Aims and Objectives

With over 58 years' experience, the management of "Northcott House" pride ourselves on offering a highly professional care service for the elderly, with a personal touch. We are pleased to accept Residents for long term stays or short term for convalescence or holiday stays when beds are available.

When people have worked hard throughout their life and have been committed to helping others, we think they deserve extra cherishing. They need a home where individuality is emphasised, with staff who have time to give attention to small detail, and where they have the choice of enjoying the company of like-minded fellow Residents:

PRIVACY:

The right of Residents to be left alone and undisturbed whenever they wish.

DIGNITY:

The understanding of Residents' needs and treating them with respect.

INDEPENDENCE:

Allowing Residents to take calculated risks, to make their own decisions and think and act for themselves.

CHOICE:

Giving Residents the opportunity to select for themselves from a range of alternative options.

RIGHTS:

Keeping all basic human rights available to Residents.

FULFILMENT:

Enabling Residents to realise their own aims and helping them to achieve these goals in all aspects of daily living.

EQUALITY:

Committed to a policy of equal opportunity, and recognising the value of diversity, treating all Residents fairly and without discrimination.

Philosophy of Care

"Northcott House" aims to provide its Residents with a secure, relaxed, and homely environment in which their care, well being and comfort are of prime importance.

Carers will strive to preserve and maintain the dignity, individuality and privacy of all Residents within a warm and caring atmosphere, and in so doing will be sensitive to Residents' ever-changing needs. Such needs may be medical/therapeutic (for physical and mental welfare), cultural, psychological, spiritual, emotional and social, and Residents are encouraged to participate in the development of their individualised Care Plans in which the involvement of family and friends may be appropriate and is greatly valued.

This will be achieved through programmes of activities designed to encourage mental alertness, self esteem, social interaction with other Residents and with recognition of the following core values of care which are fundamental to the philosophy of our Home:

All Care Staff within the Home will be appropriately qualified to deliver the highest standards of care. A continuous staff-training programme is implemented to ensure that these high standards are maintained in line with the latest developments in Care Practices as may be laid down by appropriate Legislation, Regulations and the National Care Standards Commission.

Details of Staff Numbers and Staff Training

The home staffing establishment consists of R.G.N.'s, Care Assistants, Kitchen Staff, Office Support Staff and Housekeepers. The home's staff are selected for their qualities of reliability, integrity, skill, friendliness and professionalism. The home follows a robust recruitment policy as specified by the Care Act 2000 National Minimum Standards which includes Criminal Records Bureau checks. During induction all staff are trained in-house by experienced qualified senior staff in the following critical subjects:

The home encourages all Care Assistants to achieve a minimum of NVQ level 2 in Care, and ensures that as many as possible are so qualified. All new members of care staff are given every opportunity to achieve this important qualification. The home also sends selected staff on external training courses for such topics as Food Hygiene, Lifting and Handling, Care of the Elderly, First Aid, Drugs Practice etc. During staff sickness, staffing levels are maintained by cover from current staff and Agency staff with appropriate training.

In addition, the Society employs, for the entire complex, qualified Maintenance staff and an "in house" Health and Safety Officer.

Accommodation

The home has 54 bedrooms, can accommodate 55 residents mostly in single rooms, with 1 twin bedded room for those residents who prefer to share   Downstairs:  36 Single,  1 Double. Upstairs:  17 Single.

Social Rooms:
There are 6 lounges; a conservatory and a separate dining room, all centrally heated. Residents are encouraged to use these public rooms; however, Residents who choose to stay in their own rooms may do so. Smoking is generally discouraged within the home; a separate lounge is set aside for this purpose. Enclosed Garden - access only from within the home.

Admission

Clients interested in coming to "Northcott House" are encouraged to visit the home and sample the atmosphere and level of service. A month's trial period is always given before taking permanent residency.

Assessments are organised prior to admission to ensure the individual's needs/requirements can be met.

Financial Arrangements and Fees

We are committed to providing value for money within our comprehensive and caring service:

The fees charged are based on the scale determined by Hampshire County Council and dependent on:

  1. the type of facility required, and
  2. the type of care package and needs of the individual Resident

Depending on the personal financial situation, a Resident can either pay the fees privately or receive benefits arranged by Social Services.

The current rules can be complicated and specific advice is available from the Home Manager.

Privacy and Dignity

Staff are trained to strive to preserve and maintain the dignity, individuality and privacy of all Residents within a warm and caring atmosphere, and in so doing will be sensitive to Residents' ever changing needs.

Fees - What is included

1 payphone is sited on the premises.

Fees - What is not included

Smoking and Alcohol

The Home has a designated smoking lounge. Smoking is not permitted in personal rooms. With regard to alcohol, Residents will normally make their own arrangements, but, as with smoking, may require to be supervised.

Fire Safety

Religion (Worship/Attendance at Religious Services)

Residents may attend religious services either within or outside the home as they so desire. If services are outside the home, the Resident should, if necessary and where possible, arrange for transport and accompaniment with friends or relatives.

Residents have the right to meet clergy of their chosen denomination at any time. If required, a private room is made available for such meetings.

Contact With Family and Friends

Residents' family, relatives and friends are encouraged to visit the Resident regularly and maintain contact by letter or telephone when visiting is not possible. In these cases, staff will offer to assist the Resident to respond where help may be needed.

Visitors will be welcomed at all reasonable times, and are asked to let the Person in Charge know of their arrival and departure from the home. For Security and Fire Safety reasons, visitors must sign the visitors' book on each occasion.

The Resident has the right to refuse to see any visitor, and this right will be respected and up-held by the Person-In-Charge who will, if necessary, inform the visitors of the Resident's wishes.

Self-contained accommodation for distant relatives/friends visiting Residents is available.

Care Plan Review

Once developed the Care Plan will be regularly reviewed to ensure that the changing needs of the Resident are responded to. Adverse reaction to the Care Plan by the Resident will result in an immediate review of the Care Plan by the named Carer, Manager, Senior Carer/Sister in Charge and other members of Care Staff as necessary.

Family and relatives will be encouraged to participate in the Resident's daily routine as far as is practicable, and are invited to formal reviews. Residents and their Relatives are always welcome to chat with a member of the Care Staff if they have any concerns.

The Care Plan is reviewed at three levels:

All amendments to the Care Plan will require the authorisation of the Sister in Charge or Senior Carer; certain amendments may require the authorisation of the Resident's GP. All amendments to the Care Plan are recorded in full. Residents have access to their own Care Plan on request.

Complaints

If as a Resident, relative or visitor, you feel that there is cause for complaint, you should first discuss the matter with the Person in Charge/Manager. If you remain dissatisfied, you can 1) record the complaint in the Complaints Register, which is available from Reception or from the Person in Charge, 2) Complete a complaints form located by the signing in book in the conservatory. A full investigation will be made into the complaint, and you will be advised of the results as soon as possible. Complaints will be responded to within a maximum of 28 days.

If after this investigation, you are still not satisfied, or if you feel that the complaint is of a serious nature and you wish to speak to a registration officer first, then you should contact the Commission for Social Care and Inspection, Hampshire Area Office, 4 Floor, Overline House, Blechynden Terrace, Southampton, Hants. SO 15 1GW. (Tel. 023 8082 1300)

Bereavement

Every possible support will be given to the Resident's family in the event of a bereavement.

Whereas funeral arrangements are usually made by the next of kin or Legal Representative, the Home Staff can be relied upon to assist and explain what is required. Where there is no next of kin or Legal Representative, the staff will attend to the necessary arrangements.

Therapeutic Activities

The home policy on "Therapeutic Activities" takes into account the clients interests, skills, experiences, personalities and medical condition. The home offers a wide range of activities designed to encourage the client to keep mobile, and most importantly take an interest in life.

Staff encourage and in certain instances help clients to pursue their hobbies and interests:

Clients can play the following games using the equipment that is designed for fading sight:

  1. Cards.
  2. Scrabble.
  3. Bingo.
  4. Draughts.
  5. Ball games - feet or hand.

Activities with the staff (On a Daily Basis)

  1. Chatting to Individual Service Users.
  2. Going for walks.
  3. Manicures.
  4. Playing games.
  5. Armchair exercises.
  6. Reading letters/magazines/newspapers.
  7. Helping to choose Library books.
  8. Music and singalongs.
  9. Maintain life long hobbies, crossword puzzles etc.

A Remembrance Service is held in the grounds every year, in the afternoon of Remembrance Sunday.

Outings

All outings are geared to clients' needs and capabilities and due to this a limited number of clients can go on any one outing.

Examples of outings are listed below:

  1. A drive around the countryside.
  2. Visit to a Garden Centre.
  3. Visit to a pantomime or play.
  4. Visit to view Christmas lighting displays.
  5. Visit to local fete.
  6. Visit to local schools for concerts/lunch.
  7. Visit to local churches strawberry teas/lunch.

Leaving or Temporarily Vacating

If a Resident wishes to leave the home, then 4 weeks notice should be given of this intention, or 4 weeks fees paid in lieu of notice. These conditions are waived during the 4 week trial period. If a Resident temporarily moves out of the home (e.g. to receive hospital treatment) the bed is retained for a period of eight weeks, provided the laid down percentage of the normal fee is paid, in the case of Social Services funded Residents, this retention period would be reviewed by the Home Manager.

Monitoring and Quality

Within the home, there are various systems which ensure that close monitoring is maintained on all of the home's services and procedures, e.g. audits, assessments, resident questionnaires and meetings of residents. Attention to the smallest detail is pivotal to everything that we do.

An important part of our quality programme is to involve the Residents and their relatives. We regularly ask for comments on the home, the staff and services we provide. These comments can be viewed in a separate document available in the home.

Pets

Whilst we acknowledge the fact that many people have pets for company during their lifetime and that they may wish to bring an animal with them when they move, the management has a responsibility to all the Residents with regard to Health and Safety. We do not permit pets but can make arrangements for them to visit Residents.

Medication

If a Resident wants to use self-medication and is safe to do so then all help and advice is given. Otherwise all drugs will be managed by the staff and dispensed and ordered for them under the instructions of the Doctor. Any Resident may request to see a doctor in private if they wish.

Telephone

The home has one phone which can be used by residents for incoming calls in the privacy of their own rooms. Residents may have their own private line through British Telecom at the going rate.

Meals

Menus will be varied and favourite dishes and special diets can be catered for. Residents are encouraged to eat in the dining room but may eat in their own room if this is their choice.

Tea, coffee and other hot drinks are served and available throughout the day; visitors can also be catered for.

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