Background to this inspection
Updated
7 October 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
This inspection was carried out by one inspector and an inspection manager.
Service and service type
Baring Lodge Care Home 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
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
We spoke with three members of staff, we also 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. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with the registered manager and one care worker. We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records. We reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including medicine administration, quality audits and policies.
After the inspection
We received feedback from one person. We were unable to speak with more people for their views due to their ability to give us their consent. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.
Updated
7 October 2021
About the service
Baring Lodge Residential Home is a residential care home. At the time of the inspection the service was providing personal care and support to five people, living with mental health needs. The service can support up to six people. The accommodation has been adapted to meet people’s needs.
People’s experience of using this service
People’s feedback showed they enjoyed living at the service. One person said, “Staff are really helpful, they’re nice.”
Staff understood their responsibility to implement the provider’s safeguarding procedures and to report an allegation of abuse to keep people safe from harm.
Staff were scheduled daily work at the service. The registered manager assessed the level of staff needed to ensure people’s individual needs were met safely.
Medicines were managed so people had them as required. There were systems in place to ensure medicines were ordered, stored and administered using best practice guidance.
There were suitable measures to protect people from COVID-19, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), testing and vaccination. The service was clean and hygienic throughout, with enhanced cleaning of frequently touched surfaces to protect people from cross infection. The service had a designated infection prevention and control (IPC) lead who had been trained and was knowledgeable about the current guidance. The service’s IPC and COVID-19 policies were up to date. Managers contacted their local health protection team in a timely way when they suspected a COVID-19 outbreak.
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 social care professionals gave positive feedback about the quality of care and the service.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published on 8 November 2018).
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about the management of the service. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of Safe and Well-Led only. We found no evidence during this inspection that people were at risk of harm from this concern. Please see the Safe and Well-Led sections of this full report.
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.
The overall rating for the service has remained good. This is based on the findings at this inspection. We have made a recommendation about the submission of notifications.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Baring Lodge Residential Home 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.