Woodlands Lodge Care Home

Updated 9 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.

As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of COVID-19, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practice is safe and that services are compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices 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 18 January 2022 and was unannounced.

Updated 9 February 2022

About the service

Woodlands Lodge Care Home is a residential care home providing personal care to 35 people at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 54 people. There are three units; one of these units specialises in providing care to people living with dementia.

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

There was an open and inclusive culture within the home. There was a governance framework in place however this was limited to the last 10 months. Not all audits had identified the issues we found.

We have made a recommendation about the checks and audits in the home.

Plans were in place to engage and involve people and relatives in the service. People had been asked about the new visual menu that had been put in place. The service carried out reviews to consider improvements and the manager is involved in other research to improve the service.

People were receiving medicines when they should. However, protocols for 'as and when' medication and body maps were not always used consistently. Risks were assessed and people supported safely, although one person did not have their up-to-date risks assessed. People were protected from infection by good use of personal protective equipment. However, access to handwashing facilities in some toilets was restricted. Systems and processes safeguarded people from abuse and the risk of harm. People’s needs were reviewed regularly and used to inform staffing levels. Lessons learnt were considered after incidents.

Some staff had not received all the training the provider had identified they needed to do their job. Staff were supported through supervisions and appraisals. People’s rooms were personalised and some dementia signage was in place. People’s needs and choices were assessed and considered. People were offered a good choice of food and their support needs were known. Staff were vigilant about people’s health needs and sought appropriate access to professional advice. Staff worked alongside health professionals. Consent to care was sought appropriately. 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 were treated with kindness and compassion by staff. People were supported to express their views and decisions. People’s privacy and dignity was respected.

People’s social histories were known and people received activities, although these were limited. Staff knew people well and supported people with person-centred care. Complaints and concerns were monitored and responded to. People were asked about their end of life care and received care as they wished.

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 requires improvement (published 4 February 2019).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.

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.