Background to this inspection
Updated
21 February 2020
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.
Inspection team
The inspection was completed by one inspector.
Service and service type
Stafford 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 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
The inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
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 reviewed information that we held about the service such as notifications. These are events that happen in the service that the provider is required to tell us about. We used all this information to plan our inspection. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.
During the inspection
We met and spoke with all five people who lived at the service. We spoke with the registered manager and a visiting health care professional and a relative.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medicine records. We looked at one staff file in relation to recruitment and at the staff supervision records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.
After the inspection
We continued to receive further information from the service. We received an email from one staff member and another relative.
Updated
21 February 2020
About the service
Stafford Lodge is a care home providing care for up to five people. On the day of our visit five people lived at the service. The service provides support to people who have a learning disability and some who may challenge the service.
The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
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.
We met and spoke to all five people during our visit. However, some people who lived at the service had some communication difficulties due to their learning disability and associated conditions, such as autism. Therefore, they were not able to tell us verbally about their experience of living there. Due to people’s needs we only spent short periods of time with people seeing how they spent their day and observing the interactions between people and the staff supporting them. One relative who provided feedback said; “I have always been happy with him living there.”
People’s relatives said they felt their loved ones were safe with the staff supporting them. Systems were in place to safeguard people. Risks to them were identified and managed.
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 received their medicines safely in the way prescribed for them. Infection control measures were in place to prevent cross infection.
Staff were suitably recruited. Staffing levels were flexible to enable the service to provide a bespoke service to people to meet their needs.
People were supported by staff who completed an induction, training and were supervised. The support required by people with health and nutritional needs was identified and provided.
Relatives agreed that the staff were kind and caring. Their privacy and independence were promoted. Systems were in place to deal with concerns and complaints. This enabled people to raise concerns about their care if they needed to.
People’s care records were detailed and personalised to meet individual needs. Staff understood people’s needs and responded when needed. People were not able to be fully involved with their support plans, therefore family members or advocates supported staff to complete and review people’s support plans. People’s preferences were sought and respected.
People had staff support to access volunteer jobs, activities and holidays. This was flexible and provided in response to people’s choices.
People’s communication needs were known by staff. Staff had received training in how to support people with different communication needs.
People were supported by a service that was well managed. Records were accessible and up to date. The service was audited, and action taken to address any areas identified that needed improving. Staff were committed to providing good outcomes for people.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
This service was registered with us on 14/01/2019 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This was the first planned comprehensive inspection of the service. This service has an overall rating of Good.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.