The Lodge Retirement Home

Updated 14 January 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was undertaken by two inspectors.

Service and service type

The Lodge Retirement Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. The Lodge Retirement Home is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

Inspection activity started on 14 December 2022 and ended on 16 December 2022. We visited the location’s service on 14 December 2022.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we held about the home and contacted the local authority. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with six people and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We received feedback from six members of staff including the registered manager and deputy manager. We contacted three health and social care professionals.

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people's care and support records and two people’s medicine administration records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and training. We also reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the home, including policies and procedures, staffing rotas, accident and incident records, safeguarding records and reports.

Updated 14 January 2023

About the service

The Lodge Retirement Home is a residential care home providing personal care for up to 14 people aged 65 and over. At the time of the inspection, 12 people were living in the home. The home provides accommodation over two floors and there is a stair lift available to access the first floor.

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

Improvements had been made and the home was well-led. The registered manager had a robust governance and auditing system in place. Audits were up to date and identified any lessons learnt following incidents and accidents so that they could take action to keep people safe.

The planning and provision of meaningful activities for people had improved. One person told us, “[Staff name] has made all the difference for me with the activities. There is lots to do in the afternoons, we have lots of different projects.” Another commented, “There is enough to do here at the home. They organise things for you.”

People told us they were safe at The Lodge Retirement Home and risks were managed well. A person told us, “I feel safe at the Lodge. I trust the staff here, they are very good, lovely actually, more like family.”

Medicines were managed, stored and administered safely. The home had recently moved medicines into each person’s bedroom. One staff member stated, “Medication being in the room makes it more personalised. You aren’t going around with a trolley and less likely to make an error, the pharmacy supported us to make this change.”

Care plans and risk assessments were person centred. People and relatives told us staff knew them well. Staff supported people in a kind and compassionate way, considering their dignity and respect.

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, relatives and staff spoke positively of the culture within the home. One person told us, “Staff here are lovely, they are just like your family, you feel as though you can talk to them about anything.” Staff and relatives we spoke with all described the home as a “family”. The registered manager told us, “The Lodge is a hidden gem, you may not know it’s here but once you come in, you’re hooked”.

The home was following up to date government guidance relating to COVID-19 for care homes. Cleaning and infection control procedures followed the relevant COVID-19 guidance to help protect people, visitors and staff from the risk of infection.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 6 August 2019).

The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve.

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Lodge Retirement Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.