE, I WOULD HAVE ALSO CONSIDERED THAT 1 MEMBER OF STAFF IN THE
HOME OUT OF 44, THAT WAS QUALIFIED WOULD ALSO HAVE AFFECTED THIS STANDARD
GREATLY.
THE EVIDENCE FROM SERVICE USERS THAT DESPITE VERY FEW STAFF VACANCIES THAT CONCERNS HAD STILL BEEN RAISED BY RELATIVES, THAT THERE WERE NOT ALWAYS ADEQUATE NUMBERS, COULD ONLY RESULT IN A STANDARD OF 1, MAJOR SHORTFALLS, STANDARD AWARDED 2, MINOR SHORTFALLS.
REQUIREMENT TO BE MET
THE HOME OPERATES A THOROUGH RECRUITMENT PROCEDURE BASED ON EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
AND ENSURING THE PROTECTION OF SERVICE USERS.
INSPECTORS CONCLUSIONS
FIVE PERSONAL FILES WERE CHECKED FROM A VARIETY OF STAFF ROLES. THESE WERE
GENERALLY WELL ORGANISED AND IN MOST CASES, CONTAINED THE REQUIRED INFORMATION.
THERE ARE SOME GAPS IN THIS INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE REQUIRED CRIMINAL RECORDS
CHECK IN RELATION TO TWO NON CARE STAFF AND EVIDENCE THAT GAPS IN EMPLOYMENT
HAD BEEN EXPLORED. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT STAFF HAD RECEIVED TERMS AND CONDITIONS
OF EMPLOYMENT AND JOB DESCRIPTIONS RELATED TO THEIR CURRENT ROLE.
MY CONCLUSIONS
I HAVE ALREADY REFERRED TO THIS PAGE IN THE PROTECTION FROM ABUSE SECTION,
I CAN ONLY SAY THAT I AM SURPRISED THAT THE LACK OF TWO CRB CHECKS OF FIVE
STAFF FILES CHECKED, COULD BE DESCRIBED AS A "GAP" AS I WOULD HAVE
THOUGHT IT WAS AN INDICATION OF RISK THAT WOULD WARRANT ALL STAFF FILES BEING
IMMEDIATELY CHECKED.
I WOULD ALSO HAVE SAID THIS WAS A MAJOR SHORTFALL. STANDARD AWARDED, 2, MINOR SHORTFALL.
REQUIREMENT TO BE MET
THE HOME ENSURES THE MANAGEMENT APPROACH OF THE HOME CREATES AN OPEN, POSITIVE
AND INCLUSIVE ATMOSPHERE.
INSPECTORS CONCLUSIONS
THE INSPECTOR RECEIVED POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM SERVICE USERS, VISITORS AND
STAFF REGARDING THE WARM AND FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT IN THE HOME. THE MANAGER
HAS BEEN ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE INSPECTOR, THROUGH THEIR CLEAR SENSE OF
DIRECTION AND LEADERSHIP, HOW THEY WISH THE HOME TO IMPROVE, IN ORDER TO MEET
ITS AIMS AND OBJECTIVES, IN PROVIDING QUALITY CARE TO THE SERVICE USERS. THERE
WAS EVIDENCE OF STAFF MEETINGS TAKING PLACE REGULARLY. MINUTES OF ONE MEETING
WERE VIEWED AND DEMONSTRATED CLEARLY THE MANAGERS APPROACH AND OBJECTIVES
OF TRYING TO MEET THE QUALITY CARE STANDARDS REQUIRED. THE HOMES STATEMENT
OF PURPOSE STATES THAT RESIDENTS MEETINGS ARE CARRIED OUT REGULARLY IN ORDER
TO GET THEIR VIEWS, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THIS IS SO.
MY CONCLUSIONS
THE INSPECTORS VIEWS ON THE MANAGER ARE A IDENTICAL TO THOSE CONTAINED IN
EARLIER INSPECTION REPORTS AND ON TWO PREVIOUS MANAGERS. THE
FACT THAT STAFF MEETINGS TAKING PLACE ARE GRADED AS MEETING THE MAIN REQUIREMENTS
FOR THIS STANDARD, AND THAT DESPITE THE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE STATING RESIDENTS
MEETINGS TAKE PLACE REGULARLY TO OBTAIN THEIR VIEWS, THE LACK OF EVIDENCE
TO SUPPORT THIS IS GRADED AS A MINOR SHORTFALL. THIS IMPLY'S THAT RESIDENTS
INPUT IS FAR LESS IMPORTANT AND IN ITSELF THIS STATEMENT SAYS WHERE RESIDENTS
ARE CONSIDERED IN THE HIERARCHY OF THIS HOME AND IN THE INSPECTION STANDARDS
THAT JUDGE THE ORDER OF IMPORTANCE.
STANDARD AWARDED 2, MINOR SHORTFALL
SUMMARY
REQUIREMENT
TO BE MET
THE HOME ENSURES THAT SERVICE USERS CONTROL THEIR OWN MONEY EXCEPT WHERE THEY
STATE THEY DO NOT WISH TO DO SO OR LACK CAPACITY AND THAT SAFE GUARDS ARE
IN PLACE TO PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS.
INSPECTORS
CONCLUSIONS
THE MANAGER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE THE COMMISSION WITH ACCURATE DETAILS REGARDING
THE ABOVE INFORMATION. SERVICE USERS ARE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR VALUABLES IN A
LOCKED FACILITY IN THEIR OWN ROOMS OR IN SAFEKEEPING WITH THE HOME. THE SYSTEM
FOR MAINTAINING SERVICE USERS MONIES HAS CHANGED SINCE THE NEW YEAR. ALL SERVICE
USERS MONIES ARE NOW POOLED IN ONE BANK ACCOUNT. WHILST THERE IS GOOD ACCOUNTING
FOR INDIVIDUAL TRANSACTIONS, THE MONIES MUST BE KEPT IN INDIVIDUALLY NAMED
BANK ACCOUNTS OR INDIVIDUALLY WITHIN THE HOME.
THE BUPA OPERATIONS MANAGER STATED THAT " THE ORGANISATION HAD APPROVAL FROM THE COMMISSION TO FOLLOW THEIR CURRENT PROCEDURE".
THE INSPECTOR WILL AWAIT WRITTEN CONFIRMATION THIS IS SO. THE MANAGER IS NOT APPOINTEE TO ANY SERVICE USER, PROCEDURES ARE IN PLACE TO EXPLAIN THE USE OF POWER OF ATTORNEY ECT, AND ALSO IN RELATION TO THE KEEPING OF VALUABLES. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF THE HOME MAINTAINING SUCH RECORDS.
MY
CONCLUSIONS
I THINK TO GET A OVERALL PICTURE OF THIS NEW FINANCIAL SYSTEM THE BELOW QUOTED
EXTRACT FROM ANOTHER BUPA HOME IS RELEVANT.
UN -ANNOUNCED INSPECTION, BUPA RUN KINGSWOOD HOUSE, MARCH 16TH 04.
" THIS HOME IS PROVIDING RESPITE CARE, ON ADMISSION THE SERVICE USER OR A FAMILY MEMBER PROVIDES THE HOME ADMINISTRATOR WITH MONIES FOR THE STAY, THIS IS NORMALLY AS A CASH DEPOSIT, THE AMOUNT IS THEN ENTERED ONTO A COMPUTER UNDER AN INDIVIDUALS ACCOUNT. THE MONIES ITSELF IS DEPOSITED INTO A BANK ACCOUNT IN THE HOMES OR BUPAS NAME. THIS HAS CHANGED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION IN THAT MONIES WERE ORIGINALLY KEPT IN THE HOME IN INDIVIDUAL WALLETS. THE MANAGER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE REGULATION REQUIRING MONIES NOT TO BE POOLED IN ONE ACCOUNT ( SEE REQUIREMENT 8 ) RECEIPTS ARE OBTAINED FOR MONIES SPENT OR RECEIVED AND THE TRANSACTION ENTERED ON THE INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNT ON THE COMPUTER. ANY REMAINING MONIES AT THE END OF THE STAY ARE REIMBURSED IN THE FORM OF A CHEQUE, THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A REASONABLE APPROACH ESPECIALLY AS ORIGINAL MONIES MAY HAVE BEEN A CASH DEPOSIT OR THAT THE INDIVIDUAL MAY NOT HAVE A BANK ACCOUNT OR HAVE PROBLEMS ACCESSING THE BANK. "
I HAVE USED THIS LAST EXAMPLE FOR IT DEMONSTRATES HOW THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS ARE APPLIED, BUPAS STATEMENT THAT THEY HAVE PERMISSION TO NOT COMPLY WITH THE SAME REGULATIONS THAT HAVE CLOSED MANY SMALL CARE HOMES, IS A STATEMENT THAT THE LAW DOES NOT APPLY TO THEM AND HOW FAR DOES THIS EXTEND?
I HAVE WAITED FOR FIVE YEARS FOR A INSPECTION REPORT FROM THIS HOME TO REASSURE ME THAT THE SUFFERING AND ABUSE I WITNESSED WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN, I HAVE REPEATEDLY ASKED HOW THE ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATIONS COULD BE COMPLIED WITH AS LONG AS BUPA DENIED THE EVENTS THEY WERE BASED ON, I HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT THEY WILL COMPLY, I AM THEREFORE ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH THE REPORT STATEMENT ON PAGE 11.
"
REQUIREMENTS FROM THE LAST INSPECTION FULLY ACTIONED? NO!"