Quality Strategy

Introduction

Sussex Health Care was first established in 1985 providing nursing and residential care within the independent sector.

The organisation offers the provision of care for a wide range of service user groups currently on 15 different sites. The diversity of care provision can be seen within the adult care sector, services for people with learning disabilities, care of younger physically disabled and services for the mentally infirm.

Sussex Health Care has a continuously developing quality programme and is fully committed to the group’s Quality Strategy. The group achieved HQS accreditation in 2002 and Investors In People in 2003. In June 2005 the group achieved ISO 9000:2000 and is now the only independent care home provider in the UK to have attained dual accreditation for HQS and ISO 9000:2000.

The group’s business philosophy centres on the need to establish its competitive position within West Sussex, East Sussex, Surrey and surrounding areas.

Sussex Health Care’s intent is to provide good quality services that are both efficient and profitable, and offer best value.

Mission Statement

Sussex Health Care has been established to provide quality physical, emotional, spiritual and social care, which recognises the needs of the individual.

Our aim is to enable our service users to live as fully as possible with skilled care in an environment that fosters dignity, self-respect, independence and comfort.

Statement of Intent

Sussex Health Care will continually respond to the developing requirements of the new Care Standards Commission and to the expectations of our service users, offering health and social care of a high standard.

We will offer opportunities to our personnel for training and development and employ people who are committed to our standards of excellence.

We provide person-centred services to our service users and ensure that service users are given the opportunity to have a voice when planning and developing services.

It is our intention to capitalise on development opportunities and diversify into different health care markets as the situation presents itself.

Sussex Health Care has an established reputation for providing services of high quality. This provides the group with a solid base on which, not only to continue the development of existing services, but also to enable the group the flexibility to respond to market forces, and any window of opportunity that may arise.

There are 5 goals currently identified.

Goal 1

We will manage and deliver successful services to our customers.

Strategy to meet goal 1

Progress will be managed through:

Locally Based Audits – Carried out on a six monthly basis to each home. Audits will be reviewed by the Senior Management Team and action will be taken and documented to resolve issues arising. The audit will be based on the HQS system. Quality Assurance will be a standing agenda item at the staff meeting and service users' meetings.
The Group receives regular monitoring visits from ISO and HQS.
Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) Inspection – Homes are also inspected externally by CSCI as per the Care Standards regulations and inspection reports will be available at every home and on the internet for existing and future service users to view.
Feedback of Service Evaluation – Service users and their families will be given the opportunity to discuss services offered eg through postal questionnaires, telephone interviews, results of verbal and written documentation sent to service users and families. Results of service users' feedback surveys will be shared with staff groups.
Complaints Policy – Each home will record every complaint, verbal or written. Complaint analysis will form part of the locally based audits and fed back to Senior Management Team.
Advocacy services are available to service users within the group.
Staff Surveys - These will be carried out regularly and results fed back to all staff.
Quality Walkabout - Operational Managers and Heads of Service will regularly visit homes within their patch and document areas discussed with staff/service users. Environment and equipment will be reviewed. This will be evaluated through Senior Management meetings. The Proprietors will visit each home on a 3 monthly basis and carry out an informal walkabout within each service.

Goal 2

A clear infrastructure of working policies and procedures will be available for all employees to refer to and take guidance from.

Strategy to meet goal 2

An annual appraisal system is in place with targets and achievements identified for every member of staff with timescales.
Each individual will have a job description that is reviewed on an annual basis. Training opportunities/needs will be identified at this stage and development opportunities discussed. This will be reviewed within the training needs analysis and Sussex Health Care’s internal audit system.
Sussex Health Care policies and procedures will be available within every home. Each member of staff will sign to state that they have read and understood procedures.
Home meetings will be held monthly. Registered Home Manager meetings will be held regularly and each staff member will have identified supervision every 6 weeks.
Written Service Level Agreements will be available for each home that they receive services and support from departments at Sussex Health Care’s head office.
Written financial instructions will be available and reviewed regularly as part of the internal quality system.

Goal 3

Sussex Health Care will develop a performance management system that is integrated across all levels that drives continuous improvement.

Strategy to meet goal 3

Each individual will complete an induction programme. The manager of each home will ensure that the induction programme has been completed within agreed timetables.
Training needs will be identified through the appraisal system. Aims and objectives will be agreed, training will be evaluated by the individual and manager and the training needs analysis will be reviewed by the Senior Management Team.
Management training will be available to managers within the group and clinical staff will be responsible, with their manager for highlighting exceptional differences to the Home Manager and Service Manager on a monthly basis.
A bi-monthly budget meeting will be held highlighting financial performance of each home with the Proprietor and the Senior Management Team.
Appoint a business/facilities manager to support staff to improve management information collection and analysis.
Continue to strengthen the management team as new services are developed.

Goal 4

Open communication systems will be operated throughout the service.

Strategy to meet goal 4

Good practice will be highlighted through internal audit systems. Regular feedback will be given to staff through formal channels, i.e. newsletters, team briefs, Home meetings/DOH guidelines/Professional advisors/Purchaser feedback.
Concerns will be raised through formal procedures ie Disciplinaries/Grievances/Complaints/ Registration reports/Formal whistleblowing procedures/service user review.
Informal communication systems such as suggestion boxes and feedback from quality walkabouts.

Goal 5

Sussex Health Care will develop networks with the local community ensuring that working in partnership with all stakeholders is part of the commitment to quality.

Strategy to meet goal 5

Develop links with local PCT’s, HA’s, GP practices and LA’s service user groups to ensure that choices are available when identifying customers.
Ensure that the Sussex Health Care group network with professional bodies ie. NMC, IPD, DOH, Care Standards commission.
Keep an up-to-date web site available.

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