Archived: Nelson Lodge

Updated 15 November 2017

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.

The inspection took place on 23 August 2017 and was announced. As it is a small service where people go out during the day, we needed to be sure that someone would be available to speak with us. The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Before the inspection, we reviewed the information available to us about the home, such as the notifications that they had sent us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. Prior to the inspection, the provider also completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). 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. Before the inspection, we also obtained feedback from the local authority.

During the inspection, we spoke with two people living in the home, a relative and a healthcare professional. We spoke with three staff including a registered manager, the residential services manager, a team leader and a support worker.

We reviewed care records and risk assessments for one person who lived at the home and checked all the people’s medicine administration records (MARs). We reviewed a sample of other risk assessments, quality assurance records, training records and health and safety records.

Updated 15 November 2017

The inspection took place on 23 August 2017. It was an announced visit, as we gave the provider notice 48 hours before the inspection. The home provided accommodation for up to three persons with learning disabilities who require support with personal care. There were three people living in the home when we inspected.

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. There were two registered managers in post within the organisation who oversaw the services. They were also the owners of the company. During the inspection we met with the residential services manager, who had responsibility for the day to day management of the home, and we liaised with a registered manager the next day.

The home was safe and staff understood their responsibilities to protect people from harm or abuse and had received relevant safeguarding training. Staff were confident in reporting incidents and accidents should they occur. People were safely supported to take their medicines as prescribed.

There were effective processes in place to assess, review and mitigate risks to individuals. Assessments had taken place regarding people’s individual risks and clear guidance was in place for staff to follow in order to reduce risk. Recruitment processes were in place to ensure that staff employed in the service were deemed suitable for the role.

Staff had received training in areas specific to the people they were supporting and they gained people’s consent before providing care. Staff were able to explain how they promoted choice, and supported people with making some decisions. The home complied with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).

Staff supported people to access healthcare services. People were encouraged to eat a healthy balanced diet and be involved with making meals and drinks.

People’s privacy and dignity were promoted and they had strong relationships with staff who listened to them. People were encouraged to be as independent as possible, work towards goals and make their own choices. People were engaged in a number of varied activities and external groups.

Staff had a thorough knowledge about the people they cared for and understood how to meet their needs. People planned their care with staff, families and healthcare professionals, and their preferences were met.

The management team worked closely with the people living there and had good oversight of the home. People and their families were encouraged to give their views on the service.

There were many systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and these were used to identify any concerns so that action could be taken if needed.