Norton Lodge

Updated 13 April 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

This inspection was carried out by 3 inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Norton Lodge 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. Norton Lodge 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.

The registered manager had recently left and a new manager had been in post for 2 months. The new manager was in the process of submitting an application to register.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

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 (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 6 people who used the service, 3 family members and 1 visiting professional about their experience of the care provided. We also observed interactions between staff and people who used the service.

We spoke with 8 members of staff including the home manager, carers, domestic and kitchen staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 5 people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at 4 staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 13 April 2023

About the service

Norton Lodge is a residential care home providing personal care to up to 32 people. The service provides support to older people, a number of whom live with dementia. Accommodation is provided over 2 floors with shared living spaces on the ground floor. At the time of our inspection there were 27 people using the service.

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

We found improvements were needed to ensure people received their medicines safely and also have appropriate risk assessments and care plans which reflected their current care needs. Equipment used to reduce risks to people’s physical health were not always routinely serviced and in full working order.

People were not supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service did not support this practice.

Routine audits and checks had either not identified the improvements needed at Norton Lodge; or sufficient action had not been taken in a prompt manner to address the improvements which were needed.

There had been a change in manager at Norton lodge since our last inspection and recent new additions of a new deputy and operations managers were imminently planned. The provider told us they were confident the additional resources would support the manager to drive improvements.

Although we found some improvements were needed, people did speak positively of the care they received at Norton Lodge and they were supported by staff who knew them well. Appropriate checks on staff were in place to ensure they were suitable for the role before working with people.

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 08 June 2022). 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 the provider remained in breach of regulations. The service remains rated requires improvement.

Why we inspected

We received concerns in relation to the safe management of medicines and meeting people’s care needs. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, effective 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.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

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

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

Enforcement

We have identified breaches in relation to safe care and treatment, consent and good governance at this inspection. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Full information about CQC’s regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.

Follow up

We will meet with the provider following this report being published to discuss how they will make changes to ensure they improve their rating to at least good. We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work with the local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.