Hartwell Lodge Residential Home

Updated 9 August 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 2 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.

Service and service type

Hartwell Lodge Residential Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Hartwell Lodge Residential Home is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We reviewed notifications the provider had sent us. Notifications are sent when a significant event has happened in the service. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 10 people who used the service and 2 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 10 members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, kitchen manager, kitchen assistant, maintenance person, care workers and the area manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included 6 people’s care records and people’s medication records. We looked at 4 staff recruitment files. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 9 August 2023

About the service

Hartwell Lodge Residential Home is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 32 people, some of whom live with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 30 people using the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Quality assurance systems had improved since the last inspection and were overall effective in ensuring people received safe and high-quality care. However, we found audits needed improving in relation to topical medicines and Legionnaires. We have made a recommendation about this.

Staff were aware of risks related to people's care and how to support people appropriately. Staff knew how to whistle blow and raise concerns inside and outside of the organisation should they need to.

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

There were enough staff deployed to support people with their needs and staff were safely recruited. We were assured the service were following safe infection prevention and control procedures to keep people safe.

The provider had worked hard to make improvements since our last inspection. The registered manager was responsive to feedback given and was dedicated to ensuring people received a safe, person-centred and compassionate service.

People, relatives and staff told us they were given the opportunity to feed back on the service. They were confident the registered manager would listen and act on any concerns. Everyone thought the service was well-led. People were happy living at Hartwell Lodge and staff enjoyed their work. We found the atmosphere to be positive and engaging.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 25 May 2022). A breach of regulation in relation to good governance was identified. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

At our last inspection we recommended that improvements were made in relation to risk management, infection control, medicines, and duty of candour. At this inspection we found the provider had mostly acted on recommendations, although improvement in relation to topical medicines was still needed. Following the inspection, the provider improved their systems around this and we have recommended these are monitored to ensure they can be sustained and embedded into practice.

Why we inspected

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions Safe and Well-led which contain those requirements.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Hartwell Lodge Residential home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.