College - Latest News

Special Olympians

02/03/2012 13:34:03

Wednesday 21^st December 2011

St Elizabeth’s Special Olympians celebrate sporting achievements

Eight St Elizabeth’s College students who regularly take part in a swimming session accommodated by The Hoddesdon Swimming Club at The John Warner Sports Centre in Hoddesdon were recently invited to a fun session with the rest of the Club. The evening also included a Presentation Award ceremony where all eight students received a medal for their swimming achievements during 2011.

This celebration was later followed by a buffet and disco at Amwell View Specialist Sports College, Stanstead Abbotts. All the athletes who take part in Special Olympic sports; athletics, swimming and football where invited along to this evening where they also received a trophy.

The charity club, Special Olympics East Herts, wants to develop and grow the opportunities within East Hertfordshire for people with moderate and severe learning difficulties and has recently appointed a Disability Sports Development Officer, Janet Warrington. Janet explained: “working with the Special Olympians at Hoddesdon swimming club for the past two years has been so rewarding. I am now looking forward to working with other sports and local clubs to help set up regular training which will offer more opportunities for people to take part and in more sports. There are some very talented sports people within this group and they need these clubs to be able to take part, enjoy sport and achieve their full potential.”

Special Olympics East Herts Athletics Club meet on Monday evening 6-7pm at Wodson Park); the Swimming Club meet on Tuesday evening 6.10-7.10pm at The John Warner Sports Centre and the Football Club meet on Thursday evening 6-7pm at The Grundy Park Leisure Centre. If you are interested and would like to find out more about Special Olympics East Herts check out www.specialolympicseastherts.org.

Ends

Photograph: l-r Ryan Dioni, Natalie Reuben, Lewis Shakleton, Stephen Birks, Matthew Stanley, David Howard, Dalton Leigh and Matthew Casey.

CQC Inspection Report

02/03/2012 13:16:35

Page 1 of 16

Review of

compliance

The Congregation of the Daughters of the Cross of

Liege

St Elizabeth's Domiciliary Care Agency

Region:

East

Location address:

St Elizabeths Centre

South End

Much Hadham

Hertfordshire

SG10 6EW

Type of service:

Domiciliary care service

Date of Publication:

February 2012

Overview of the service:

St Elizabeths Domiciliary Care Agency

provides a service to people with a

learning disability who attend St

Elizabeth's college in order to support

them with everyday living.

Page 2 of 16

Our current overall judgement

St Elizabeth's Domiciliary Care Agency was meeting all the essential

standards of quality and safety.

The summary below describes why we carried out this review, what we found and any

action required.

Why we carried out this review

We carried out this review as part of our routine schedule of planned reviews.

How we carried out this review

We reviewed all the information we hold about this provider, carried out a visit on 22

November 2011, observed how people were being cared for, looked at records of people

who use services, talked to staff and reviewed information from stakeholders.

What people told us

One person who uses the service we spoke with told us that this was the best place they

had been. They said that their last home was not as nice as this and that they were happy

here. We were told that the staff are really nice and will do all they can to assist. We were

told that staff monitor the person's illness and have come to recognise signs of

deterioration. We were also told that this is very useful and allows the person some control

over their illness.

Relatives we spoke with told us that the care provision is fantastic, that the staff are skilled,

competent and understanding. We were told that the staff 'get it' in relation to the care of

the young people who use the service. We were also told that the service puts a big

investment in staff training and learning.

What we found about the standards we reviewed and how well St

Elizabeth's Domiciliary Care Agency was meeting them

Outcome 04: People should get safe and appropriate care that meets their needs

and supports their rights

The provider is compliant with this outcome because the people who use the service have

their care and welfare needs assessed and met.

Outcome 07: People should be protected from abuse and staff should respect their

human rights

The provider is compliant with this outcome staff are trained and have the appropriate

for the essential standards of quality and safety

Summary of our findings

Page 3 of 16

knowledge to recognise and respond to any signs of abuse.

Outcome 13: There should be enough members of staff to keep people safe and

meet their health and welfare needs

The provider is compliant with this outcome because there are sufficient trained staff on

duty to meet the identified needs of the people.

Outcome 14: Staff should be properly trained and supervised, and have the chance

to develop and improve their skills

The provider is compliant with this outcome because staff are trained to meet the needs of

the people who use the service. Staff are supported and supervised to care for people.

Outcome 16: The service should have quality checking systems to manage risks

and assure the health, welfare and safety of people who receive care

The provider is compliant with this outcome because the service has effective monitoring

and reviewing procedures in place to ensure the people's needs are recognised and met.

Other information

Please see previous reports for more information about previous reviews.

Page 4 of 16

What we found

for each essential standard of quality

and safety we reviewed

Page 5 of 16

The following pages detail our findings and our regulatory judgement for each essential standard and outcome that we

reviewed, linked to specific regulated activities where appropriate.

We will have reached one of the following judgements for each essential standard.

Compliant

means that people who use services are experiencing the outcomes relating to

the essential standard.

A

minor concern

means that people who use services are safe but are not always

experiencing the outcomes relating to this essential standard.

moderate concern

means that people who use services are safe but are not always

experiencing the outcomes relating to this essential standard and there is an impact on

their health and wellbeing because of this.

major concern

means that people who use services are not experiencing the outcomes

relating to this essential standard and are not protected from unsafe or inappropriate care,

treatment and support.

Where we identify compliance, no further action is taken. Where we have concerns, the

most appropriate action is taken to ensure that the necessary improvements are made.

Where there are a number of concerns, we may look at them together to decide the level

of action to take.

More information about each of the outcomes can be found in the

Guidance about

compliance: Essential standards of quality and safety

Page 6 of 16

Outcome 04

Care and welfare of people who use services

What the outcome says

This is what people who use services should expect.

People who use services:

* Experience effective, safe and appropriate care, treatment and support that meets their

needs and protects their rights.

What we found

Our judgement

The provider is compliant with Outcome 04: Care and welfare of people who use

services

Our findings

What people who use the service experienced and told us

One person who uses the service we spoke with told us that this was the best place

they had been. They said that their last home was not as nice as this and that they

were happy here. We were told that the staff are really nice and will do all they can to

assist. We were told that staff monitor the person's illness and have come to recognise

signs of deterioration. We were also told that this is very useful and allows the person

some control over their illness.

Relatives we spoke with told us that the care provision was fantastic, that the staff were

skilled, competent and understanding. We were told that the staff 'get it' in relation to

the care of the young people who use the service. We were also told that the service

puts a big investment in staff training and learning.

Other evidence

We visited St Elizabeth's Domiciliary Care service on the 22 November 2011. During

our visit we did not identify any areas of concern in relation to the care and welfare of

the people who use the service.

We were told by the manager that St Elizabeth's aim is to prepare young people for a

more independent life in the community by working closely with the St Elizabeth's

College where they learn life skills. The care staff have duel roles, that of carer and that

of educators in the college. We were told by staff that this offers a seamless service to

the person using the service by ensuring their learning on promoting their

independence in the college is integrated into their daily lives.

Page 7 of 16

During our review of care plans we found they contained a range of information on all

aspects of the person's life including 'looking after yourself and your home, looking after

your health and assistance with medication. Looking after money and paying bills.

Going out into the community staying in touch with family and friends'. This ensured

that they were prepared for an independent life in the community.

We were told that each person had a named worker and they had a 24 hour support

service should the person need assistance at night. We were told that this service gave

the person confidence to move to a more independent lifestyle especially when they

had recently moved from their homes were new to the service and to the college. .

All care plans included an easy read version that allowed the person to understand and

to input how they wanted their care delivered. An example of this was directions on

how a person expresses themselves. There were clear instructions for the staff on how

long it takes the person to formulate and verbalise their thoughts. Should they not be

able to verbalise their thoughts after a given time they should be offer a pen and paper

and given the opportunity to write their needs down.

The people who are cared for were predominately young people and we saw that their

need for communication with other people and their social integration was addressed.

An example of this was facilitating people to travel to a local town to work in a workshop

making jewellery.

We observed a staff member assist and instruct a person on how to make a simple

meal at lunchtime. The member of staff conducted the task with skill and good humour

we saw the person being supported enjoyed the session as well as learning cooking

skills.

Our judgement

The provider is compliant with this outcome because the people who use the service

have their care and welfare needs assessed and met.

Page 8 of 16

Outcome 07

Safeguarding people who use services from abuse

What the outcome says

This is what people who use services should expect.

People who use services:

* Are protected from abuse, or the risk of abuse, and their human rights are respected and

upheld.

What we found

Our judgement

The provider is compliant with Outcome 07: Safeguarding people who use services

from abuse

Our findings

What people who use the service experienced and told us

People we spoke with told us that they feel very safe and that if they had a problem

they would go to a staff member for assistance. They all know the service manager and

said that they could go to her office if they had a problem.

Other evidence

During our visit we spoke with the person who takes responsibility for the safeguarding

of the people who use the service. We were told that the policy and procedures were

under constant review and that the service works closely with the Local Authority (LA)

this ensured the safety of the people who use the service because the service was

working with the most up to date information.

We were told that staff kept up to date on current policies and new thinking by attending

conferences held by Education and Health professionals. This means that the staff had

access to the current thinking and practices on the care of the people who used the

service.

We were told that all incidents or signs of abuse or suspected abuse were reported to

the most senior person on duty who then made a referral to the LA if appropriate. Staff

told us that they are vigilant in observing signs of abuse at all times. An example of this

was a young person who was showing signs of distress on returning from a home visit.

The reasons for the distress were investigated and an action plan was drawn up and

implemented.

Page 9 of 16

We were told that safeguarding training is completed as part of induction training, we

saw evidence that all staff had completed this training and were aware of what to do to

protect the person.

The information, we hold on this services demonstrates that the home informs CQC

appropriately of any incidents that occur in the service.

Our judgement

The provider is compliant with this outcome staff are trained and have the appropriate

knowledge to recognise and respond to any signs of abuse.

Page 10 of 16

Outcome 13

Staffing

What the outcome says

This is what people who use services should expect.

People who use services:

* Are safe and their health and welfare needs are met by sufficient numbers of appropriate

staff.

What we found

Our judgement

The provider is compliant with Outcome 13: Staffing

Our findings

What people who use the service experienced and told us

We did not speak to the people who use the service about this outcome.

Other evidence

During our visit we were told by staff and the people who use the service that there was

always enough staff on duty to meet the people's needs. We were told that the

workforce was stable with a very small turnover of staff. This means that the people

who use the service received a consistent service from staff they knew.

We saw that there were management structures in place and all the staff we spoke with

knew what their responsibilities were. Staff told us that there were clear procedures in

place for the delivery of care and that they were familiar with the care plans of the

people who use the service.

Staff told us that they try to be as flexible as possible and will volunteer to cover

colleagues who are off sick to ensure the people get the service they need. They also

told us that there are 'bad weather' arrangement in place should the need arise. An

example of this was during last winter's snow overnight accommodation was arranged

for staff who had difficulty in travelling this meant that the service was able to operate

normally.

Our judgement

The provider is compliant with this outcome because there are sufficient trained staff on

duty to meet the identified needs of the people.

Page 11 of 16

Outcome 14

Supporting staff

What the outcome says

This is what people who use services should expect.

People who use services:

* Are safe and their health and welfare needs are met by competent staff.

What we found

Our judgement

The provider is compliant with Outcome 14: Supporting staff

Our findings

What people who use the service experienced and told us

We did not speak to the people who use the service about this outcome.

Other evidence

During our visit the staff we spoke with told us that they felt really well supported by the

management team. They told us that they were listened to and could approach the

manager with any problems they may have had and felt confident that they would be

listened to.

We were told that the staff were encouraged to work in an open and transparent

manner and if a member of staff sees care delivery they were not happy with they were

expected to challenge that staff member. We were told that this is done in a positive

manner and that all staff knew it was to ensure the best possible care was given to the

people who used the service. The staff gave us examples of how this had been done in

the past and told us that this worked well and that they used each other's experiences

to learn from and to improve the service.

All the staff we spoke with had had an induction programme on commencing

employment at the service. They told us that they were all clear that their main duty was

to ensure the best possible care of the person. We were told that they were clear about

the rights of the person using the service and that it was important to them to ensure

their rights were promoted at all times. They feel they can deliver good quality care at

all times because they feel supported by the management of the service.

We were told that the staff's learning and development needs are identified through

Page 12 of 16

regular supervision with their line manager. Staff told us that they are encouraged and

facilitated to identify any training that will improve the delivery of care to the person.

Our judgement

The provider is compliant with this outcome because staff are trained to meet the needs

of the people who use the service. Staff are supported and supervised to care for

people.

Page 13 of 16

Outcome 16

Assessing and monitoring the quality of service provision

What the outcome says

This is what people who use services should expect.

People who use services:

* Benefit from safe quality care, treatment and support, due to effective decision making

and the management of risks to their health, welfare and safety.

What we found

Our judgement

The provider is compliant with Outcome 16: Assessing and monitoring the quality of

service provision

Our findings

What people who use the service experienced and told us

We did not speak to the people who use the service about this outcome.

Other evidence

During our visit to the service we were told that the service is regularly monitored to

ensure that optimum care is given to the people who use the service. A survey is

carried out annually. We were given copies of the results of the surveys for 2010, 2009

and 2008. The results of these surveys are compared and contrasted so that lessons

could be learned. We saw that action plans were drawn up and implemented to address

any issues identified. An example of this was the most recent incident that was

addressed was when a new freezer taking too long to be delivered. This was impacting

on the life of the people and they wanted it addressed as soon as possible. We saw

evidence that this issue was resolved promptly.

The independence and dignity of the people who use the service is promoted through

the use of appropriate risk assessments. This means that all aspects of their lives were

looked at and where possible measures were put in place to facilitate their

independence.

All the people who use the service have access to a complaints procedure the care

plans we looked at contained one in an easy read format. The people we spoke with

had not made a complaint. The information we hold on the service showed that we did

not receive any complaints or concerns about the service in the past year.

Page 14 of 16

Staff told us that they are vigilant in ensuring good practice at all times in caring for the

people. We saw evidence that all incidents were recorded and if necessary an action

plan was drawn up and implemented.

We saw that records were maintained and stored appropriately this included care plans

and staffing files. By doing this the service promoted the dignity and human rights of the

person and avoided unauthorised people gaining access to confidential information.

Our judgement

The provider is compliant with this outcome because the service has effective

monitoring and reviewing procedures in place to ensure the people's needs are

recognised and met.

Page 15 of 16

What is a review of compliance?

By law, providers of certain adult social care and health care services have a legal

responsibility to make sure they are meeting essential standards of quality and safety.

These are the standards everyone should be able to expect when they receive care.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has written guidance about what people who use

services should experience when providers are meeting essential standards, called

Guidance about compliance: Essential standards of quality and safety

.

CQC licenses services if they meet essential standards and will constantly monitor

whether they continue to do so. We formally review services when we receive information

that is of concern and as a result decide we need to check whether a service is still

meeting one or more of the essential standards. We also formally review them at least

every two years to check whether a service is meeting all of the essential standards in

each of their locations. Our reviews include checking all available information and

intelligence we hold about a provider. We may seek further information by contacting

people who use services, public representative groups and organisations such as other

regulators. We may also ask for further information from the provider and carry out a visit

with direct observations of care.

When making our judgements about whether services are meeting essential standards,

we decide whether we need to take further regulatory action. This might include

discussions with the provider about how they could improve. We only use this approach

where issues can be resolved quickly, easily and where there is no immediate risk of

serious harm to people.

Where we have concerns that providers are not meeting essential standards, or where we

judge that they are not going to keep meeting them, we may also set improvement actions

or compliance actions, or take enforcement action:

Improvement actions:

These are actions a provider should take so that they
maintain

continuous compliance with essential standards. Where a provider is complying with

essential standards, but we are concerned that they will not be able to maintain this, we

ask them to send us a report describing the improvements they will make to enable them

to do so.

Compliance actions

: These are actions a provider must take so that they
achieve

compliance with the essential standards. Where a provider is not meeting the essential

standards but people are not at immediate risk of serious harm, we ask them to send us a

report that says what they will do to make sure they comply. We monitor the

implementation of action plans in these reports and, if necessary, take further action to

make sure that essential standards are met.

Enforcement action:

These are actions we take using the criminal and/or civil procedures

in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and relevant regulations. These enforcement

powers are set out in the law and mean that we can take swift, targeted action where

services are failing people.

Page 16 of 16

Information for the reader

Document purpose

Review of compliance report

Author

Care Quality Commission

Audience

The general public

Further copies from

03000 616161 / www.cqc.org.uk

Copyright

Copyright © (2010) Care Quality Commission

(CQC). This publication may be reproduced in

whole or in part, free of charge, in any format

or medium provided that it is not used for

commercial gain. This consent is subject to

the material being reproduced accurately and

on proviso that it is not used in a derogatory

manner or misleading context. The material

should be acknowledged as CQC copyright,

with the title and date of publication of the

document specified.

Care Quality Commission

Website

www.cqc.org.uk

Telephone

03000 616161

Email address

enquiries@cqc.org.uk

Postal address

Care Quality Commission

Citygate

Gallowgate

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE1 4PA

Soap Making at St Elizabeth's College

02/03/2012 13:02:49

In the soap workshop, the college learners are making handmade soaps in the beautiful fragrances of sweet orange, lavender and rose bud. The soap costs £1 per bar. These are currently been successfully sold at main reception, special events and through the St Elizabeth’s charity shops.

St Elizabeth’s Special Olympians

01/01/2012 00:00:00

Wednesday 21^st December 2011

St Elizabeth’s Special Olympians celebrate sporting achievements

Photograph: l-r Ryan Dioni, Natalie Reuben, Lewis Shakleton, Stephen Birks, Matthew Stanley, David Howard, Dalton Leigh and Matthew Casey.

Vocational Skills

01/01/2012 00:00:00

St Elizabeth's College Open Days

14/12/2011 00:00:00

9 February

22 March

3 May

21 June

11.00am - 2.00pm

By prior arrangement