We carried out a review of the data available to us about Russell Hill Lodge on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Russell Hill Lodge, you can give feedback on this service.
Russell Hill Lodge provides rehabilitative care and support for up to 14 adults living with mild to moderate mental health needs. There were nine people living at the service when we inspected it.
Russell Hill Lodge is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
The service had a registered manager. 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.
Our inspection of the home’s environment identified the need for redecoration and refurbishment in a number of different areas of the home because of the potential for infection and the potential risk to people and to their mental well-being. The provider carried out their own audit of the premises in December 2017. This identified the need for significant refurbishment of the home and a plan to carry out appropriate works designed to address these needs was implemented. At the time of this inspection work had already started on the refurbishment and development works. A number of improvements were noted. The registered manager and the regional manager told us the plan is to complete the works over the year.
People told us they felt safe. Staff were trained in adult safeguarding procedures and knew what to do if they considered people were at risk of harm or if they needed to report any suspected abuse.
There were enough staff on duty to meet people's needs. Robust employment checks were in place to help to ensure new staff were appropriate to be working with and supporting people.
The risks to people's safety and wellbeing were assessed and regularly reviewed together with the people concerned. The process of rehabilitative care and support assisted people to maximise their potential to become independent and to manage their own safety. There were processes in place for the recording and investigation of incidents and accidents.
People were supported with the safe administration of their medicines and there were regular audits undertaken by the provider to monitor the processes in place and to ensure people remained safe.
People were supported by staff who were sufficiently trained and supervised. The provider liaised with other services to share ideas and good practice.
The provider ensured people's nutritional needs were met. Where people were able, they planned their meals, shopped for ingredients and cooked their own food with the support of staff.
People's healthcare needs were met and staff supported them to attend medical appointments.
Staff had undertaken training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and were aware of their responsibilities in relation to people who might be deprived of their liberty. They ensured people were given choices and the opportunity to make decisions.
People were encouraged and supported by staff to become more independent by developing the necessary skills and knowledge. This included eating well and staying healthy. When people needed care and support from healthcare professionals, staff ensured people received this.
People were involved in planning their care and their views were sought and planned for as a central and important part of the process. The provider monitored people’s changing needs and involved them in discussions about any changes that needed to be made to their care plans. Health and social care professionals told us the provider liaised well with them about people’s care and support.
Staff respected people’s privacy and treated them with respect and dignity.
People told us they were able to contribute to the assessment and care planning process of their care through a number of different ways that they found useful. This included Care Programme Approach (multi-disciplinary agency) meetings, key worker meetings and house therapy meetings.
We saw evidence that care plans reflected what people had said they would like and how they would like their care to be delivered. Care plans included details of people’s social activities and of their engagement with the community. All care plans we inspected had been reviewed monthly to the date of this inspection.
People knew how to make a complaint or how to raise a concern if they needed to do so. The registered manager told us they reviewed all complaints to check if there were any trends emerging. None had been identified at the time of this inspection.
Staff said the new registered manager was doing a good job. They told us she was supportive and they felt able to raise any concerns they had with her. Staff said they were included in discussions about the service and they felt involved in service progression and development.
The results from the satisfaction survey just sent out in February 2018 were positive in all areas that questions were asked. They showed that people were satisfied with the support provided by staff and the services more generally in the home
The inspection was carried out by an adult social care inspector.
At our previous inspection in January 2016, we found the service was not providing staff with regular training and refresher training.
Russell Hill Lodge provides rehabilitation and recovery care for up to 18 adults who have mental health problems. The service had a registered manager. 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.
We carried out a focussed inspection to check staff were receiving appropriate training and found the service had made improvements and was meeting the requirements of the Regulations.
At the previous inspection in August 2014 the service was meeting the Regulations we inspected.
The service provides rehabilitation and recovery care for up to 18 younger adults with mental health needs. There were 14 people at the service when we inspected.
The service had a registered manager until November 2015. A replacement manager was in post but has not yet registered. 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.
People told us they felt safe. The service had appropriate policies and procedures for safeguarding and whistle blowing. Staff understood their personal responsibilities to recognise and report any suspicions of abuse. Handovers between shifts ensured staff were aware of recent incidents and the moods, health and welfare of people using the service. The service provided a safe and comfortable environment for people, staff and visitors. Risk assessments were in place for people using the service and provided staff with guidance to provide safe and appropriate care and support. There were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s needs. Staff recruitment procedures ensured suitable staff were selected and included checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service. Medicines were managed safely.
We found gaps in some areas of training and refresher training. You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report. Overall, people were supported by staff who had the knowledge and skills they needed to deliver effective care. Staff were supported to obtain further, relevant qualifications. Staff were aware of the provisions of the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. People were supported to have a healthy diet and to maintain good health.
People told us staff were supportive. Keyworkers provided additional encouragement and support. People were supported to express their views and be involved in the planning and delivery of their care and support. Staff respected people’s dignity and privacy and treated them with respect. People were also encouraged to be independent.
People received person centred care that was focussed on their needs. Support plans and risk assessments were developed with people using the service and helped staff to deliver safe and appropriate care and support. People were encouraged to take part in activities to reduce the risks of social isolation and to enhance their lives. People were also encouraged to maintain relationships with family and friends. The service regularly obtained feedback about people’s experiences of the service with continual improvement in mind. The service had appropriate processes for dealing with complaints.
Staff spoke positively about the management team and said they were approachable. Staff meetings were held every month giving staff the opportunity to feedback their thoughts about the service. There was a system of reviews, checks and audits to assess and monitor the quality of service provided and identify any risks to the health safety and welfare of people using the service, staff and visitors. Records relating to the provision of care were appropriately stored and were fit for purpose.
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 and to pilot a new inspection process being introduced by Care Quality Commission (CQC) which looks at the overall quality of the service.
There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider.
At the last inspection in September 2013 the service had met the regulations we looked at. Russell Hill Lodge provides accommodation and support for up to 18 adults with mental health related needs. The service is a rehabilitation unit where people are supported and encouraged to develop the necessary skills to move on to more independent living. There were 13 people living at the service when we visited. This was an unannounced inspection.
People told us they felt safe living at the service and they had the freedom to go out when they wanted. Staff supported people to be as independent as they wanted to be and encouraged them to follow their own individual activities and interests. Staff helped make sure people were safe in the community by looking at the risks they may face and taking steps to reduce those risks.
There were enough qualified and skilled staff at the service. Staffing was managed flexibly to suit people's needs so that people received their care and support when they needed it. Staff had access to the information, support and training they needed to do their jobs well. All of the people we spoke with said that staff were approachable, they could speak with staff and that they were listened to. During our inspection we saw that staff were caring and attentive to people. They showed people dignity and respect and had a good understanding of individual needs.
Care records we saw contained information about the healthcare and support people needed and we saw people had access to healthcare professionals when they needed them.
Staff told us the manager was supportive and listened to them. We observed people who used the service were comfortable talking with the manager and we saw how the manager reassured and supported people when they were upset or unhappy.
The provider had a number of audits and quality assurance systems to help them understand the quality of the care and support people received. Accidents and incidents were reported and examined. The manager and staff used information about quality of the service and incidents to improve the service.
We spoke with a family member who told us 'the care provided was excellent.' People told us they had good access to healthcare professionals such as doctors, dentists and chiropodists.
We spoke with people who all told us they felt safe in the home. Training matrixes showed that all staff received regular training in safeguarding.
The home was in a good state of repair and communal areas had been recently refurbished and decorated.
We saw that the provider had a comprehensive policy and procedure with regard to staffing that ensured that all staff had the skills to work with the people who used this service. Staff we spoke with told us that they were supported by the management team and that there were good training opportunities available within the organisation.
People were positive about the service and confirmed that the management and staff often asked them for their views about the quality of care they received. The provider was continually reviewing the service.
They made positive comments about the staff and life at Russell Hill Lodge. People said to us, "I like it here,' and, 'They talk to me like a real person.' A visitor told us, 'I don't have to worry about him when I'm not here.'
We witnessed staff talking to people in a friendly and inclusive manner. We saw that staff respected people's privacy and dignity.
We recognised that there had been a number of building improvements since our last report. We noticed that certain areas were in need of refurbishment or redecoration. We were informed by the manager that a programme of refurbishment and redecoration was about to start in those areas.