We carried out a review of the data available to us about Garden Lodge Care Home 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 Garden Lodge Care Home, you can give feedback on this service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Staff could clearly describe the course of action they would take if they felt someone was being harmed or abused. Safety checks on the environment were in place and robust. Everyone we spoke with said they felt safe living at the home. There were enough staff to ensure people were kept safe, and call bells were answered in a timely manner. Risks to people’s health and well-being were assessed and reviewed appropriately. Staff were recruited and selected safely, and medicines were appropriately managed. Incidents and accidents were appropriately recorded and analysed for patterns and trends.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control over 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. Staff were appropriately trained and supervised to enable them to carry out their roles. People were supported to eat a balanced diet. We did receive some mixed feedback regarding the food which we fed back to the registered manager.
People said the staff were kind and caring, and we observed warm and familiar caring interactions between staff and people throughout the duration of our inspection. People said staff were “Exceptional” and provided “Really good care”. Staff spoke about people with genuine warmth and consideration, and we heard staff asking people if they wanted or needed any help or support during our inspection. There was a warm, welcoming, friendly, homely atmosphere throughout the home. People were very at home in the service and their dignity was promoted well. Staff in all roles were passionate about the people living at Garden Lodge and were highly committed to ensuring the best outcomes for people. Staff took time to understand and encourage the unique and individual needs of the people they supported.
People and most relatives told us how they were supported by staff to follow their interests and engage in relevant and meaningful activities which gave them purpose. There was particular emphasis on tasks people could do for themselves, such as washing, dressing and choosing what they wore, how they spent their day, and what time they wanted to get up and go to bed.
Care plans were person centred and reviewed regularly to ensure any changing needs were taken into account. There was a complaints policy in place, which was made available in different formats to support people’s understanding. We reviewed some recent complaints and saw they had been responded to in line with policy and procedure.
The registered manager was well known. Staff told us the registered manager led by example and was ‘always visible and putting people first.’ The registered manager welcomed feedback and was clearly proud of the home and the staff team. All notifications had been sent to CQC, and the registered manager understood what was expected of them. Staff told us they enjoyed working at the home, and they felt they could approach the registered manager to help them develop further in their roles or if they had any concerns.
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 the service under the previous provider was good, published on 07 August 2018.
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.
We found the following examples of good practice.
The provider had arrangements for booking visitors at the home which included any visitor taking an LFT test, having their temperature checked and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when entering the care home. Visitors were able to access window visits and there were rooms and a bar area which could be used to facilitate visitors.
The service supported people and their relatives and essential care givers to understand the isolation processes and how the service could help to alleviate them feeling lonely. This included calls with friends and loved ones and dedicated support time from staff members in different rooms for activities.
People were supported by staff to isolate in their own rooms and areas near their rooms as much as possible. Specific staff were allocated to support all their needs, and staff were consistently working in the same area of the home to avoid cross contamination.
PPE was well stocked and organised, and cleaning products were stored and used appropriately. The home was clean and tidy.