Archived: Kings Lodge

Updated 16 July 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

The inspection was completed by one inspector.

Service and service type:

This service provides care and support to people living in a ‘supported living’ setting, so that they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

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 on 21 May 2019 and announced on 23 May 2019. We had to return for the second day as we were unable to obtain all the information we required on our first visit.

What we did:

Before the inspection we contacted the commissioning local authority about their views of the service.

During our inspection we spoke with two people who used the service. We looked at two people’s care records. We also looked at records the provider held that supported the management of the service. We spoke with two members of staff; one carer and one deputy manager. After the inspection we received feedback from three relatives of people living at the service and received information from the registered manager who had been on leave during our inspection.

Updated 16 July 2019

About the service

Kings Lodge is a supported living service. It provides support and personal care to people with learning disabilities living in their own home. At the time of our inspection there were four people receiving personal care.

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

The service had safeguarding processes in place but had not done all it could to ensure people's finances were safeguarded. Risk assessments had been completed but were out of date and overdue for review. Medicines were not managed effectively, we have made a recommendation about this. There were sufficient staff working at the service and they had been recruited in a safe manner. Staff understood the need for infection prevention. There was evidence of lessons being learned when things went wrong.

People's needs were assessed before the service began working with them. Staff received induction, supervision and training. People were supported to eat and drink healthily. Staff recorded interactions with people and shared them appropriately with other professionals. People were supported to access healthcare. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service did support this practice.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence. The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

People and relatives told us that staff were kind and caring. There was documentation that promoted people's human rights. People were supported to express their views. People's privacy and dignity were respected and their independence promoted.

Care plans recorded people’s preferences and needs in detail. People were supported to partake in activities they wanted to, including going on holidays abroad. People told us they knew how to complain and would do so if needed. End of life care and support was available if necessary.

Methods for continuously learning and improving care could be improved. People could be further engaged with the service. People and relatives spoke highly of the registered manager. Policies and documentation supporting care at the service was overdue for review or completed incorrectly. The service worked with other professionals and had community links that supported people.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection: This service was previously rated Good (published 15 December 2016).

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on our scheduling of regulated services.

Follow up: We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.