Archived: Westfield Lodge

Updated 15 April 2015

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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 5 February 2015 and was unannounced.

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors, a specialist advisor 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. Our expert had experience of caring for an older person. Our specialist advisor advised on nursing care needs.

We checked the information we held about the service and provider. This included the notifications that the provider had sent to us about incidents at the service and information we had received from the public and other agencies. Some of the information we held included evidence of allegations of poor care and alleged abuse. The service was subject to investigations under safeguarding procedures and we liaised with the local authority safeguarding team about these concerns.

The provider had completed a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to the inspection. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used the information to help in our inspection planning.

We spoke with 10 people who used the service and five relatives. We did this to gain people’s views about the care. We also spoke with four members of care staff, two nurses, an activity coordinator, the manager and the regional manager. This was to check that standards of care were being met.

We spent time observing care in communal areas and we observed how the staff interacted with people who used the service.

We looked at five people’s care records to see if their records were accurate and up to date. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service. These included audits, staff rotas, training records and staff recruitment files.

Updated 15 April 2015

We inspected this service on 5 February 2015. This was an unannounced inspection.

The service was registered to provide accommodation, personal and nursing care for up to 48 people. People who used the service were older people who required residential or nursing care and may have physical and/or mental health needs, such as dementia.

At the time of our inspection 32 people were using the service.

At our previous inspection of May 2014 we found improvements were needed in the Care and Welfare of people, Management and Records. We found that improvements had been made in all these areas.

The provider had recruited a new manager who was in the process of registering with us. 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 were protected from the risk of harm, because staff understood how to recognise and report concerns. Risks were assessed and action was taken to reduce risks of harm.

Sufficient numbers of staff were provided and staff received the training they needed to deliver appropriate and safe care.

Medicines were stored, managed and administered safely.

Staff and the manager understood their responsibilities in relation to The Mental Capacity Act 2005. Where people did not have the capacity to make decisions for them, appropriate action was taken to ensure decisions were made in their best interests.

People’s health and dietary needs were assessed, recorded and acted upon. Access to health care professionals was facilitated.

People and their relatives told us the staff were kind and caring and treated them with respect. Staff were patient and understanding when interacting with people.

People were involved in an assessment of their needs and their care was planned to meet their care preferences. People were also encouraged and enabled to participate in activities that were important to them.

People knew how to raise concerns and felt confident in doing so. They and staff told us the manager was approachable and had made many improvements to the quality of the service.

The quality of service was monitored to ensure the standards expected by the provider where maintained. There were systems in place for monitoring the infection control standards in the home.