Lostock Lodge

Updated 2 February 2022

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.

We received information of concern about infection prevention and control measures and visiting arrangements at this service. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider has in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 6 January 2022 and was unannounced.

Updated 2 February 2022

The inspection took place on 25 September 2018 and was unannounced. This meant that the service did not know we were coming. The last inspection took place on 18 and 19 April 2017, when it was rated as requires improvement in the areas of safe and well led and rated good in effective, caring and responsive. This meant that the overall rating was requires improvement. We identified breaches of Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 Safe Care and Treatment. This was because we had concerns about the management of medicines.

Following the last inspection, we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show us what they would do and by when to improve the key questions of safe and well led to at least good. During this inspection, we found the service was meeting the requirements of the current legislation.

Lostock 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. Lostock Lodge accommodates up to 32 people in one adapted building. It provides accommodation for persons who require personal care for people living with a dementia and older people. At the time of our inspection 24 people were in receipt of care at the home. All bedrooms were of single occupancy and all but four were located on the ground floor level. Corridors were large and accessible for wheelchair users and level access to the outside gardens was available.

The service had a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. 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 was run.

People told us they felt safe in the home. Staff we spoke with understood the procedure to take when dealing with any allegations of abuse. Systems were in place to guide staff about acting on abuse allegations.

Improvements were noted in the management of medicines. We saw medicines administered safely during our inspection.

Individual and environmental risk assessments had been completed that provided staff with guidance about how to protect people from risks. Infection control procedures were in place and we observed staff using personal protective equipment during our inspection.

All feedback that we received about the staff was that they had the knowledge and skills to deliver effective care and that relevant training was provided. People had access to health professionals when they required it. Safe recruitment practices were embedded in the home.

Staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and relevant Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) applications had been completed. 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. Details about advocacy services were on display that would support people to make important decisions.

The home had been adapted to ensure it met people’s individual needs. There was an ongoing refurbishment plan. We saw improvements to the environment and décor of the home was taking place.

People were happy with the care they received and staff were seen treating people with dignity and respect. Care people received was delivered in the privacy of their own bedrooms and bathrooms. Care files contained information to guide staff on how to meet people’s individual care needs. Information about how to support people at the end of their life needs was in place.

An activities programme had been developed and we saw people taking part in activities during our inspection.

A complaints procedure was in place and details about how to complain was on display in the public areas of the home. Positive feedback about the home was recorded. The home had completed surveys to obtain the views of people who used the service and the staff team.

Audits were seen that demonstrated the home was monitored and safe for people to live in. We received positive feedback consistently about the leadership and management of the home.