Belvoir Lodge

Updated 26 July 2019

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection visit was carried out by one inspector

Service and service type

Belvoir 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 did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission at the time of our inspection. Having a registered manager means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. The manager at Belvoir Lodge was in the process of registering with the Care Quality Commission.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

Our inspection was informed by evidence we already held about the service. We sought the views of Healthwatch Nottinghamshire. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.

We also sought the views of external health and social care staff, and commissioners from the local authority. Commissioners are people who work to find appropriate care and support services which are paid for by the local authority or by a health clinical commissioning group. Commissioners also undertake monitoring of the quality of services. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

People were not able to fully express their views about their care to the inspector. We spent time observing how people in the communal areas of the home were supported; we saw how they were being cared for and supported by staff and used these observations to help us understand peoples' experience of living at the home. We also spoke with two relatives, four care staff, the manager and area manager for the provider. We looked at a range of records related to how the service was managed. These included two people’s care records and we looked at how medicines were managed for three people. We also looked at two staff recruitment and training records, and the provider’s quality auditing system. During the inspection visit we asked the registered manager to send us additional evidence about how the service was managed, and they did this.

Updated 26 July 2019

About the service

Belvoir Lodge is a residential care home providing personal care to up to five younger adults in one adapted building. Everyone living at Belvoir Lodge had learning disabilities and physical disabilities. At the time of our inspection there were five people living there. The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People living at Belvoir Lodge were cared for safely. Staff received training in safeguarding and felt confident to raise concerns. People’s health needs were assessed, and any risks associated with their conditions documented. These were reviewed regularly and updated to reflect their current needs. Risks associated with the service environment were assessed and mitigated. There were enough staff to keep people safe. People received their prescribed medicines safely and were protected from the risk of infections.

People's needs and choices were assessed in line with current legislation and guidance in a way that helped to prevent discrimination. Staff were given enough training and support to meet people’s needs well. People were supported and encouraged to have a varied diet that gave them sufficient to eat and drink. The provider had taken steps to ensure the environment was suitable for people's needs. People were supported by staff to access healthcare services when required. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People and relatives were involved in planning and reviewing their care. Staff we spoke with were knowledgeable about people’s likes and dislikes, how they preferred to be supported, and their personal histories. People were supported to spend private time with their friends and family. Staff respected people's right to confidentiality.

People were supported to take part in activities they enjoyed throughout the day and week. The provider had identified where there were specific cultural or faith needs with people and relatives. Staff knew how to support people to meet these needs. The provider had taken steps to ensure people were given information about their personal care and support in ways they understood, and staff were familiar with people’s preferred ways of communication.

The provider undertook audits of all aspects of the service to review the quality of care, and identify areas where improvements were needed. The provider notified CQC of significant events as they are legally required to do. Staff said they felt well supported by the manager and their colleagues. Staff we spoke with had clear views about their role in supporting people to live the full lives they wanted. The provider had a clear action plan for improving the quality of care at Belvoir Lodge. The manager and provider worked in partnership with outside agencies to improve people’s care.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 29 October 2016). Since this rating was awarded the registered provider of the service has changed. We have used the previous rating to inform our planning and decisions about the rating at this inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.