Mellor
Nook.
Residential Care Home
For the Elderly
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Residential Care Home For the Elderly |
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Ensuring
standards: registration, inspection and quality assurance
Introduction
The
procedures for ensuring standards in continuing care are both mandatory
(registration and inspection) and voluntary (quality assurance). The way in
which Mellor Nook deals wit them are as follows.
Registration
The
C.S.C.I.
(Commission
for Social Care Inspection) registered and is responsible for
the continuing registration of Mellor Nook. The
C.S.C.I.
ensures that the
purposes and aims of the home are clearly set out and that the standards of care
we offer match these aims and objectives. They have a duty to ensure that the
best quality of life for residents is achieved.
Registration
process Throughout this process,
registration staff were consulted and monitored progress and preparations for
the opening of the home. Advice was given to us about the initial selection of
residents, selection of staff, preparation of a home brochure, and on how to
ensure that the registration requirements agreed initially would be implemented.
Our
suitability for registration
The
Social Services (until mid 90s) The Inspection Unit (until 2000) N.C.S.C (until
2003) and now C.S.C.I. ensured that we posses the relevant qualifications and have extensive
experience of employment within residential care. They are also confident in our
in our understanding of financial projections and budgeting. They recognise our
business-like approach that will ensure that Mellor Nook will be managed on a
secure financial basis and will not put the future welfare of residents at risk.
Change
of owner or manager of a home
Mellor
Nook has been the Critchlow family home for over fifty years the kind of
attachment this creates can not be put into words, and all the people who live
here can rest assured that as long as the family are able Mellor Nook will be a
beautiful caring homely place to spend your old age. Inspection
Under
the National Minimum Standards 2002, homes must be inspected by the The
C.S.C.I.
(Commission
for Social Care Inspection) All registered homes (since 2002) must be
inspected twice a year although the
C.S.C.I.
may choose to visit more often. At
least one visit is unannounced. Inspections are carried out by persons
authorised to do so by the
C.S.C.I.
. Inspections vary in content, focus and
length of time depending on any outstanding issues identified on previous
inspections. Inspectors focus on quality of care and quality of life issues as
much as on the fabric of the building. Time is devoted to asking residents and
staff about standards of care provided. Care is taken to ensure that courtesy,
diplomacy and tact are used in inspecting individual residents' private rooms
Mellor Nook makes every effort to make it possible for the inspection officer to
spend some time in private with individual residents We find inspection
enormously constructive and recognition is given to innovative and good care
practice. Time is also given to discussing and reviewing, with the us, the
objectives of the home and how the care of the residents can be enhanced.
Mellor
Nook s inspection reports are available to the public and soon will be available
on the net.
Complaints procedures
The
complaints procedure is outlined on entering the home. The majority of
complaints regarding the management of a home are normally satisfactorily
resolved by the Mr and Mrs Critchlow and there will be no need for the
C.S.C.I.
to be involved.
When
complaints cannot be resolved internally the
C.S.C.I.
will be informed of the
complaint. All complaints must be made in writing to the
C.S.C.I.
, giving
details of any action already taken and with whom the matter has been discussed.
C.S.C.I.
will then take the
necessary steps to investigate the complaint and arrange to interview the
owner/manager, resident and all other people relevant to the specific complaint.
Following the investigation/interview, a letter will be sent to the owner and
manager, resident and the complainant stating the outcome and specifying any
action.
Consumer advice
The
C.S.C.I.
have available for consultation a list of all private and voluntary
homes currently registered in its area. Many authorities have also found it
helpful to publish a more detailed list of registered homes describing their
individual characteristics and specific services provided, General information
can also be given on how to obtain advice about financial assistance towards the
cost of accommodation, and on the difference between a private and voluntary
home and between a residential care home and a nursing home. We have tried to
provide as much information as we ca on our web site.
Quality
assurance (QA)
Quality
assurance is the process whereby we can check that acceptable standards of
service are being met. This is done through
self-assessment and annual inspection by the
C.S.C.I.
. In order for this process
to work, agreed standards been set out in the previous pages. Performance
against those standards is then be measured through the quality assurance
process. The inspection report details the standards.
The
benefits of QA
There
are many benefits for Mellor Nook in establishing quality assurance procedures.
this process identifies what constitutes acceptable standards of care and
assists in setting up processes for monitoring our progress towards achieving
them. Drawing up and agreeing standards has involved all those concerned,
including residents. The day-to-day experience of those who live and work in the
home has provided the starting point for the process. Essential to the process
of quality assurance is the idea of self-audit or self-assessment whereby we
systematically examine the service we provide, assess our performance against
standards which we have already agreed in conjunction with residents, and then
make adjustments to improve anything shown to be deficient. Quality assurance
involves all members of staff at every level. Through this, standards are raised
and team-working is developed.
Accreditation
Accreditation
is given in the way of an annual C.S.C.I.
report that doesn’t outline
major requirements or recommendations.
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