All inspections: Norton Lodge - Care Quality Commission

The inspection was unannounced and took place on 22 and 29 October 2014. The last inspection of Norton Lodge Care Home took place on the 22 November 2013 when it was found to be meeting all the regulatory requirements.

Norton Lodge Care Home is required to have a registered manager 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. The current registered manager has been responsible for managing the home for the past three years.

Norton Lodge is a privately owned care home set in large grounds in the Norton Village area of Runcorn. A bus route and train station is nearby and Halton Lea shopping centre and Runcorn old town are within easy travelling distance. The home provides personal care for people who experience mental health issues, alcohol related problems, learning disability or dementia. The accommodation is provided over two floors and is registered to take up to 32 people. At the time of our visit there were 27 people living in the home.

The registered manager Was on holiday on the first day of our visit so the inspection was undertaken with the senior carer/administrator. However on the second day the manager was available to facilitate the inspection.

The inspection took place over two days and during our visit we spent time in all areas of the home, including the lounge and the dining areas. This enabled us to observe how people’s care and support was provided. The relationships we saw were warm and dignified with staff and people who used the service treating each other with mutual respect. People told us that they were treated well by people who showed that they really cared.

We found the service did not fully meet the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Some people at the service were not able to tell us if their freedoms were restricted but we could see that they did not have clearly recorded best interest decisions in their care files. However the registered manager advised that she had been in touch with a local authority social worker who had arranged to visit the home and arrange best interest meetings to ensure all the people who lived in the home were not deprived of their liberty. This action was confirmed by the local authority who advised that they had arranged an initial visit to the service to commence their interventions.

Arrangements were in place to protect people from the risk of abuse. The people living in the home told us that they felt safe and supported at Norton Lodge. Comments included; “The staff make sure we are safe and they make sure we are supported to do what we want without risk of harm”.

The care files we looked at contained the relevant information regarding background history of the people who lived in the home. People told us that this information was recorded to enable the staff to understand people’s backgrounds and needs and to know what people liked or disliked and of how they wished to live their life.

Care records were kept under review to enable changing needs to be identified and reviewed. People we spoke with told us that they felt well cared for and they had no concerns about staff skills and knowledge. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs and staff had received an induction when they began working for the service and were able to access training to build on their knowledge and skills.

Discussions with staff members identified that they felt happy and supported and worked well as a team. They told us that the manager was most supportive and she led by example. Comments included; “I have joined a good staff team. Everyone is supportive; we are encouraged to gain as many qualifications as we can. We get quality supervision and always work together as a team.”

We observed that staff responded to people’s care needs promptly and people told us that care was provided as and when required.

The service had a robust quality assurance system in place which used various checks and audit tools to monitor and review the practices within the home.

We visited Norton Lodge and spoke with eight people who lived there and four of their relatives. People told us they were happy with the staff and services provided in the home. Comments included; "I have lived here for a long time and love it"; "I have been very impressed with the staff, they seem to know exactly what I want" and "The staff are very compassionate and helpful people. They provide an excellent service".

Care plans were detailed and people told us they were included in their compilation.

Records showed that staff were trained and supported to carry out safe needs led care. Staff told us they felt the support and morale in the home was good.

Information about the safety and quality of service provided was gathered on an on going basis including feedback from the people who used the service and their relatives and friends.

The manager of the home explained that although she had been working there for just over a year she had only been appointed officially to the manager's post approximately four months ago. Since being appointed she had been trying to address some issues that she had identified, these included a lack of information about the training the staff members had undertaken. In order to resolve this she has just appointed a new training provider to address any shortfalls identified

We did observe good communication and understanding between the members of staff and the people who were receiving care and support from them. We also observed people being supported with their daily life activities.

The people we met with appeared relaxed, comfortable and at ease with the staff. It was evident staff had a good understanding of what was important to each person and how to care for them. The people using the service who were able to tell us said that they were happy living in the home. Comments included; 'The staff are very good', 'It's great here' and 'Sound as a pound, ace.'

We spoke to four people who live at Norton Lodge. They commented:

'They look after you'

'They listen to you and try to do as much as they can for you'

'I am happy with staff'

'I feel that they respect me and have my privacy'

'It is lovely here'

'Staff are my friends and they are friendly and helpful'

'I am more than happy with this place and being here has saved me'

'There is plenty to do'

'They treat me with respect and I get my privacy'

We spoke to four relatives during our visit. They commented:

'I think it is good, my mother is in good hands and I feel she is definitely safe'

'She has everything she wants and when she is not well the staff can read the signs and always do something about it'.

'They are very respectful and they are very nice with her'

'The building is clean and spotless'

'If anything happens they let me know'

'I have had a copy of the care plan'

'The new manager is very positive and enthusiastic and has a good approach with everyone'

'We are more than happy with the care'

'This is right place for my mum'

'It is wonderful here, excellent'

'They are caring and understand the residents'

'They are respectful and always involve my mum and us'

'I have faith in them'

We visited the service in response to some concerns that Halton Social Services have had regarding some aspects of management of the service over the past few months. The Local Authority has had concerns about the management of the home, care planning, training and the management of safeguarding referrals. The Local Authority has informed us of this and have also been monitoring the situation providing the service with an opportunity to respond to an action plan. Our visit confirmed that the service had sought to make improvements in many areas of their practice.

The home received a visit from the Local Involvement Network Team (LINKS) in March of this year. They concluded that they were satisfied with the way the service provided care and support to the people living there.

These older reports are from our old approaches to inspection, including those from before CQC was created.

Archived: Norton Lodge

All Inspections

28/10/14

During a routine inspection

22 November 2013

During a routine inspection

23 November 2012

During a routine inspection

9 August 2011

During an inspection in response to concerns

Reports under our old system of regulation