Albany Lodge Nursing Home

Updated 29 February 2024

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection, we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection team on the first day consisted of 3 inspectors, 1 medicine inspector, 1 specialist adviser (a nurse), and 2 experts-by-experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. On the second day of the inspection 2 inspectors attended the home.

Service and service type

Albany Lodge Nursing Home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Albany Lodge Nursing Home is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post. A new manager had been in post for one month and had applied to register with the CQC. We are currently assessing this application.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed the information we held about the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We also gathered feedback from the local authority. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 9 people who used the service and 9 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We also spoke with 19 staff, including the chef, activities coordinator, care staff, team leaders, nursing staff, the deputy manager, the manager, and the regional manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included 21 people’s care records. The medicines inspector reviewed 14 people’s medicines records and some associated care plans. We looked at staff files in relation to recruitment and training. We also reviewed a variety of records relating to the management of the service including quality monitoring checks, audits, policies and procedures. After the inspection we contacted 2 health care professionals to ask for their experience in working with the home.

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

Updated 29 February 2024

About the service

Albany Lodge Nursing Home provides nursing and personal care and support to older people, some of whom are living with dementia. At the time of the inspection, there were 89 people using the service.

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

Risks to people were not always identified, assessed, fully documented, and mitigated to ensure people’s safety and well-being. The provider was not working within the principles of the MCA. People were not supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests.

People were not always central to the planning and reviewing of their care. Assessments and care plans were not always person centred. The service was not always well managed. Systems and processes in place for monitoring the quality and safety of the service were not always effective in identifying and addressing issues and concerns we found at this inspection and for helping to drive service improvements.

There were safeguarding procedures in place and the manager had a clear understanding of these procedures. Appropriate recruitment checks had taken place before staff started work at the home. There were enough staff deployed to meet people’s needs. There were procedures in place to reduce the risk of infections. There were effective systems in place for monitoring, investigating, and learning from incidents and accidents. People’s medicines were managed safely.

We found 4 breaches of regulation. We have made recommendations about the management of medicines.

People were supported to maintain a healthy balanced diet and they had access to health care professionals when they needed them. The design of the premises was meeting people's needs. People had access to end-of-life care and support when it was required.

The manager and staff worked in partnership with health and social care providers to plan and deliver an effective service. Staff told us they enjoyed working at the home and received good support from the manager and deputy manager.

Rating at last inspection. The last rating for this service was good (published,13 April 2023).

Why we inspected

The Inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about the quality and safety of care provided and the management and oversight of the service. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.

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.

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

Follow up

We have identified breaches in relation to safe care and treatment, person centred care, the need for consent and good governance. We will request an action plan from 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 continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.