Membership review for Innisfail

 

The contents of this review are intended to cover some of the subjects and issues which an individual, their relatives or their placement officer might ask. This review has been published with the written agreement of the home owner, or an authorised representative of the company

Innisfail is a 4-bedroom bungalow which provides a comfortable home to adults with complex physical needs and learning disabilities whose behaviour is not challenging. It can, therefore, accommodate an adult with autism who has learning disabilities, but no challenging behaviour. 

 

On the day of the visit, the rooms were clean and fresh smelling with plenty of room for manoevering wheelchairs. 

I found the Trusts’ own profile to be accurate.

 

Innisfail was opened in 2005 and is a service providing supported living for adults with learning difficulties.  It is a dormer bungalow with 4 single bedrooms on the ground floor. On the day of the visit, there were three female tenants in their middle years with learning difficulties two of whom have physical disabilities. 

 

My visit started at the Local Office of The Wilf Ward Family Trust in Beverley.  I met the Registered Manager, Pat Walker who kindly spent some time talking to me about the service.  I was taken to the Innisfail service which is in the small village of Walkington, a few miles north of the Humber Bridge and four miles south of Beverley. 

 

The setting is very rural with country views in every direction.  The building is a very large dormer bungalow although the upper level is used for storage only. It has extensive land around.  There are two entrances at the front and one at the back. I was invited to use the back door which led to a large hallway in the centre of the building.

 

The garden is large and is almost entirely grassed. The land is edged with large Leylandii hedging ensuring privacy to the back and side gardens.  There is a sun house to one side and a sheltered seating area where barbeques are often held.  On the day of the visit, the manager told me that she intends to develop the landscaping further in due course.

 

The home can be accessed via two front doors both of which lead into a small room which serves as a room for individuals to go if they wish to get away from the others.  They are furnished with comfortable seating.   One is painted a very bright orange colour

 

The house is divided in two, although this is an informal arrangement and the tenants are able to access either half. The kitchen is at the heart of the building and shared by both halves.  It is clean, well equipped and modern.  The ladies are able to use it in the company of staff members to promote their independence, although it is kept locked when not in use for the safety of the residents.

 

Leading from the hall on one side is a lounge diner, two bedrooms and one bathroom. Both bedrooms are large and contain double beds and are personalised with the tenants' own possessions.  The bathroom has an adjustable bath and a shower to accommodate physical disabilities.

 

On the other side of the hall the arrangement is very similar.  The bedroom, which on the day of the visit, was empty was being used for storage. The bathroom on this side has an adjustable bath only.   There is tracking leading from a bedroom into the bathroom to enable the staff to safely and comfortably transfer the tenant from the bed into the bath.

 

I was advised that if they prefer showers to baths any tenant may use the facilities in the other bathroom. In addition to these rooms there is a small office, and a laundry room.  Again this is kept locked when not in use, but may be accessed by residents if accompanied by staff, again to promote independence.

 

Within a relatively short commute is a wide range of services and activities to provide stimulation and interest for the tenants. These include Beverley races; The Deep at Hull; The City of York with the Jorvic Centre and Minster.  

 

There are a good range of shops serving all needs within a short distance of Innisfail. The Company provides two vehicles for the tenants to access these facilities; however, the manager told me that she was investigating the possibility of obtaining transport through the Motability scheme for each of her tenants.

 

This service is aimed specifically for adults with a learning disability and on the day of the visit had no tenants on the autistic spectrum.   The Trust does provide training for staff on understanding autism as and when required, however, that had not proved necessary for managing the client group up to the date of the visit.

 

Referrals come from the learning disabilities team or social services who have a good understanding of the abilities and needs of the client and have prepared a plan of care which provides the basis of the Innisfail assessment.  The client is invited to visit the service as many times as they feel necessary prior to admission to ensure a smooth transition.

 

Five or six staff members are allocated to each tenant and are keyworkers to them. They  are jointly responsible for keeping care plans up to date and the general welfare of the service users.  Care plans are reviewed in-house 12 weekly and with social services 6 monthly.

 

The client group on the day of the visit had very low abilities and had very few communication skills. They were being encouraged to make choices in their lives as much as possible; staff know the ladies well and are able to observe their likes and dislikes.  

 

As there are numerous attractions within easy travelling distance from the service the service users spend a lot of their time going out and about. When at home they are encouraged to engage in activities such as looking at books, arts and crafts and knitting although their participation is limited.

 

Family members are encouraged to visit as often as they choose. Staff supported one service user to go on holiday with her sister.

 

The Wilf Ward Family Trust encourages healthy diets, exercise and access to health professionals. Service users are encouraged to eat a well balanced diet.  Menus are changed weekly.  Advice on nutrition is given by a dietician.

 

All service users are registered with the local healthcare professionals.  Good support is offered by the GP who knows them well and the practice accommodates their personal needs.

 

Although currently occupied by three ladies, the previous occupant of the fourth bedroom was male which worked very well.  It is therefore a suitable placement for mixed genders.

 

All staff employed by the Trust are CRB checked before they are allowed to commence employment.  They must also provide two satisfactory references. On commencement of employment staff receive a copy of the staff handbook which contains key policies and procedures.

 

An induction period includes training on health and safety, first aid, complex needs and behaviour training, fire safety, safe storage and administration of medication, moving and handling and safeguarding.  Although the staff at Innisfail have not had training in understanding autism, it is on offer as and when required.  The manager told me the team would be happy to train if an individual with autism was considered as a service user at the service. New staff then have a period of shadowing more experienced staff until they are considered competent to work alone.

 

The company has a bank of regular relief staff, many of whom have been employed for some considerable time. These stand in when there is a shortfall in one of the facilities.  Their experience means that continuity is maintained within the home.

 

Some of the team have acquired NVQ level 2 qualification and the rest are encouraged to work towards the Diploma in Health and Social Care which has replaced the NVQ.

 

Staff receive supervisions with the Manager or one of her two assistants at least ten weekly.  There is a tracking system to ensure that no supervisions are missed.  The manager also operates an open door policy for staff to discuss any issues at any time.

 

The management style appeared very relaxed and the staff I met appeared friendly and caring.  There was good interaction between staff and the service users. The focus of the home is to provide a homely environment and a variety of stimulating activities to ensure the wellbeing of the service users. 

 

I got the impression of a service providing a good level of care to service users with a high level of disability and a low level of challenging behaviour.

 

I would like to extend my thanks to the manager and staff for their time and hospitality and wish them well for their future development.

 

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Visiting Officer: Craig Godding, Living Autism
Director of Compliance and Client Liaisons