Heron Lodge

Updated 23 February 2021

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 the coronavirus pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 12 February 2021 and was announced.

Updated 23 February 2021

This unannounced inspection was carried out by one inspector and took place on 5 and 8 December 2017.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

Heron Lodge is a care home with nursing and is registered to accommodate up to 30 older people in one adapted building. People in care homes receive accommodation and 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.

At our last inspection on 11 October 2016, we asked the provider to take action and make improvements to ensure that care was focussed on individual needs and preferences. In addition, we asked the provider to make improvements to ensure their systems for monitoring and improving the quality and safety of the service were effective.

The findings from our inspection on 5 and 8 December 2017 confirmed that appropriate action had been taken and significant improvements had been made.

There had been a considerable change to the staff team since our last inspection, which included a new registered manager, deputy manager and activities coordinator. We found that the whole staff team worked cohesively to ensure people living in the home were consistently safe, well cared for and happy. We saw that the care provided was centred around each person as an individual and staff came up with innovative ways to ensure people could be included and involved in meaningful activities and entertainment.

There were enough staff working in the home to help ensure people's safety. Staff worked well together to ensure people's needs were met safely and appropriately. Proper checks were carried out when new staff were recruited, which helped ensure only staff who were suitable to work in care services were employed. Staff knew how to recognise different kinds of possible abuse and understood the importance of reporting any concerns or suspicions that people were at risk of harm appropriately.

Risks to people's safety were identified, recorded and reviewed on a regular basis. There was also written guidance for staff to know how to support people to manage these risks. Staff worked closely with healthcare professionals to promote people's welfare and safety. Staff also took prompt action to seek professional advice, and acted upon it, where there were concerns about people's mental or physical health and wellbeing.

People's medicines were stored and managed safely and administered as the prescriber intended. Staff were appropriately trained and competent to support people with their medicines.

People enjoyed their meals and were provided with sufficient quantities of food and drink. People were also able to choose what they had. If people were identified as possibly being at risk of not eating or drinking enough, staff would follow guidance to help promote people's welfare and input would be sought from relevant healthcare professionals.

Staff were trained well and were competent in meeting people's needs. Staff understood people's backgrounds and preferences and supported people effectively. New staff completed an induction and all staff had frequent one-to-one time with their line manager, during which supervisions and appraisals of their work were undertaken.

Staff understood the importance of helping people to make their own choices regarding their care and support and consistently obtained people’s consent before providing support. Some people did not have the capacity to make all their own decisions but staff understood how to act in people’s best interests, to protect their human rights.

Staff had developed respectful, trusting and caring relationships with the people they supported and consistently promoted people’s dignity and privacy. People were able to choose what they wanted to do and when. People were also supported to maintain relationships with their friends and families.

People were supported to engage in meaningful activities of their choosing and were supported to maintain and enhance their independence as much as possible. Staff interactions with people living in the home were frequent, engaging and positive.

The service was well run and communication between the management team, staff, people living in the home and visitors was frequent and effective. People and their families and friends were able to voice their concerns or make a complaint if needed and were listened to with appropriate responses and action taken where possible.

The provider and management team used a number of methods to ensure the quality of the service provided was regularly monitored. All aspects of the service were checked regularly by the provider’s senior management team, the registered manager and care staff, in order to identify any areas that needed improvement. Action was taken promptly to address any identified issues.