Archived: Cedar Lodge

The service provides accommodation and support for up to eight people with learning disabilities. There were eight people living at the service at the time of our inspection. Due to their complex needs some people found it difficult to communicate with us verbally. To help us gather views we also spoke with people’s relatives.

The service has a registered manager in post. 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 cared for by staff that had been recruited and employed after appropriate checks were completed. There were enough staff available to support people.

Records were regularly updated and staff were provided with the information they needed to meet people’s needs. People's care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare.

Staff were able to explain to us what they would do to keep people safe and how they would protect their rights. Staff had been provided with training in safeguarding adults from abuse, Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

People were relaxed in the company of staff. Staff were able to demonstrate they knew people well. Staff were attentive to people's needs and treated people with dignity and respect.

People who used the service were provided with the opportunity to participate in activities which interested them, these activities were diverse to meet people’s social needs.

The service worked well with other professionals to ensure that people's health needs were met. Where appropriate, support and guidance was sought from health care professionals, including people’s G.Ps and other health professionals.

Relatives knew how to raise a concern or make a complaint, any complaints were resolved efficiently and quickly.

The manager had a number of ways of gathering views on the service including holding meetings with people, staff and talking with relatives.

The manager and provider carried out a number of quality monitoring audits to ensure the service was running effectively. These included audits on medication management, finance and the environment.

This is a summary of what we found;

Is the service safe?

When we arrived at the service the person in charge of the shift asked to see our identification. They then asked us to sign in their visitor's book. This meant that the appropriate actions were taken to ensure that the people who used the service were protected from others who did not have the right to access their home.

People said that they felt safe living in Cedar Lodge. They told us that they would tell the staff if they had any worries or concerns.

Staff had received training in safeguarding vulnerable adults from abuse, the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). This meant that staff were provided with the information that they needed to ensure that people were safeguarded.

The service was safe. The records showed that regular health and safety checks had been carried out and any issues had been dealt with appropriately. This included daily checks on medication, finances and infection control.

Is the service effective?

People told us that they felt that they were provided with a service that met their needs. One person said, 'I go out a lot and I get all that I need.' Another person said, 'The staff help me and we go shopping together so I get to choose what I want.'

People's care records showed that care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare. We saw that the records were now regularly reviewed and updated. This meant that staff were provided with up to date information about how people's needs were to be met.

Is the service caring?

We saw good interaction between staff and people who used the service. Staff knew people well and had a good knowledge of their likes and dislikes. People told us that the staff treated them respectfully. One person said, 'The staff all help me to do what I want to do, they know what I like and are very caring.' Another person said, 'I am very happy, everyone is very nice.'

People's preferences, interests, aspirations and diverse needs had been recorded and care and support had been provided in accordance with their wishes.

Is the service responsive?

People participated in a range of activities both in and outside of the service. We saw that people attended many different clubs in the local area. People told us that they went on outings and holidays and there were photographs displayed in the lounge. One person said, 'I love going on holiday and will be going again soon.' The person showed us some photographs of their past holidays and outings that they said they had enjoyed. The service had its own people carrier vehicle which helped to keep people involved in their local community.

We saw from the care records viewed that people's healthcare needs had been identified. Appropriate actions had been taken to meet people's needs. We saw information about routine health visits such as to the chiropodist, the GP, the dentist and the hospital.

Is the service well-led?

We saw from the records viewed that the service worked well with other agencies. There were emergency information sheets for use when needed if people had to use another service such as admission to hospital. Review documentation and health records showed that the service made sure that people received their care in a joined up way.

The service had a quality assurance system in place. The records showed that the provider/manager had dealt with any shortfalls appropriately. As a result the quality of the service was continuingly improving.

We spoke with five members of staff, reviewed three peoples care planning folders and three staff personnel files. Staff told us that there was enough staffing on duty and that the manager could be contacted, 'Twenty four seven' if there were any issues.

We found that the provider had systems in place for monitoring people's food and refreshment needs. there were systems for staff to cooperate with other providers and professionals regarding people's health and social care needs. There were systems in place for preventing infections and for staff recruitment.

We identified that some improvements were needed for gaining consent of people for staff or others to manage their finances; also some care planning records needed updating.