Archived: The Lodge Trust

Updated 30 December 2015

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 29 October and 3 November 2015 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and a pharmacist inspector

The service was previously inspected on 29 October 2013 when it was found to be fully compliant with the regulations. Before the inspections we reviewed the Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed the information we held about the service and information we had received about the service from people who contacted us. We contacted the local authority that had funding responsibility for all of the people who used the service.

We met 15 people who used the service and we spoke with five people on a one to one basis. We observed staff communicating with people who used the service and supporting them throughout the day. We spoke with five relatives of people who used the service. We spoke with the registered manager, the training manager, the administration services manager and four members of care staff.

We looked at the care records of five people who used the service and other documentation about how the home was managed. This included policies and procedures and records associated with quality assurance processes. We looked at four staff recruitment files to assess the recruitment process.

Updated 30 December 2015

This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection that took place on 29 October and 3 November 2015.

The Lodge Trust is a care home registered to accommodate up to 30 people who are aged over 18 and who have learning disabilities or Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The home had seven separate houses where people lived. One house was being updated so that each room had en-suite facilities; all other rooms had en-suite facilities. There were single person flats that people could choose to live in if they wanted more independence, with communal areas, or shared houses. People had been allowed to decide which house they wanted to live in, and could choose to move to a different house if there was a space available. At the time of the inspection 30 people were living at the service.

The Lodge Trust is a registered charity with an evangelical Christian foundation. It is set in four acres of garden and had an additional sixteen acres of parkland. There is a country park that is open to the public, along with two holiday log cabins and a shop/café. People who live at the service participate in work opportunities in the café, the garden and the laundry, as well as making products that were sold in the shop in woodwork and crafts.

The service had a registered manager. 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.’

The feedback from relatives we spoke with was that they felt people were cared for very well.

People received care and support that was centred on their individual needs. Their care plans included information about how they wanted to be supported and how to develop and maintain their independence.

People were supported to understand their rights and how to keep safe. Staff knew how to identify and report abuse and the provider had a system in place to protect people from the risk of harm.

The provider had a recruitment process in place and carried out pre-employment checks.

Staff were supported through training and supervision to be able to meet the needs of the people they were supporting.

People were involved in decisions about their care and support and care plans included assessments of risks associated with this. Support was offered according to people’s likes, dislikes and preferences. Staff knew people well and understood their care needs. Staff treated people with dignity and respect.

People were supported to take their medicines by staff who had received training in medicines management. Medicines were not stored or administered correctly.

People were supported to take part in a wide range of activities and work related tasks to maintain their independence and develop their skills.

Staff and relatives told us they were happy to raise any concerns with the manager and felt confident they would be listened to.

There were effective systems in place to monitor the service being provided.