Independent Occupational Therapist

JULIE SWANN

CSCI Standard 22 Reports

Occupational Therapy Reports on Care Homes
These reports comment on Individual Care Homes and make recommendations in areas outlined in Standard 22 (reproduced below). The reports can easily be transformed into Action Plans for the Care Homes.

Background
On 1 April 2004 the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) acquired responsibility for the inspection of Care Homes. The CSCI regulates social care services in accordance with statutory regulations and National Minimum Standards (2002) issued by the Department of Health. The National Minimum Standards stemmed from the Care Act 2000 providing a benchmark for Care Homes.
These standards are available electronically from the CSCI at www.csci.org.uk

There are two types of CSCI Inspections of Care Homes:-

  • Yearly 'announced' inspection when the Care Home is informed of a visit and is able to prepare. During an announced inspection, all relevant National Minimum Standards should be reviewed.
  • Yearly 'unannounced' inspections when the Care Home doesn't know the inspector is coming. Unannounced /complaints investigation inspection reports may not review all of the National Minimum Standards, as inspectors may just focus on specific service areas.

Copies of all CSCI inspection reports are obtainable electronically from www.csci.org.uk/RegisteredServicesDirectory/rsquicksearch.asp

Standard 22 (reproduced below) states that "The registered person demonstrates that an assessment of the premises and facilities has been made by suitably qualified persons, including a qualified occupational therapist, with specialist knowledge of the client groups catered for, and provides evidence that the recommended disability equipment has been secured or provided and environmental adaptations made to meet the needs of service users".

Standard 22

22.1 The registered person demonstrates that an assessment of the premises and facilities has been made by suitably qualified persons, including a qualified occupational therapist, with specialist knowledge of the client groups catered for, and provides evidence that the recommended disability equipment has been secured or provided and environmental adaptations made to meet the needs of service users.
22.2 Service users have access to all parts of service users' communal and private space, through the provision of ramps and passenger lifts, where required to achieve this.
22.3 The home provides grab rails and other aids in corridors, bathrooms, toilets, communal rooms and where necessary in service users' own accommodation.
22.4 Aids, hoists and assisted toilets and baths are installed which are capable of meeting the assessed needs of service users.
22.5 Doorways into communal areas, service users' rooms, bathing and toilet facilities and other spaces to which wheelchair users have access, have a clear opening width of 800mm.
22.6 Facilities, including communication aids (e.g. a loop system), and signs are provided to assist the needs of all service users, taking account of the needs, for example, of those with hearing impairment, visual impairment, dual sensory impairments, learning disabilities or dementia or other cognitive impairment, where necessary.
22.7 Storage areas are provided for aids and equipment, including wheelchairs.
22.8 Call systems with an accessible alarm facility are provided in every room.


Aspects of other Care Standards that Occupational Therapy can help with:

  • Standard 3 & 7 - Assessment of service users.

  • Standard 6, Intermediate Care
    - Assessment for equipment, rehabilitation and promotion of independence.
    - Provision of suitable environments to promote healthy living and functional abilities.

  • Standard 8
    Promotion and maintenance of service users' physical and psychological health via activity and exercise including falls prevention..

  • Standard 12 provide advice on:
    - individual programmes of meaningful occupational activity to promote independence, maintain social contact and prevent functional decline.
    - facilitative equipment.
    - therapeutic aspects of activity to enable continuance of leisure, social and cultural interests and activities.

  • Standard 13
    Advise on networking with the local community.

  • Standard 38
    Advise on equipment to assist with manual handling and safe working practices.

For further information email: BoxNum 1242

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