Sandiway Lodge Nursing Home

Updated 17 December 2020

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.

As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of coronavirus, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control practice was safe, and the service was compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 26 November 2020 and was announced.

Updated 17 December 2020

Sandiway Lodge Nursing Home 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 home itself was built towards the end of the 19th century as a large country house and has been adapted over the years for its current use as a care home. Sandiway Lodge is situated off Chester Road in Sandiway, approximately three miles from the town of Northwich and is set in an acre of gardens. There is a local shop conveniently situated across the road, and other community facilities within the village of Cuddington

This inspection took place on the 9 January 2019 and was unannounced.

There was 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.

At our last inspection we rated the service good overall. We previously rated the ' Well Led' domain as requires improvement but at this inspection we found the evidence supported the rating of good. There was and no evidence or information from our inspection and on going monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection

Staff had the skills and knowledge to keep people safe. Care plans contained risk assessments and when risks were identified plans provided clear guidance for staff on how to reduce the risk of harm. Incidents and accidents were reported and analysed to identify trends. There was evidence that lessons were learned when incidents happened.

Safe recruitment procedures were in place and there was enough staff on duty to meet people’s needs.

Medicines were managed safely. The environment was exceptionally clean.

Staff were trained to undertake their roles. Staff had regular supervisions with a supervisor. People’s nutritional needs were met and people were complimentary about the meals they were served.

Staff remained knowledgeable about the Mental Capacity Act 2005. 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.

We observed many positive interactions between people and staff. People spoke highly of the staff and staff spoke positively about their roles. Regular feedback was sought from people.

Care plans were person centred and contained details of people’s choices and preferences for how they wanted to be supported.

There was a complaints procedure in place which allowed both complaints and concerns to be recorded and investigated appropriately.

There were robust quality assurance processes in place which identified shortfalls. Action plans were then put into place to highlight the concern, who was to resolve the matter and by when.

People and staff unanimously, spoke highly of the registered manager who they described as a strong leader with high standards. Staff told us morale at the service was good and that they felt valued.