Barton Lodge

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. At our last inspection we rated this key question requires improvement. At this inspection the rating has changed to good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The service had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. They listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. Advice from external health professional was sought to ensure risks were mitigated as far as possible, for example, where people had a high risk of falls.

The service worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care in which safety was managed or monitored. They made sure there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services.

The service worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. They concentrated on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. There had been no safeguarding concerns in the 12 months prior to this assessment. People told us they felt safe, one person said, “I’d soon be off if I didn’t.” Staff had completed safeguarding training, and the registered manager demonstrated a good understanding of their responsibility to safeguard people. Peoples’ relatives told us they were confident their relative was safe at the service. One relative said, “She is very happy and contented. She is well looked after and is completely safe there”. Another relative said, “[Relative] is well looked after and is completely safe there.”

The service worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. They provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. People were supported to be as independent as possible, whilst remaining safe. One relative said, “I am more than happy with the care she gets. She is safer there than she was at home.” Another relative said, “I know that they are very aware of her mobility issues and all that goes with that like bed sores. I think Mum's risks are well managed.”

The service detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. The provider had made improvements to the environment since our last inspection, including refurbishing the ground floor bathroom to include an accessible shower. Carpets had been replaced and a new stairlift installed. Systems were in place to check equipment and replace or repair as required. The service was well maintained with safety measures such as window restrictors and water temperature regulators in place. One relative told us, “It is very homely.”

The service made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs. Staff were recruited safely. People told us staff were responsive, and they didn’t have to wait long when they needed assistance. Staff completed regular training, and knew people’s needs well. One staff member told us, “We are provided with regular different training sessions to support us in our roles, I have found them interesting and really useful with my role.” Another staff member said, “The support that I receive from my management and colleagues is excellent, I have regular supervisions and appraisals throughout the year and would feel confident and comfortable about approaching my management, my seniors or team leaders at any time with any concerns or issues.” A relative told us, “The care staff are very attentive.”

The service assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly. There was an infection control lead in the service and there were good systems in place to monitor routine cleaning. Staff received training in infection control and had access to personal protective equipment. One member of staff told us, “The barrier nursing (during an outbreak of infection) was out of this world, I was really proud of the staff.” The laundry had been refurbished and was clean and well organised. The service was clean, tidy and free of any offensive odours. A relative told us, “It is clean and never smells when you go in.”

The service made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. An electronic medicines management system was in place which ensured people received their medicines on time. Any errors or missed doses were quickly identified and rectified. Stock was well managed and peoples medicines records contained clear information about each medicine, including variable doses. Staff who administered medicines were trained and assessed as being competent to do so. Audit systems were in place and were well managed.