Park Lodge Care Solutions

Updated 3 August 2021

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 Care Act 2014.

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 team consisted of one inspector.

Service and service type

Park Lodge Care Solutions is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, senior care workers and care workers. We observed support to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at three staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including audits, health and safety checks, policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at policies, risk assessments and care records. We spoke with two professionals who regularly visit the service and three relatives of people who use the service.

Updated 3 August 2021

About the service

Park Lodge Care Solutions is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care for people with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum conditions and a variety of associated health needs. At the time of the inspection there were nine people living at the service. The service can support up to 10 people.

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

People received person-centred support from staff who knew them well. People’s independence was promoted, we observed people helping with day to day chores such as cleaning. One person told us, "they help me keep my room tidy" and "I cook, I am good at it, I like to cook Chinese food.”

People were supported by enough staff, one staff member told us, “I love helping people, I like that every day is different but everything we do is for the good of the residents. [Registered manager] is getting in lots of fun things for the residents to do, we try to make sure they are happy all the time, there is nothing I don’t like.”

People received safe care; their medicines were administered by staff who were trained and competent. Staff received safeguarding training and demonstrated an understanding of appropriate reporting. Lessons were learned when things went wrong, people and staff were involved and kept informed of any changes made in the service as a response.

People’s risks were assessed and minimised, allowing them to optimise their lives. The registered manager told us, “We talk to people, find out their hopes and wishes and do everything we can to minimise the risks so they can live their full lives.” People were supported to maintain important relationships. The service sought professional input to promote positive outcomes for people. Holistic approaches were used, one person was due to start Tai Chi to reduce anxiety and improve their mood.

People were empowered to make decisions and were asked for feedback on the service. One person told us, "I think I could make changes, but I don’t want to make any changes.” The registered manager described how they ensured they were visible in the service and told us, “I go around the house all the time, I make sure residents know I am there to talk to.”

Systems and processes were in place and the registered manager had a good oversight of the service, where audits highlighted areas for improvement, action plans had been created. The registered manager understood their obligations to report and respond to incidents.

People were supported to maintain links and access the community, for example, attend day centres and go to cafes.

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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

Based on our review of safe and well led, the service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support:

• Model of care and setting maximises people’s choice, control and independence. People had communication methods to maximise their choices. People personalised their bedrooms and were asked their opinions on the environment.

Right care:

• Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. Planned care was person-centred and holistic to meet people’s needs.

Right culture:

• Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives. People were supported to give their views and were listened to.

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 good (published 5 April 2018).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on previous ratings to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.

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.

We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.

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

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.