Statement Of Purpose For Athelstan House
Registered Provider
Paul Martin Harrington and
Rosemary Wairimu Harrington of 15 Norman
street, Dover, Kent CT17
9RS are in partnership trading as PR Homes.
Together they are the registered providers of the Care Home known as “Athelstan House” at 42 Hanworth
Road, Feltham, Middlesex TW13 5AY.
Both Mr and Mrs Harrington work in the care industry and
have 16years experience between them.
Aims & Objectives
Our aim is to provide a
residential house, which offers a safe, comfortable environment for people,
male and female aged 18 to 65, with learning disabilities and possibly challenging behaviour and/or
some physical disability, with support and stimulation to help maximise their potential physical, intellectual,
emotional and social capacity.
Residents will have the right to
live as normal a life as possible and to have the respect of those who support them. Whilst learning difficulties
or disabilities create their own challenge, we will ensure that each and every person in our care is positively
encouraged to lead as full a life as possible. We try to minimise the impact of an individual’s disability by
offering support to access and make use of ‘normative’ community based resources.
The Home has activities designed
to make sure that the individual resident will be motivated to achieve their maximum capability in order to
maximise their own personal esteem.
Philosophy of
Care
- Provides support and
quality 24 hours care for the Registered number of 5 individuals both male and female between the ages of 18 to
65 years.
- Athelstan House can provide
support for all levels of learning disability. The home has 2 rooms on the ground floor suitable for
individuals with minor disabilities.
- All service users are
encouraged to maintain contact with relatives, friends and representatives and given support to do
so.
- Service users are
encouraged to participate and undertake fulfilling activities within the local community
Status of the
Home
Athelstan house care home is registered as such and it’s not a nursing home.
Manager and
Staff
The manager is: Kelvin Ithiga
who assists the registered providers with the everyday running of the
Care Home. Kelvin was our senior support worker and has been working with us for a number of years and is well
competent in working with our residents. He is currently doing NVQ level 4 in Leadership and Management and also
NVQ level 4 in Health and Social Care.
Athelstan House provides 24
hours staffing support. The senior support worker has been working with us for a number or years and is well
competent in working with our residents. In addition we have a
new support worker who has been working with us for a couple of months gaining enough knowledge and experience and
is also working towards achieving NVQ level 2 in Health & social care.
We also have a pool of bank
staff that is able to cover holidays and other absences. All staff are experienced in looking after service users
with learning disabilities.
The Qualifications of
the permanent staff are listed in Appendix 1.
Organisational Structure
This statement of purpose sets the standards by
which the home will be run. The registered manager
will be qualified, competent and experienced to run the home and meet the purposes, aims and objectives stated
here. Our management approach will create an open, positive and inclusive atmosphere.
The home will have an effective staff team,
with sufficient numbers and complementary skills to support our service users’ assessed needs at all times.
Staff will have the competencies and qualities required to meet the service users’ needs and will have to
achieve Sector Skills Council workforce strategy targets within the required timescales.
All staff have clearly defined job descriptions
and understand their own and others’ roles and responsibilities. They will understand and implement the home’s
policies and procedures and their work will promote the main aims of the home.
The job descriptions are linked to achieving
the service users’ individual goals as set out in the Service User Plan. They will get to know and develop a
relationship with the service users they support, and
are able to meet individual needs with particular attention to gender, age, cultural background and personal
interests.
Any instances of non-compliance or other
problems will be raised with the Manager and plans put in place to resolve outstanding matters.
Location
Feltham is within the London Borough of Hounslow. The town has a shopping centre,
supermarkets, banks and other financial institutions, public houses.
There is a multi-screen cinema
and leisure complex in Browells
Lane. Feltham and Hanworth Libraries and Hanworth
Airparcs swimming pool and sports complex are all close by.
Churches of all denominations
and other places of worship are all to be found either in Feltham or
nearby within the Borough of Hounslow. There is a small parade of shops within walking distance of
the home, which includes a sub Post Office and a newsagent/confectioner.
Services
We offer service and support to enable service
users to maintain appropriate and fulfilling lifestyles in
and outside the home.
1. Personal Development
We assist service users to have opportunities
to maintain and develop social, emotional, communication and independent living skills. This includes learning
and using practical life skills
(e.g. assertion and confidence training) and also the opportunity to fulfil their spiritual needs.
2. Educations and
Occupation
We also help service users find and keep
appropriate jobs, continue their education or training, and/or take part in valued and fulfilling
activities.
3. Community Links and Social
Inclusion
We support service users to become part of, and
participate in, the local community in accordance with their assessed needs and individual Plans.
Staff always help service users’ integration
into community life through:
i.
Knowledge about, and support for, service users to make use
of services, facilities and activities in the local community (e.g. shops, libraries, cinemas, pubs, leisure
centres,
places of worship, cultural centres). This includes arrangements for service users to attend religious services of
their choice.
ii.
iii.
Awareness of service users’ rights of access to public
facilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995;
iv.
Maintaining a neighbourly relationship with the
community;
v.
Ensuring information and advice are available about local
activities, support and resources offered by specialist organisations; and
vi.
Ensuring access to transport – local public transport,
accessible taxis, dial-a-ride, our own vehicle – and support to use it, to enable the service user to pursue
their chosen lifestyle and activities.
As a home we value and seek to reflect the
racial and cultural diversity of service users and of
our local community.
4. Leisure
We ensure that service users have access to,
and can chose from a range of appropriate leisure activities. They are encouraged to pursue their own interests
and hobbies and a choice of entertainment that can be brought into the home.
Holidays are arranged and trips, also outings
planned and chosen by service users who share the same interests.
5. Relationships
We also support service users to maintain
family links and friendships inside and outside the home, subject to restrictions agreed in the individual
plan and Contract.
Family and friends are welcomed, and their
involvement in daily routines and activities is encouraged, with the service user’s agreement.
Service users can chose whom they see and when;
and can see visitors in their rooms and in private. They do have opportunities to meet people and make friends
both at home and in the community.
Service users are enabled to develop and
maintain intimate personal relationships with people of their choice, also information and specialist guidance
are provided to help the service user make appropriate decisions.
6. Daily Routines
Our daily routines and house
rules promote independence, individual choice and freedom of
movement, subject to restrictions agreed in the individual plan and Contract.
i.
Staffs enter service users’ bedrooms and bathrooms only with
the individual’s permission and normally in their presence.
ii.
Service users are offered a key to their own room, which can
be locked from inside and outside, and a key to the front door of the home.
iii.
Bathrooms are fitted with privacy locks with an external
override function.
iv.
No staff can open service users’ mail without their
agreement.
v.
All staff use service users’ preferred form of address,
which is recorded in the individual Plan.
vi.
Staffs talk to and interact with users, not exclusively with
each other.
vii.
Service users choose when to be alone or in company, and
when not to join an activity.
viii.
The service users have unrestricted access to the home and
garden; their visitors also have access subject to individual and collective service user agreement.
ix.
Service users’ responsibility for housekeeping tasks (e.g.
cooking, cleaning rooms and common areas, laundry, maintaining gardens) is specified in the Service Users’ Guide
and individual Plan.
x.
They also can keep an assistance dog (guide dog, dog for
disabled people, and hearing dogs for deaf people); and can keep a suitable pet in agreement with the home and
if it does not infringe on the safety, health or peace of others living in the home.
xi.
Rules on smoking, alcohol and drugs are clearly stated in
the contract.
7. Meals and Mealtimes
The home promotes the service users’ health and
well being by ensuring the supply of nutritious, varied, balanced and attractively presented meals in a
congenial setting and at flexible times.
We offer a choice of suitable menus, which meet
dietary and cultural needs and respect individual preferences. Meals are offered three times daily including at
least one cooked meal; and a range of drinks and snacks to meet individual needs are available at all times. We
actively support service users to plan, prepare and serve meals it they choose to do so. We respect our service
users’ cultural and religious requirements in the preparation and serving of food. Mealtimes are relaxed,
unrushed, and flexible to suit service users’ activities and schedules.
Service users who need help to eat or are fed
artificially are assisted appropriately while maintaining choice of when and what they want to eat; and are
assisted to choose appropriate eating aids.
Personal and Healthcare
Support
Our staff will provide support that is
flexible, consistent, reliable and responsive to our service users’ changing needs.
1. Personal Support
i.
We provide sensitive and flexible personal support to
maximise our service users’ privacy, dignity, independence and control over their lives.
ii.
Service users’ preferences about how they are supported are
complied with, and reasons for not doing so are recorded and explained.
iii.
A person of the same gender provides personal support in
private, and intimate care
where possible and if the service user wishes.
iv.
Times for getting up/going to bed, baths, meals and other
activities are flexible, subject to restrictions agreed in the individual Plan.
v.
Guidance and support regarding personal hygiene is provided
where needed.
vi.
Service users choose their own clothes, hairstyle and makeup
and their appearance
reflects their personality.
vii.
They are also allowed choice of staff that works with them,
such as staff from the same ethnic, religious or cultural background or the same gender.
viii.
Service users are assisted to have the technical aids and
equipment they need for maximum independence (staff are trained to operate as needed), this is determined by
professional assessment, reviewed and changed or replaced as the service user’s needs change, and regularly
serviced.
ix.
The Service users are able to receive additional, specialist
support and advice as needed from physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and others as
necessary.
x.
We shall ensure consistency and continuity of support
through:
a)
Designated key workers (whom service users have helped
choose);
b)
Individual working records setting out the preferred
routine, likes and dislikes of service users who cannot easily communicate their needs and preferences;
and
c)
Partnerships with advocates, family, friends and relevant
professionals outside the home, subject to the service user’s consent.
2. Healthcare
i.
We ensure that the healthcare needs of service users are
assessed and recognised and that procedures are in place to recognise them.
ii.
Service users are supported and facilitated to take control
of and manage their own healthcare, including:
a)
Support to gain access to up to date information and advice
about general health issues e.g. continence, contraception, routine screening;
b)
Support to manage their own medical conditions (e.g.
diabetes) where feasible;
c)
Support to choose their own G.P., to make decisions about
their own healthcare/medical treatment, and to seek a second medical opinion;
d)
Support to N.H.S. healthcare facilities in the locality –
primary care team, dentist, optician, audiologist, chiropodist/ podiatrist, therapists, complementary therapies,
community and specialist nurses.
e)
Support to attend outpatient and other appointments;
and
f)
Support to access independent interpreters.
iii.
Our service users’ health will be monitored and potential
complications and problems identified and dealt with at an early stage, including prompt referral to an
appropriate specialist.
iv.
Service users will be offered maximum annual health checks
(including attention to vision and hearing; medication; illness/disability unrelated to primary
disability/condition).
v.
Visits from medical/health care practitioners take place in
private
Facilities
Athelstan House is a five-bedroom house, which
cannot be differentiated from other houses in
Hanworth Road having no external signage. We are able to cater for up to five
residents, male or
female within the 18 to 65 age range, offering the privacy of a good-sized individual bedroom for
each resident.
Each bedroom has the following:
En suite toilet and washbasin (including
mirror, bathroom cabinet and light with shaver point)
Single bed
Armchair
Occasional chair
Table
Wardrobe
Chest of drawers
Bedding and curtains
Lighting and heating (with individual
control)
Windows that can be opened partially
Double electric sockets
TV/FM socket
Bedside cabinet with lockable drawer
Table lamp
There is gas central heating throughout the
home and each radiator has an individual thermostatic control. Hot water within the home is subject to
temperature control.
There is a garden with separate patios and
lawns and also an area for private horticulture.
The home is not considered suitable for
residents who are wheel chair users, although two of the
rooms are on the ground floor and can be used by individuals with some physical disability.
Schedule of rooms:
(Bedroom sizes are shown after deducting the en
suite facilities)
1st Floor
Bedroom 1 13.4
m2
Bedroom 2 13.0
m2
Bedroom 3 12.2
m2
Staff room/office
Bathroom with shower and toilet
Ground Floor
Bedroom 4 13.8
m2
Bedroom 5 13.0
m2
Bathroom with toilet and shower
Shower room with toilet
Sitting/smoking room 13.2 m2
Dining
room 8.2 m2
Connecting with Recreation room 10.6
m2
Kitchen 10.5 m2 and laundry
Admissions
New service users are admitted only on the
basis of a full assessment undertaken by people confident
to do so, involving the prospective service user, using an appropriate communication method and with an independent
advocate as appropriate.
For individuals referred through Care
Management, the Manager will obtain a summary of the single
Care Management (health and social services) assessment – integrated with the Care Programme Approach (CPA) for
people with mental health problems – and a copy of the single Care Plan.
For individuals who are self funding and
without a Care Management Assessment/Care Plan, we shall carry out a needs assessment by meeting the person in
his/her own living environment where
possible.
The assessment will cover:
1. Suitable accommodation and personal support;
2. Meaningful education, training and/or occupation;
3. Family/social contact;
4. Assessment and management of risk;
5. Adequate income;
6. Cultural and faith needs;
7. Specific condition-related needs and specialist input;
8. Provision of disability equipment, including arrangements for payment
and supply;
9. Treatment/rehabilitation programme;
10. Method of communication; and
11. Compatibility with others living in the
home.
Any potential restrictions on choice, freedom,
services or facilities – based on specialist needs and risk and/or required by a treatment programme – likely to
become part of a prospective service user’s individual Plan will be discussed and agreed with the service user
during the assessment.
State registered health officials will assess
any rehabilitation and therapeutic needs.
The prospective user will be invited to visit
the home for a 72hour period (including an overnight stay)
or longer if deemed necessary. The individual together with family, friends, advocate, interpreter as appropriate
will be able to meet other service users, staff, view the room and the other facilities.
Emergency Admissions
Emergency Admissions are acceptable but
admission does not imply the right or requirement to stay in the home. The service user so placed will be fully
assessed and relocated if the home is considered inappropriate to their needs.
Following emergency admission we shall inform
the service user within 24 hours about key aspects, rules and routines of the service and meet all other
admission criteria within 5 working days.
Service User
Plan
The manager draws up and agrees
with each service user an individual Plan, which may include treatment and rehabilitation, describing the services
and facilities to be provided by the home, and how these services will meet current and changing needs and
aspirations and achieve goals. The plan is generated from the single Care Management Assessment/Care Plan or the
home’s own assessment, and covers all aspects of personal and social support and healthcare needs.
The Plan sets out how current
and anticipated specialist requirements will be met, describes any restrictions on choice and freedom (agreed with
the service user) and establishes individualised procedures for service users likely to be aggressive or cause harm
or self-harm.
The Plan will be drawn up with
the involvement of the service user together with family, friends and/or advocate as appropriate, and relevant
agencies/specialists. It will be made available in a language and format that the service user can understand and
will be held by the service user unless there are clear reasons not to do so.
A key worker who can communicate
with the individual and appreciates his/her racial and/or cultural heritage is allocated for each service user,
with the full involvement of the service user.
The service user is made aware
of the respective roles and responsibilities of the Care Manager/CPA Care Co-ordinator, key worker and/or advocate,
and knows how to contact them.
Service User Plan Reviews
The Plan is reviewed with the Service User
(involving significant professionals, and family, friends and advocates as agreed with the service user) at the
request of the service user or at least every six months and updated to reflect changing needs; and agreed
changes are recorded and actioned.
Religious Services
At Athelstan house, we believe that all people
have the right to access any spiritual guidance that any individual requires. As such we offer all service users
the opportunity to attend the place of worship of their choice.
Privacy and Dignity
Athelstan house will ensure that service users
privacy and dignity respected at all times.
All service users will be referred to by their
names unless requested otherwise and will be supported by the staff of their preferred gender.
All service users will be given a key to lock their own bedrooms and no staff/resident will enter a service users
room without express prior permission.
Therapeutic Techniques
We actively encourage the users of all
therapeutic and holistic methods at the home. Therefore any therapy that has been deemed
appropriate as a means of helping a service user will be sourced and employed where necessary.
Additional therapeutic technique may be
obtained privately by a service user, or through a GP referral. Cost for this therapy is not
included in the initial care package.
Individual needs and choices
We believe that service users
should be enabled to take control of their own lives. The manager and staff have a responsibility to support those
with intellectual impairment and/or limited communication skills to make decisions.
- Participation
The manager will ensure
that service users are offered opportunities participate in the day-to-day running of the home and to contribute to
the development and review of services.
We provide service users
with up to date information about our policies, procedures, activities
and services; and appropriate communication support.
Service users have the
opportunity and are enabled to participate in activities, which enable them to influence key decisions in the home,
for example:
i.
Joining staff meetings, policy groups and other
forums;
ii.
Representation in management structures;
iii.
Involvement in selection of staff and other service users;
and
iv.
User satisfaction questionnaires, individual and group
discussion.
Changes will only be made
to this statement of purpose in consultation with existing service users. They will receive feedback
about the outcomes of their involvement and participation.
- Risk
taking
The manager and staff enables service users to take responsible risks, ensuring they have good information on
which to base decisions, within the context of the service user’s individual plan
and of the home’s risk assessment and risk management policies.
- Confidentiality
The manager and staff do
respect information given by service users in confidence, and handle information about service users in line with
our written procedures and in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and in the best interest of the service
user.
Our policy is that all
records are accurate, secure and confidential. The staffs are aware of this policy and receive training to ensure
strict adherence. Any breach of confidentiality will lead to disciplinary procedure, which can lead to
dismissal.
Medication
We also encourage and support service users to
retain, administer and control their own medication, within a risk management framework, and comply with the
home’s policy and procedure for the
receipt, recording, storage, handling, administration and disposal of medicines.
Medicines in the custody of the home are
handled according to the requirements of the Medicines Act 1968, guidelines from the Royal Pharmaceutical
Society of Great Britain, the requirements of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and nursing staff abide by the UKCC
Standards for the administration of medicines.
Fire Safety
Athelstan House is governed by the Fire
Precautions Act 1971 and Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 as amended.
The home is fitted with a fire alarm that
complies with B.S. 5839 and smoke detectors are fitted in all rooms. All rooms have half-hour fire check doors
fitted in accordance with B.S. 476 and fire extinguishers are installed on both floors together with a fire
blanket in the kitchen. All rooms are also fitted with Nurse call to enable serves users get help at any time
they need it in their room without
even getting out.
The manager is responsible for fire safety in
the home and has a full understanding of the
fire precautions equipment and fire escape routes with which the premises are provided and the procedures to
be adopted in the event of a fire alarm being raised.
She carry out regular risk assessments looking
for hazards e.g. combustibles/flammables/sources of ignition, ensure that routes to fire exit are clear,
adequately signed and illuminated, “Fire Action”
Notices are in place, fire-fighting equipment is in place, fire safety equipment is properly maintained.
All staff is given fire safety training to
ensure that they are familiar with escape routes, how to give the alarm, where the fire extinguishers are and
how to use them. A written instruction in the form of a Fire Precautions Document is given to every employee.
The manager does take new employees through them verbally.
“Fire Action” notices are displayed next to all
exits and at fire alarm call points.
Service Users are instructed individually in a
format or language they can understand in the procedures for evacuation.
The fire alarm is tested on a weekly basis and
a Fire Evacuation Drill is carried out on a six monthly
basis.
Complaints Procedure
Our first priority is the happiness of our
service users. If they have any day-to-day queries, criticisms or complaints or if there is anything at all that
they are unhappy about, they should speak to the manager or member of staff so that steps may be taken to
resolve the issue as soon as possible. If they prefer
a relative, friend or independent advocate can do this on their behalf.
Our complaints procedure is given and/or
explained to each service user in an appropriate language/format, including information for referring a
complaint to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) at any stage.
Complaints should be passed either verbally or
in writing to the Manager or Deputy Manager. Alternatively, complaints may be made to either of the registered
owners – Paul or Rosemary Harrington, 15 Norman
Street, Dover, Kent CT17 9RS telephone 01304 240902.
As far as possible, all complaints will be
resolved within 7 days and not longer than 28 days.
At any time, service users or their families or
representatives can contact the Care Quality Commission office:
Care Quality Commission
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA.
Tel; 03000 616161.
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