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 and to pilot a new inspection process being introduced by CQC which looks at the overall quality of the service.
The inspection was unannounced.
Napier Lodge is a residential care home situated in the South Shore area of Blackpool. The home provides care for up to 17 people. There are 17 single rooms, 13 of which have en-suite facilities. There is a passenger lift providing access to the upper floors.
There was a registered manager in place at the home. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider.
Throughout the inspection we spoke with eight people who used the service, five relatives and two community professionals. We received very good feedback from people and all those we spoke with expressed satisfaction with the service provided at Napier Lodge.
People told us that they experienced safe and effective care from care workers who treated them with kindness and respect. People expressed satisfaction with daily life at the home and were pleased with the arrangements in areas such as mealtimes, activities and visiting.
We were told that the manager and staff at the home were approachable and welcoming of people’s views about their own care or the service as a whole.
We found that staff at the home had a good understanding of the needs of people who used the service. Staff were aware of risks to people’s safety and wellbeing and what action was required to maintain their safety.
Staff took time to get to know individual people who used the service and the things that were important to them. As a result, people received care which was centred on their individual needs and wishes.
The manager and staff were able to identify and address the health care needs of people who used the service and worked in a positive manner with community health care professionals to help ensure people received the right care and support.
The manager ensured there were adequate numbers of suitably skilled staff on duty to meet people’s needs safely at all times. Staff received a good level of training and support to ensure they maintained and developed their skills.
The manager had systems in place to monitor all aspects of quality within the service and identify risks to the health and safety of people who used the service. Where issues were identified the manager took appropriate action to ensure they were addressed.
People who used the service, their relatives and staff described an open and transparent culture within which, they were encouraged to express their views and share any concerns. People were also confident that any issues they did raise, would be dealt with in an appropriate manner by the manager.