Care plans for residents

[annikins]

Do you think person centred care plans should be allowed out of the building (taken home by staff to fill in) when on the front cover they say 'Please do not read my careplan unless you have my permission'?

I can understand taken from a nursing home to head office if there was a reason (complaint, meeting etc) but just taken home because they did not have time to fill it in at work......

Any replies greatfully received.

 

[Jo1958]

No, no I don't think they should be taken off the site unless, as you say, it's within the CH environment such as meetings, etc. I'd have a word with the manager and find out if it's a policy of this particular CH.
Best wishes, Jo

 

[annikins]

Hi Jo

Many thanks for your comments. This care home doesn't seem to have any policies that are clear cut - each staff member, including the manager gives you a different version of proceedures. I can't begin to tell you how many problems we have had over the past two years. They have now all come to a head and having a nightmare.

 

[Jo1958]

I am so sorry to hear that you are going through hassles and problems with this CH, an awful situation and like herding cats trying to sort it out. You certainly have my sympathy.
Best wishes, Jo

 

[JPG1]

For care plans to be filled in 'off the premises' is unacceptable, unprofessional, and unlikely to be something that CQC will ignore. But you will need to put it in writing to CQC, rather than telephone.

A care plan should be created with reference to all other documentation about a resident, and some of that may also be computer-based. So, if a care plan is being 'filled in' at home, then it will not be seen to be a reliable care plan.

Who's doing this, Annikins? Is it the manager doing it? Or is it the 'keyworker'?

 

[annikins]

Keyworker!! We've never had one of those - they just leave that blank on the form. Everytime we ask they just say they'll investigate and nothing ever comes of it.

The care plan is approx 36 pages long and is being filled in by one of the senior care workers. I'm not sure what the Manager actually does if I'm honest as she's hardly 'on the floor'. Their review the plan each year and it was supposed to be redone at the end of Jan 2010 but only because I have asked for a copy it was taken home and only half of it filled in at the beginning of May 2010. The other half of the form the staff member actually said she didn't feel best placed to fill in and hated the forms! The form has been designed by the Operational Director who I have also met with no joy so far and another meeting planned.

 

[JPG1]

Definition of 'keyworker'

Keyworker

The person (who may be a designated nurse for people receiving nursing care) responsible for co-ordinating the service user’s plan, for monitoring its progress and for staying in regular contact with the service user and everyone involved.

Taken from the NMS (National Minimum Standards)
http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh...@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4135403.pdf

 

[Clive]

Hi Annikins

I would have more concerns about staff HAVING to take work home because they have not time to do it during the working day, rather than any concerns about your loved ones Care Plan being taken out and possible seen by an unauthorised person. In the real world is it likely to harm your loved one?

I would turn a blind eye to Care Plans being taken home to be updated in the peace and quiet of worker’s home… but I would be very concerned about the reason it is not kept uptodate and why there is not sufficient time for staff to do the job in work time.

Best wishes

Clive.

 

[wdfortyplus]

Confidentiality

Anything written down about an individual living in a care home is confidential as that individual is vunerable. Anything else is a breach of policy.

Any home manager will be fully in the know about 'confidentiality'. It is key element to their job!

Ask for a copy of the confidentiality policy. Should they not provide one question to why as any relative or family member should have free access to the terms and conditions of stay that apply to residents in a care home.

Talk to the care staff at the home. Try finding out who is dealing with your mum on a daily basis. If no key worker has been allocated to your mum demand to know why and you want it sorted!

Key worker means that a person is assigned to an individual. Key workers are allocated duties such as keep their room tidy, stocking up toiletries, giving baths, doing bits of shopping, remembering their birthday, taking them to appointments.

Continuity of care is important.

 

[annikins]

Many thanks all for your comments. Another question - how often should a person centred plan be reviewed? I've read once a month but I don't think that happens for a second!

 

[gillianw]

person centred plan

Hi
As far as I know it can be as many times as the Peson wishes it to be after all it's belongs to them and if they would like to change their plan who can stopped them. Thats what Person Center Plans are all about the wishes and aspirations of the owner of the plan.
EG. If his or hers Medication changed it would have to change on the plan straight away you couldnt leave that till six months time when some one wanted to update plan.

Hope this helps

 

[gillianw]

Person centered plans cont

I forgot to say that my mums plan was done with out me or any one being there. I asked why my mam had not been involved and the reply was that the care staff felt that my mam could not contribute to her plan as she didnt understand.( After I was scrapped off the ceiling and my partner calmed me down ) I told them that she was able to contribute to her own life on a pice of paper and she should be aloud to do so because what is Person Centered Plans all about THE PERSON.

You just get sick of care staff spouting a load of rubbish at you and if they do that to the carers they must do it to the person with Dementia

Iam not sure how I will deal with our own situation because it needs addresss but sometimes I need to stand back and then have time to think and then go back to it.

Sorry for long winded anwser but its done me a load of good shouting off.

 

[JPG1]

Hi
As far as I know it can be as many times as the Peson wishes it to be after all it's belongs to them and if they would like to change their plan who can stopped them. Thats what Person Center Plans are all about the wishes and aspirations of the owner of the plan.
EG. If his or hers Medication changed it would have to change on the plan straight away you couldnt leave that till six months time when some one wanted to update plan.

Hope this helps

Yes, a care plan must be revised every time a change appears in medications, or mobility problems, or swallowing difficulties emerge, or .... no matter what problem emerges. Every time a problem appears, then the care plan must be amended/changed so as to record and to indicate the 'care interventions' that are required to deal with those problems.

So, if problems emerge daily, then the care plan needs to be changed, daily.

If a problem emerges over a week, then the care plan must reflect those changes, immediately.

Each and every time a new potential 'area of concern' appears, then that's when the care plan needs to be looked at, reviewed, and changed. Because the care plan is the document that the 'care staff' need to refer to (many of whom may be agency workers, who arrive one day and are gone the next).

If there are no 'newly emerging' problems, in anyone living in a residential care home (with or without nursing), then count yourselves fortunate.

You should have been allowed to be involved in the creation of the care plan, so that you can make sure that they are all aware of your knowledge of your Mum.

And make sure that you ask for a copy of the care plan, that you can take home with you and read when you are able to read it all, quietly and comfortably.

Take care meanwhile of yourselves,

 

[Charlyparly]

Just to echo what JPG rightly said about care plans needing to be reviewed as and when a person’s needs change or at least once per month.

With regards to the care plans being taken out of the home, this goes against every rule in the book and is certainly something you might want to discuss with CQC.

Data Protection laws require private and confidential information like this to be securely stored and accessible only to those with relevant authorisation.

Apart from anything else, care plans should be accessible to members of staff at all times and on every shift to refer to and update as required. What happens when staff, GP’s or staff from the emergency services need to read or record something about a person and can’t do, because the care plan is sitting on someone’s kitchen table??

 

[annikins]

Medication

Thank you for all the comments - I have found them very beneficial.

Should all medication taken be stated on the person centred plan and updated when necessary?