We carried out a review of the data available to us about Parkbrook Lodge on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Parkbrook Lodge, you can give feedback on this service.
About the service
Parkbrook Lodge is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to ten people with a learning disability and autistic people. At the time of the inspection, nine people were living at the home, although one person was in hospital.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of right support, right care, right culture.
Right Support
People had a choice and control about living safely in their living environment. One person said, “I love it here. I love my bedroom.” We saw how people had a choice of locking their bedrooms if they chose, for privacy and security reasons.
The service supported people to have the maximum possible choice, control and independence and they had control over their own lives. Relatives told us people were encouraged to take positive risks.
Staff supported people to make decisions following best practice in decision-making. Risks to decision making were explained in ways people could understand. One staff member told us, “We used a Widgit software system to communicate risks to people." A Widgit system uses symbol-based language or pictures instead of written words.
Right Care
People received care that supported their needs and aspirations, was focused on their quality of life, and followed best practice. The provider ensured people’s goals were risk assessed and people were supported safely. One person told us they enjoyed having a job. They said, “I have a job; it’s important. I’m important.” We saw a job description and risk assessment for this person. It detailed how they would be safely supported.
Relatives told us they felt people were safe and received the right amount of care and support. The manager worked with disability groups to ensure the service received the most up to date information.
Right Culture
Staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. The service worked well with other agencies to do so. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it. Staff told us how they would recognise pain, distress and discomfort in people who could not verbally communicate.
People were supported by staff who understood best practice in relation to the wide range of strengths, impairments or sensitivities people with a learning disability and/or autistic people may have.
Staff evaluated the quality of support provided to people, involving the person, their families and other professionals as appropriate. We saw how people were included in regular meetings. Relatives told us they were regularly consulted and involved in reviews of support and care needs.
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 04 April 2018).
Why we inspected
We undertook this inspection to assess that the service is applying the principles of 'Right support Right care Right culture'. The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about the care and support people received. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.
For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.
The overall rating for the service has not changed following this focused inspection and remains good.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Parkbrook Lodge on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.
We inspected this service on 7 March 2018. Parkbrook Lodge is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.
Parkbrook Lodge provides accommodation and or personal care for up to 11 people with learning disabilities and autism. The accommodation is provided in an adapted detached house with communal space which includes an activity room and conservatory, which leads to a garden. At the time of our inspection, 11 people were living at the home.
At our last inspection we rated the service Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.
People continued to receive safe care. People received care from staff who had a good understanding of what constituted abuse and knew what actions to take if they had any concerns. Risks associated with people’s care were assessed and managed in a way that promoted people’s safety whilst promoting their wellbeing. We saw that incidents and accidents were investigated thoroughly to ensure lessons were learnt and there were system in place to ensure people were protected by the prevention and control of infection. People received their medicines when needed and there were suitable arrangements in place in relation to the safe administration, recording and storage of medicines. There were sufficient, suitably recruited staff to meet people’s needs.
People continued to be cared for effectively. People enjoyed a wide range of food and drink and were encouraged to be involved in meal planning and shopping. Staff were supported and trained to ensure people received care and support in line with best practice. People were referred to external services to ensure their needs were met and were supported to access healthcare professionals to maintain their day to day health needs. The home was adapted and decorated to meet people’s individual needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
The care people received remained good. People liked the staff and had formed positive, caring relationships. Staff were kind and caring and supported people to make choices about their care. People’s privacy and dignity were maintained at all times.
The service remained responsive. People received personalised care that met their individual needs. Staff understood people’s diverse needs and supported people to follow their interests and engage in activities they enjoyed. People and their relatives were able to raise and concerns or complaints and were confident these would be acted on.
The service remained well led. Staff felt supported and valued by the registered manager. There were suitable systems in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the service. The provider encouraged people, their relatives and staff to give feedback on how things could be improved.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.
The service had a registered manager in place at the time of our inspection. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons.’ Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
People were supported by staff who knew how to recognise abuse and how to respond to concerns. The staff knew how to reduce avoidable risk to prevent harm. Where people were concerned about their safety they knew who to speak with.
People told us they were supported to develop their independence and were provided with opportunities to develop their interests and join in social activities. Staffing levels were sufficient and flexible to support people to do the activities they wanted to do.
People were supported by staff who had the knowledge and skills to provide safe care and support. The registered manager monitored the staff’s learning and developmental needs.
People were listened to and staff sought people’s consent before they provided care. The staff knew how to act if people did not have the capacity to make decisions. Where people’s liberty was restricted, this had been done lawfully to safeguard them.
People were helped to take their medicines at the right time and staff knew why people needed medicines and when these should be taken. People’s health and wellbeing needs were monitored and they were supported to organise and attend health appointments as required.
People were treated with kindness, compassion and respect and staff promoted people’s independence. People liked the staff who supported them and had developed good relationships with them.
Staff listened to people’s views about their care and they were able to influence the development of the service. People knew how to complain about their care and concerns were responded to.
People were involved in the assessment and review of their care and staff supported and encouraged people to access the community and maintain relationships with their families and friends.
There was a positive atmosphere within the home. The registered manager and provider regularly assessed and monitored the quality of care to ensure standards were met and maintained. The registered manager understood the requirements of their registration with us and they and the provider kept up to date with changes in health and social care regulation.