Health & Safety Issues
Lifting
We have a range of specialist equipment to assist us in the “moving and handling” of residents.
This equipment ensures that the “no lifting policy” can be safely maintained.
Fire Safety
Langdale has a modern Fire Alarm system with Emergency Fire Call points situated by EXITS throughout the home.
FIRE EXIT NOTICES are situated along corridors and EMERGENCY FIRE INSTRUCTIONS ARE ADJACENT TO ALL TELEPHONES – As advised by the Hampshire Fire Department.
Staff receive instruction on day one of their “orientation training” in respect of Fire Prevention, Fire Drills, Evacuation and Muster points, and are further advised on how to raise the alarm.
Residents will be informed of the emergency procedure on admission to the home.
The Fire Alarms are tested weekly, every Wednesday morning at 11.00 am – the staff are expected to “muster” at this time. Further training is mandatory to staff twice a year and is carried out by a Fire Prevention Officer, to include Full Evacuation Procedures and Use of Fire Fighting Equipment. This ensures all staff have a knowledge of their responsibilities.
Our Fire Fighting Equipment is checked annually by a qualified Service Engineer from Chubb Fire Ltd., and a Certificate is issued.
All Smoke Alarms, Emergency Fire Alarms and Emergency Lighting is checked six monthly by a qualified Service Engineer from Mercury Fire Alarm Co. and a Certificate is issued.
Fire Retardant fabrics are used when all furniture is newly purchased and when any furniture is reupholstered.
Smoking
We operate a “no smoking” policy within the confines of the building.
Those residents wishing to smoke can smoke outside within the designated areas.
Nurse Call
The Nurse Call system, of which there at least two points in every room, is to alert staff to your “care needs” and to be used in the case of an “emergency”.
PLEASE REMEMBER:- carers are busy people, and the Nurse Call system must not be abused.
Laundry
We provide a laundry service in respect of “machine washable and machine dried” clothing only.
We cannot facilitate the laundry of any item of clothing requiring “hand washing or special attention require”
Although due care will be exercised when laundering your clothing, the management will not take any responsibility whatsoever for any item of clothing during the laundry service, or indeed for any item of a delicate nature, or for items of poor wear and tear requiring the attention of our laundry service.
Labelling of Clothing
We respectfully request that all Residents clothes are appropriately labelled with “sewn-on” woven Nametapes
bearing your personal identification. We recommend…
Cash’s (UK) Ltd.
Torrington Avenue
Coventry
CV4 9UZ
Telephone 024 7646 6466
Fax 024 7646 2525
Cash’s provide woven Name Tapes etc., and we would respectfully request that you avail yourself of their services, or provide adequate labelling to facilitate this request.
Again, whilst every effort will be made by our staff to ensure your labelled laundry is returned to you, again we do not accept responsibility for items, which may become lost during this process.
Should however you be missing any items, please place a notice for the attention of your Primary Care Team (which is headed by a Senior Care Assistant) on the notice-board in your room, and they will deal with the matter at the earliest opportunity.
If you (or your representative) find any clothing in your room, which does not belong to you (as can happen with unlabelled laundry), please return the items to your Primary Care Team or leave outside the Laundry Room.
GIFTS OF FOOD
Due to potential hazards, it is preferable that no HIGH RISK food items are allowed to be brought into the home, by visitors or staff, e.g. sandwiches, meat pies etc.
We have absolutely no idea how hygienically they have been made or prepared, or even stored previously.
Cross-contamination could easily occur, or items could be consumed when rife with bacteria.
We advise our visitors to bring gifts of food, which are low risk, i.e. fruit, biscuits, chocolates and pre-packaged fruit drinks. We will permit items such as these, but anything that needs to be kept hot, warm or chilled, cannot be permitted.
Gifts of food should also be discouraged from being given to other residents.
If required, for special occasions, our cooks will be only too delighted to bake a cake etc.
Social Aspects
Contact with Family and Friends
We have an “open visiting” policy, meaning any reasonable time. We do however try to discourage visiting whilst the client is washing, bathing, or in the process of going to bed. We encourage visiting at meal times as relatives may wish to assist or join you for a meal.
Visitors are reminded of the importance of signing in and out in the Register, which is situated in the corridor immediately outside the ground floor lounge. Furthermore, any accidents occurring on the premises must be reported to the Nurse in Charge BEFORE you leave so that the details can be accurately recorded in the Accident Book. These are Health & Safety requirements.
As Part of the care process, client outings with family and friends are important and can be essential to the well being of the resident. Therefore, should you wish to take an outing with your family and friends at any time, please let the care staff know who will facilitate you.
Activities
We employ an Activity Therapist who visits the home 5 days a week to focus on providing interesting activities in different formats to help ensure the Social Welfare of our residents. A monthly Newsletter of activities is placed on the Activities Notice-board and in your room.
Whilst promoting activities, we accept that an individual may have established Hobbies and Interests outside of their home and we will endeavour to facilitate these interests.
Pastoral Care
We encourage all residents who wish to practice their Religious beliefs to invite their own clergy/priest into the home for friendship, counselling, or to provide Communion.
We have access to all Religious denominations and, currently have a Priest from St. Mary’s (RC) Gosport and Lay Assistants from St. Mary’s Church (C of E) in Alverstoke, who visit regularly and offer pastoral care and the Reserved Sacrament to residents in their room.
Telephone Calls
Where practicable, residents will be encouraged to have their own phone installed in their rooms. They will be responsible for the Installation, Rental and all Calls. Those residents’, who do not have their own phone, may receive calls and make calls on the Home Portable Phone.
Personal Allowance
We encourage clients to “take charge” of their own personal allowance and to encourage their family and friends to assist them where this may prove difficult. A safe is provided in your room to hold cash, although we would not encourage sums greater than £20. to be held at any time.
Those residents who do not have “outside” assistance to help manage their personal allowance can seek the assistance of our Administrator who will be happy to hold small sums of money in the Company Safe and she can issue you with a “request for cash dockets” for when you require funds.
Notice Boards
Notice Boards are strategically placed in the main entrance corridor.
There is an Activities Notice board, which is intended as an extension of the Monthly Activities Newsletter, and keeps you “up to date” of visits by the Library etc., and other events, which may concern you. A further Activities Notice board can be found in the main upstairs corridor adjacent to the lift.
The Management Notice board, situated alongside the Activities Notice board is our method of communication in the immediate short term, general items other than of a nursing nature.
There is a personal Notice board situated in your room (two in shared occupancies). You can of course place your favourite photo on the board and birthday cards etc.
It is also a means of communicating matters requiring attention, from and to your Primary Care Team.
Library
The Housebound Division of the Hampshire Community Library Services visit every 7 – 8 weeks. The date of their next visit will be displayed on the Residents Notice board.
Hairdressing
There is a Hairdresser who visits the home every week, and she can offer the ladies a Shampoo and Set, Blow Dry and Trim etc. Perms are usually carried out after an assessment of your hair type is determined and arrangements will be made to return on another specified day so that extra time can be set aside for this service.
Trimming for the male residents can also be carried out.
This service is not included in your Fees and you can either pay the Hairdresser direct, or charge it to the “home account” and we will bill you separately at the end of the month on your Sundries Account.
Wheelchairs (Privately owned)
All costs of repairs, maintenance, servicing and valeting are the responsibility of the Service User and any costs incurred, or paid for on behalf of the Service User by the Home will be passed on to the Service User.
Wheelchairs (Loans)
Wheelchairs that are loaned by the NHS to Service Users are maintained by the NHS and are therefore Free of any Charges.
Client Mail
Your personal mail will usually be distributed with your Breakfast. All mail, personally addressed is given to you, and is classed as personal and private. We do however respectfully request that all Hospital Appointments etc. be advised to the Nurse in Charge so these can be diarised and we can then ensure that those of you wishing family or friends to accompany you on these appointments are informed and that the appropriate transport where necessary be booked.
Daily Papers
Our Administrator will be happy to arrange daily and evening papers, magazines, periodicals, etc. These are delivered to the home from our suppliers and we will arrange for you to receive these with your breakfast/supper. If you wish these to be charged to the “home account” and we will bill you separately at the end of the month on your Sundries Account.
