New Developments
Newsletter March 2010
Welcome to the Rodwell Farm newsletter keeping you fully up to date with news and events.
ISO 9001:2008
Rodwell Farm has just undergone their recent ISO inspection and we are delighted to have maintained this international standard.
ISO 9001:2008 specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organisation needs to:
a) demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products/services that meets customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and
b) aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for continual improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
The standard provides a framework for managing and improving our quality system. Whilst many people think that ISO standards are for companies producing products, in fact the standard provides a set of standardised requirements for a quality management system whatever the organisation does. We have found that the standard imposes a discipline for managing our processes and gives a framework for auditing our performance against our policies and assists us in our programme of continual improvement.
For your information I have extracted some paragraphs from our recent report.
“Rodwell Farm has a mature, well developed Quality System in place, which is integrated with Business Planning. All requirements of ISO 9000:2008 have now been addressed and sufficient evidence was seen during the audit to recommend that Certification to this new standard should be continued.
The Auditor was pleased to note that many strengths were observed during the audit particularly: a robust and supportive management structure which places an emphasis on on-going service improvement: well documented and accessible procedures, now effectively controlled ‘on-line’: the approach to resident care which focuses on meeting individual needs, as evidenced through good teamwork and thorough care planning: building relationships with families, through the use of interactive records and text messaging.”
Many thanks to all of our staff whose hard work and diligence enables our home to reach these standards.
Activity Update
Our activities programme continues to provide a full calendar of events over the forthcoming months.
Our chef has been kept busy with themed dinners including Burns Night with a choice of the traditional haggis neeps and tatties or Angus beef in whisky sauce and tipsy laird for dessert. On Valentine’s day the residents enjoyed tomato and basil soup with heart shaped croutons, cupids chicken and berry pavlova! Many thanks to Gail our chef whose flair in the kitchen enables us to make the most of these celebrations.
The fortnightly art class continues to have a good attendance from residents, who are now getting ready to enter their pictures for the local craft exhibitions which will be held in the summer. Last year two of our residents won certificates for their entries and we are hoping to continue our success this year!
Glenys has been busy putting together a schedule of activities for the forthcoming months, for further information please contact Glenys who will be happy to provide you with full details. Some of the highlights will include Lynne Stynne singing George Fornby and Drew, one of our regulars playing the guitar.
Training
In order to maximise efficiency in our training programmes we have adopted an e-based learning system through ThirdForce. ThirdForce provide care organisations with a complete training solution that meets all CQC and legal compliance requirements.
From the day a new member of staff joins, the courses provide the technical and regulatory knowledge they need to meet the CQC standards. The “Skills for Care and Knowledge Sets” and professional “NVQ Qualifications” quickly provide learners with the qualifications they need to carry out their job roles to a high standard.
Catering for all staff and all abilities, the e-learning allows each individual to work at a pace suitable to their learning capabilities. The programme allows independence whilst still being monitored and assessed through each of the various programmes and training can take place to suit the individual. After the completion of each course staff receive a certificate and then move on to the next module.
The feedback from our staff has been great. They have enjoyed the flexibility of the programme and the fact that they can manage to complete their training at a time that suits them.