The Care Quality Commission
  • Residential substance misuse service

Archived: Tate Lodge

190 Townsend Avenue, Norris Green, Liverpool, Merseyside, L11 5AF (0151) 226 9300

Provided and run by:
Voyage Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

11, 12 June 2014

During a routine inspection

An adult social care inspector carried out this inspection. The focus of the inspection was to answer five key questions; is the service safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-lead? As part of this inspection we spoke with two people who use the service, the registered manager and two of the care staff. We also reviewed records relating to the management of the service, which included staff files and records relating to infection control. Below is a summary of what we found. The summary describes what people who use the service and the staff told us, what we observed and the records we looked at.

Is the service safe?

People were cared for in an environment that was safe, clean and hygienic. Members of the management team were on duty throughout the day. There were enough staff on duty to meet the needs of the people living at Tate Lodge.

Staff personnel files contained all the information required by the Health and Social Care Act 2008. This meant that the provider was able to demonstrate that staff employed at the service were suitable and had the skills and experience needed to support the people living at Tate Lodge.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards which applies to residential services and care homes. While no applications have needed to be submitted, appropriate policies and procedures were in place. Records we reviewed confirmed that staff had been trained to understand the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

Is the service effective?

People told us that they were happy living at Tate Lodge and felt their needs were being met. It was clear from what we saw and from speaking with staff that they understood people's individual support needs. One person told us, "I'm alright here; I get on with all the lads." Records confirmed that staff had received training to meet the needs of the people living at the service.

Is the service caring?

People were supported by kind and attentive staff. We saw staff were patient and gave encouragement when supporting people. People told us they were able to do things at their own pace and in their own way. Our observations confirmed this.

Is the service responsive?

People's needs had been assessed before they moved into Tate Lodge. People told us that they met with their key worker once a week to talk about what they wanted to do, plan their menu for the week and discuss what was important to them. Records confirmed that people's preferences, interests, aspirations and diverse needs had been recorded and care and support had been provided that met their wishes. People had access to activities that were important to them and had been supported to maintain and develop relationships outside of the service.

Is the service well-led?

Systems were in place for assessing and monitoring the quality of the service. These included regular checks on aspects of the service and seeking the views of people who lived at the home and the views of their relatives. The service was managed in a way that ensured people's health, safety and welfare were protected and the interests of the people who lived at the home was at the centre of how the service was run and managed.

18 November 2013

During a routine inspection

We spoke with a range of people about the home. They included the registered manager, staff members and residents at the home. We also asked for the views of external agencies in order to gain a balanced overview of what people experienced living at Tate Lodge.

We spoke with people who lived at the home. They told us they could express their views and were involved in making decisions about their care. They told us they felt listened to when discussing their care needs. Staff confirmed to us they also involved relatives, where possible to ensure people received the right care and support.

We spent time in areas of the home, including the lounge and the dining areas. This helped us to observe the daily routines and gain an insight into how people's care and support was being managed. Staff treated people with respect and ensured their privacy when supporting them. They provided support or attention as people requested it. We spoke with people about the care and support they received. They said they were happy living at the home and said that staff were polite and kind.

We looked at staff training records and supervision arrangements. Staff told us they felt supported, had regular meetings with the provider and their training was kept up to date.

There were a range of audits and systems in place to monitor the quality of the service being provided.

16 October 2012

During a routine inspection

We used a number of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people using the service, because some of the people using the service had complex needs which meant they were not all able to tell us their experiences. This included talking to people, observation and scrutiny of records.

During our visit we met individually with three of the people who use the service and three of their relatives and friends. We also met with several of the other people living there and observed the support provided to them. In addition we spoke with three members of staff who held various roles within the home. We also met with people from other agencies who support the deliver of care in the service. We observed a review meeting that involved a person using the service, a social worker, a nurse and staff from the service. This demonstrated that people who use the service's were involved in the planning and delivery of their own care.

A relative told us that in their opinion people received the care they needed. They told us they thought there were sufficient staff available to provide the support people needed and that their privacy and dignity had been respected.

We observed that people who use the service were able to make choices about their care and daily activities, and we also observed them having an active role in the running of the service by undertaking cooking, laundry and other household tasks which helped people maintain their independence.

7 March 2012

During an inspection looking at part of the service

People told us they felt confident to talk to somebody if they had any concerns about their care and they told us they felt safe living at the home.

People told us that they go out on a regular basis. However, some people told us that there were times when they felt restricted in going out because they felt there weren't enough staff to support them to do so. One person said "I get out and about at least once per day, but if I want to do anything extra then sometimes there aren't enough staff and I have to stay in".

People told us they felt well supported by staff and that staff were respectful towards them. One person commented 'they treat me well' and 'staff are alright'.

One person told us that staff had been providing them with support to move from the service to a more independent setting.

We asked people if they had any complaints about the service and people told us that they didn't. People told us they would feel confident to raise a complaint if they had reason to.

18 October 2011

During an inspection in response to concerns

We spoke with a number of people using the service about their care and support. People told us that the service was 'OK' and that they had no concerns about their support.

People generally told us that they go out and about in the local community on a regular basis. However, two people told us that they would like to go out more often and that they felt restricted in using the community because there weren't enough staff to support them.

People told us about their day to day experiences of the service, about their routines and about their support in attending a variety of activities and interests. People were generally positive about these.

One person told us that they wanted to move from the home as they had been admitted originally for rehabilitation and they now felt that they were ready to move on. The person told us that they had been asking to move for a long time but didn't feel that they were being listened to. The person did point out that this wasn't a reflection of the home but was out of personal choice for a more independent lifestyle.

We asked people if they felt safe during our conversations with them and people told us that they did.

People using the service told us that they felt well supported by staff. We asked people if staff were respectful towards them and people told us that they were.

We noted that one of the people using the service had made a complaint. We asked the person if they had received a response to this and they told us that they hadn't.

21 July 2011

During an inspection looking at part of the service

During the two days of our visit we found that many of the people using the service were out for long periods of time. However, we were able to speak to a number of people living at the home about their needs and the care and support which they were being provided with. A small number of people also declined speaking with us.

We found that the people we did speak with were happy to tell us about their day to day lives and their experiences of the home.

People told us that they go out and about and use the local community on a regular basis and people described a variety of work and leisure activities as part of this.

We spoke with one of the people living at the home who told us that she likes living there. We heard that the staff are kind and help her with planning and participating with activities each week. The person also told us that she has meetings with her keyworker to see how things are going and sometimes gets copies of her care plans.

We asked people using the service if they had any complaints about the service. One person told us that they had raised concerns about the impact of the behaviour of another person using the service.

We saw that three people using the service had been supported to raise concerns about the impact of other service user's behaviour on their experiences of the home.

21 July 2011

During an inspection looking at part of the service

During the two days of our visit we found that many of the people using the service were out for long periods of time. However, we were able to speak to a number of people living at the home about their needs and the care and support which they were being provided with. A small number of people also declined speaking with us.

We found that the people we did speak with were happy to tell us about their day to day lives and their experiences of the home.

People told us that they go out and about and use the local community on a regular basis and people described a variety of work and leisure activities as part of this.

We spoke with one of the people living at the home who told us that she likes living there. We heard that the staff are kind and help her with planning and participating with activities each week. The person also told us that she has meetings with her keyworker to see how things are going and sometimes gets copies of her care plans.

We asked people using the service if they had any complaints about the service. One person told us that they had raised concerns about the impact of the behaviour of another person using the service.

We saw that three people using the service had been supported to raise concerns about the impact of other service user's behaviour on their experiences of the home.

9 May 2011

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We spoke to a number of people living at the home about their needs and the care and support which they are provided with. We found that some people could not tell us directly about their care in a great level of detail but they did tell us about some aspects of their needs and their day to day lives and experiences of the home.

People told us that the staff were good and they felt that staff respect them and treat them well. One person told us that all of the care workers are 'really nice' and another person told us that they liked living at the home.

People told us that they go out and about and use the local community on a regular basis and they described a variety of activities as part of this.

We spoke with two people about their medicines. Both said they thought care workers looked after their medicines properly and they got them at time that fitted into their daily routine.

8 July 2011

During an inspection looking at part of the service

This review was carried out to make sure the service had improved it's handling of medicines because previous visits had identified serious problems. The three people that we spoke with at this visit raised no direct concerns about the way their medicines were being given to them.

3, 22 March 2011

During an inspection in response to concerns

We reviewed all the information we hold about this location, carried out a visit on 03/03/2011, observed how people were being cared for, talked to people who use the service, talked to staff, checked the provider's records, and looked at records of people who use the service. We spoke with one of the people living at the home about their support. This person told us that they felt that staff didn't listen to them when they told them about their needs and wants. They also told us that they felt restricted by the service.

We spoke with two people about their medicines. Both told us they thought their medicines were given to them properly. One person told us that they had a special medicine given earlier than the others because it needed to be given before food. They also said their other medicines were always given on time and in private.

Another person said when they had any pains or other health problems care workers gave them their medicines correctly, at the right time.

2, 4 February 2011

During an inspection in response to concerns

We spent time talking to people living at the home. We found that people could not tell us about their care in a great level of detail but people did tell us about some aspects of their day to day lives.

One of the people living at the home told us that that they know all of the staff and like them. The person appeared to enjoy a relaxed, bantering relationship with staff.

People told us that they felt they could talk to staff and the manager and have 'had no problems' with staff.

People told us that they and their family are included in reviews of their care.

People told us that they go out with support from staff.

One person told us that they have lived in a number of places and felt that they go out into the community at this service more. They also told us that there weren't many activities organised inside of the home.