The Care Quality Commission

Archived: The Gables

23 Melville Avenue, South Croydon, Surrey, CR2 7HZ (020) 8649 8484

Provided and run by:
Odyssey Care Solutions for Today

All Inspections

9 August 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We used a number of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people who use the service, because most of the people who lived at this care home had complex needs, which meant they were not always able to communicate verbally with us in a meaningful way. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a specific way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We also spoke with most of the staff that were on duty at the time of our site visit, which included the deputy manager.

It was evident from what we observed during our review and all the feedback we received that the people who live at The Gables are satisfied with the standard of the care and support they had received.

People we spoke with told us they liked the staff that worked at The Gables. During our visit we saw staff always speaking with the people who use the service in a very kind and courteous manner and taking their time to listen to what people had to say. The language and tone of voice used by staff was also always appropriate and never dismissive or condescending.

During our last review of this service, which we carried out on 22nd February 2012, we found that not all the essential standards of quality and safety were being met. This was because people were not always given enough opportunities to participate in meaningful social activities, especially in the wider community, and the poor standard of the interior decor of the home. The provider was required to send us a report that told us what action they intended to take to achieve compliance with these essential standards. The provider wrote to us in March 2012 and told us they had taken appropriate action to improve the service. During our review we found evidence that showed us the community based activities people are offered and the interior d'cor of the home had significantly improved.

The atmosphere at The Gables remained very relaxed and congenial throughout the course of this inspection.

22 February 2012

During a routine inspection

We only spoke to one individual who lives at the Gables because people who reside there are unable to hold lengthy vocal conversations. It was evident from the comments we received from this individual that they liked living at the Gables and got on well with the staff.

Throughout the course of this visit we observed all the care staff who were on duty at the time always treat the people who live at the Gables with the utmost respect and courtesy. Care staff were always seen taking their time to listen to what the people who use the service were trying to tell them. All the care staff we met, which included the temporary staff, demonstrated a good understanding of what peoples preferred methods of verbal and non-verbal communication were and how to interpret certain phrases and hand gestures people were observed using.

The people who live at the Gables have some good opportunities to participate in a variety of interesting in-house activities, which includes access to a well-resourced sensory room and a rummage box in the lounge. However, the feedback we received from care staff about the opportunities people had to join in meaningful community based social activities was more negative. Typical comments made by care staff we met, included: 'People who live here can get stressed because they are no going out enough', 'I think people do get bored here sometimes, especially if they do not get out much during the day', and 'Having more community based activities for people to participate in is something we use to do well here and is something we should be doing better'.

During a tour of the premises it was positively noted that all the bedrooms we viewed were suitably furnished and decorated to a reasonable standard. An individual we spoke to told us they liked the way their bedroom had been decorated.

However, there remains a significant number of areas for repair, redecorating and refurbishment at the home, especially in the communal areas. Concerns about the decorative state of the Gables has been raised at previous inspections. Typical feedback we received from all the care staff we spoke to about the homes environment, included: 'I think its been over a decade since this any of the communal areas and kitchen were last refurbished', 'We have got one maintenance man for the whole company and there's no way he can keep up with all the repairs ' its unrealistic', and 'I would not like to live in a home that looked like this purely because it looks and feels so worn out and shabby'.

There has clearly been a significant delay in addressing these issues as the need for repairs and refurbishments has built up over time and are not in most cases new. We are aware that there continues to be on-going discussions about the possible closure of the Gables, but the provider must not allow the home to remain in such a poor state of repair without taking the necessary action to remedy any structural or environmental defects.

Finally, the Gables looked very clean and was free from any malodours when we visited. However, during our tour of the premises we noted numerous bottles that contained substances that were hazardous to health had been left in toilets and bathrooms and the cupboards where these products should have been kept secure were found unlocked. This has placed the people who live at the Gables at unnecessary risk of harm and urgent steps must be taken to prevent these failures reoccurring.