Sir/Madam,

In your previous issue you published a letter from David Schofield to Dame Denise Platt, chair of CSCI. I would wish to point out that we have been in communication with Mr Schofield for many months over these issues. We do not accept the central points of his argument - that our performance assessment of Essex County Council is lacking or that using a preferred provider list necessarily disadvantages people who use services.

I would, however, remind all providers that allowing the Commission access to undertake an inspection of a service is a statutory requirement. It is an offence not to do so. Our primary interest is the welfare of people using social care services and the driving objective for both our performance assessment of councils and the inspection of care services is improvement. The ability to undertake inspections of care services, the majority of which are now unannounced, is central to this objective - and also what people who use these services tell us they value.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Snell, Chief Inspector, Commission for Social Care Inspection

Dear Editor,

In your article in HbW 59 25/06/07 p 36 you referred to the new Working Time Directive legislation regarding the exclusion of Bank Holiday entitlement from Annual Leave entitlement.

I consider the wording of this article to have been ambiguous, in that it could be read to mean that the 28 days entitlement as of 01/04/09 does not include the 8 days' of bank holidays. In saying 'the eight days of extra leave' you have not established that the current situation is often 20 days inc b/hols

You may consider some clarification to be worthwhile for those employers not fortunate enough to have specialist HR advice!

Regards,

Joanna McKay Graham
Operations Manager
BUPA Hospital Tunbridge Wells

Dear Editor,

“Sir, The recent study on elder abuse (letter, June 19) focused primarily on the abuse that older people suffer when living in their own homes and are often in situations where the only contact they have is with the abuser.

In residential care there are many checks and balances in the system. There is the regulators – the Commission for Social Care Inspection – local authority commissioning managers, care home staff, other residents and relatives, all of whom could potentially spot and respond to the abuse.

In their own homes vulnerable older people are often isolated with no support or other contacts. Care homes provide 24 hour, seven days a week care for some of the most vulnerable people in our society and it is time that they were recognised and respected for the job that they do”.

Regards,

Martin Green,
Chief Executive,
ECCA

Dear Editor,

I run a small residential home in Lowestoft, Suffolk for people with
learning difficulties. In your May 25th addition I read about Longfield home in Maldon who has just recieved a department of health grant. I wandered how I could apply for this grant or any other that may be available.

Yours Sincerely
Mrs P Webb

I Turned Inspectors Away, Tuesday 24th 10.30am. I had informed them previously I would refuse inspections. I have told them for two years+ that Essex County Council are coercing residents into guaranteed beds. They have refused to look at this matter.

Care homes across Essex tell me firstly, there referral rate and viewings by social service clients from Essex County Council dropped to nil from April 2005. Secondly, they have to threaten them with the media when anyone chooses their home because the Council refuse to fund it. The Council then back down. Even private clients and respite patients are being forced into guaranteed beds as they have to maintain occupancy levels.

CSCI have done nothing until I have done this, I feel sorry for all those residents and relatives who have not been given a choice, no care directory or their rights explained to them...a legal right. Often even when they have expressed a preference their choice has been illegally taken away from them.

This will cause a two tier system, Council assisted residents will be only given a choice of guaranteed beds. As these beds need to be occupied at 95% levels + to breakeven , there is not much choice of that.

I will carry on refusing inspections until this gets to court, I can then bring evidence, even the placement team clerk at Colchester told me on 28th Feb 07 "guaranteed beds are filled first, social workers are told to place residents into them and the social services panel only agree funding for guaranteed beds. When those beds are full, only then are spot purchase agreements agreed by panel".

I have not been largely affected by this, some homes have had 80-90% occupancy levels only, since April 2005. The same clerk on the 28th of Feb, told me that vacancies in guaranteed beds in the Clacton area were nil, but 70 vacancies in spot purchase beds.

I have asked Deborah Klee to look into this (Help theAaged), also she will speak to Martin Green ECCA.

David Schofield manager and owner of Cherryleas Tel 01255-221726

Dear Editor,

I am writing to you after reading your front page story on the shame put on us all by some Care Homes during their unannounced inspections, and would like to bring to your attention an example of the success that can be achieved by people who are committed to providing quality care.

Mary and Joseph House have just received their inspection documentation from their CSCI inspection which took place in November, scoring 10 fours against the 23 standards that they were assessed against. Having worked in the Care Sector myself for 8 years I am aware that this could be seen to be somewhat of a phenomenon, but one that is achievable with hard working, dedicated staff.

We are registered to look after 41 men with past/current alcohol misuse and/or mental health issues, which is one of the more challenging areas in which to achieve successful outcomes for the residents, many of which have been unsuccessfully placed in other accommodation in the past. Current ages range from mid 40's to 80, providing us with a challenge to meet the needs and preferences of such a diverse group. Run by the Joseph Cox Charity, we accept that we are in a fortune position that we do not need to make a profit, and are able to invest surplus funds into the wellbeing of residents and provide a comprehensive package of care. However, we strongly believe that our achievements are not beyond the reach of any Care Home.

Residents at the House are actively involved in the recruitment and training of staff, and are also represented in the House's Quality Assurance Committee, where work is focused around the ideas and comments of residents and staff.

Facilities for the 41 residents include a games room, complete with pool and table tennis tables. In the art room, the in-house artist runs therapeutic workshops where residents can relax and express themselves. The success of this has led to the House having it's own Gallery, and two of the current residents competing in a competition run by Manchester Art Galleries. There is a doctor's surgery, where a local G.P. comes to hold a regular surgery each month, a chapel providing a regular service which can be used by all denominations, and facilities provided to assist residents to participate in gym sessions at the City of Manchester Stadium. It isn't uncommon to see the minibus setting off on day trips, activities and adventures in the local community, and the residents look forward an annual holiday which is paid for by the House. Along with this, a variety of short courses run at the House has enabled residents to learn to cook, use computers, play the guitar, and currently to use a computerised 8 track recording studio to lay down some of their work on disk. Last year a team of residents and staff competed in the Manchester Mental Health Football League.......and if they find time, you can find some of the residents in the garden, working with a therapeutic gardener to make their home environment even better.

And the secret..........

Funds can be used cleverly, and simple basic ideas can have a far reaching effect on the running of your home........listen to your staff and tap into their hidden resources. Give them work that both interests and motivates them. Activities will then move on from Wednesday afternoon bingo, to a whole variety of things happening day and night, and the relationship that this enables staff to build up with the residents improves many aspects of the care package you provide. After a sing-a-long at the staff Christmas party, staff created another low cost activity by bringing guitars into the House and putting on a show for the residents. Rather than waste money on contract companies to tend to your grounds, look for a therapeutic gardener. When we did this, we were overwhelmed with applicants. We were then able to provide additional activities for residents who wanted to potter in the gardens, grow a few vegetables, or just participate in clearing leaves. Working in either groups, or with the gardener on a one to one basis, they gained or renewed a hobby, passed some time enjoyably, and those who don't want to join in are happy to sit in the garden and talk to the gardener as he works. In the winter months when there isn't as much to do in the garden, our gardener can be found assisting with a number of other therapeutic activities, and will take residents out on errands to more actively involve them in living at the House.

Making contacts in the local community has helped us to access funding for activities, arrange free and low cost staff training, and a number of short courses and activities that we would otherwise be unaware of. Staff needing refresher training in basic food hygiene attended a course arranged at the House with residents that were about to start a short cookery course, thus allowing us to gain training and an activity for residents at the same time for one price. Spending money on a musician to give guitar lessons, left a handful of residents with a hobby that they have continued after the course ended and we all enjoyed a social afternoon where the residents performed for us. Once the course ended the money was channelled into another activity, and we look forward to finding more of the hidden talents of both our staff and residents in the future.

It is a shame that the many good care homes are too busy working to care for their clients to find the time to talk about the work that they do. It would be nice to open newspapers and magazines and read about more of these. Maybe then, those that are under achieving will find the ideas and guidance they need to bring their work up to the required standard, and the general public will get the chance to realise that it is only a minority of Homes that are letting us down.

Regards

Caroline Beddow - Administrator, on behalf of

Mary and Joseph House

0161 273 6881

Wouldn't it be good if the private sector home owners in Staffordshire refused to take the residents The County Council can no longer afford to care for because it "Cannot afford the rising costs of care" unless the County Council paid them the proper rate for care. Why are we always seen as the cheap option!!

Margaret Hawksworth R.M.N.
Newhaven Care Home
Blackpool
FY1 5LG

28th February, 2007

Dear HbW,

It was with interest that I read the article in the latest (23/02/07) Health Care Bi-Weekly.

I have been pursuing an application for this grant from Devon County Council now for 3 weeks.
DCC have decided to only allow applications for the grant from homes that are registered for the mentally confused. ME (E) & MD (E)

As we are only registered for elderly that fall in to no other category this excludes us and over 50 % of similar homes in Devon from applying for the grant.

This will have the following impact.

Other dual registered homes in the area will be able to apply for the grant and if successful get up to £20,000 to improve the care home environment. As the residents in these home don't all fall in to the category ME(E) & MD(E) and in some cases less than 25% do fall in to these categories which leaves 75 % of the residents as elderly that fall in to no other category.
This will give these homes a large advantage in attracting the same client base as our home, which may lead to reductions in our client referral levels and finance viability. This may lead to a negative impact on the care sector in our area, with some homes benefiting from the advantage given by the grant and other homes suffering a negative financial impact with a reduction in referrals.

Given the importance of the home environment to CSCI and the star rating scheme, home that have received the grant should see an improvement in their star rating whilst those that have not been given the opportunity will see a reduction in their star rating as their home is measured against other homes given up to £20,000 to spend on improvements.

Through you publication is it possible to see if other areas have had similar criteria applied to the grant application or is Devon County Council on its own in ring fencing the grant applications to a niche market.

Ken Barker
Dawn Rest Home
Cott Lane
Dartington
TQ9 6HE

Tel 01803 862964
e-mail dawnresthome@hotmail.com

Reply from another provider:

Have spoken to Commissioning Manager at Derby City and he is surprised at this. He suggests that if home owners feel left out by this they should formally complain to their local CSCI.

The directive from DoH does seem to leave it to the City Councils to determine how best the money may be spread to benefit the larger number of elderly people. This doesn't seem to be doing that. However, in Dover it is benefiting a selected group.

The DoH directive obviously leaves a loophole open to accommodate this.

As I said the other day, Cambridge has not issued any forms yet so maybe they have decided to use it elsewhere. Is it possible to speak to anyone from the DoH through the magazine?

BH