Tye Green Lodge

Updated 10 January 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.’

This comprehensive inspection took place on 23 November 2017 and was unannounced. It was undertaken by two inspectors and an expert by experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Prior to our inspection we reviewed all the information we held about the service including statutory notifications that had been submitted. Statutory notifications include information about important events, which the provider is required to send us by law. We also reviewed information received from relatives of people who used the service and information shared with us by the safeguarding and quality improvement teams of the local authority.

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

Over the course of our inspection visits we spoke with the registered manager and six staff. We also spoke with 11 people who used the service and six relatives. We reviewed various documents including 6 people’s care records, 2 staff files and other relevant documentation such as training records, quality audits and minutes of meetings.

Updated 10 January 2018

The inspection took place on 23 November 2017and was unannounced.

Tye Green Lodge is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Tye Green Lodge provides accommodation and personal care for up to 61 older people including those living with dementia. Accommodation is located over two floors and divided into four units. At the time of our inspection there were 60 people living at the service.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

We saw improvements in how medicines were stored, administered and managed and improved infection control practices were in place. The premises were clean and safe for people as regular checks of the environment and equipment were undertaken.

People received safe care as any risks had been identified and were well managed by staff who knew people well. People told us they felt safe and relatives felt confident that their family members were well looked after.

People remained protected from the risk of abuse as staff had received training and understood their safeguarding responsibilities and the reporting process. Lessons were learned from accidents, incidents and complaints. These were recorded and analysed with actions taken to minimise the risk of re-occurrence.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Staff received training and support with learning to help equip them with the skills and knowledge required to support people effectively. Staff felt well supported through the supervision and appraisal process and the ‘open door’ policy adopted by the management team.

People were supported to have enough to eat and drink and received timely support to access healthcare professionals when their health needs changed. If people had particular wishes for end of life care these were discussed and recorded. Systems were in place to support people with symptom control and pain relief.

There was a longstanding and stable staff team who were kind and caring and knew people well. People were treated with dignity and respect and felt listened to. People received care and support how they liked it and their independence was encouraged. Visitors were made welcome at the service and people were helped to maintain relationships that were important to them.

Care plans were personalised and were regularly reviewed to reflect peoples' current needs. People’s viewpoints were actively sought and the service responded positively to feedback and complaints. The home environment was warm and welcoming with lots of opportunities for activities, stimulation and social interaction that met people’s needs and preferences.

Staff, people and relatives were all included in the running of the service. Quality assurance systems were in place to monitor the safety and effectiveness of the service and drive improvements. There was robust oversight of the service and clear lines of accountability at staff, management and provider level.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.