- Care home
The Lodge Residential Home
Assessment report published 3 July 2025
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of inspection 16 and 18 June 2025. The inspection was prompted by a review of information we held about the provider.
The Lodge Residential Home is a care home registered to provide personal care and accommodation for up to 32 older people. At the time of the inspection, the service was supporting 28 people.
Systems and processes were in place to support an inclusive and positive culture of learning and improvement. Leaders worked with people, their relatives, staff and external partners to support in the delivery of safe care and good outcomes for people. Ongoing monitoring and auditing enabled the provider and management team to continually improve and respond to feedback, including concerns.
Leaders were committed to providing a non-discriminatory and safe environment for people using the service and staff. Practices ensured people’s consent to care was obtained for all health and care interventions, and where people lacked capacity to make informed decisions then best interests decisions were made and documented.
People’s care records emphasised the importance of staff treating people as individuals, and with kindness, compassion and dignity. Care plans provided information about people’s lives prior to moving into the home, including information as to their work history, family life, hobbies and interests. Care plans, reflected people’s care needs, including future plans with regards to end of life care. Potential risks were assessed, with care records providing guidance for staff on how to mitigate risk and support people well.
Processes were in place to facilitate and support people to live healthier lives through ongoing reviewing and monitoring of people’s needs. Timely referrals were made to health care professionals in response to changes in people’s needs. Health care professionals were positive about staff’s response to the monitoring of people’s health and spoke highly of staff’s knowledge and understanding of people’s health needs. Staff acted upon the guidance and advice given by health care professionals.
People’s needs were met by sufficient staff, who had undergone a safe recruitment process, and who had the training and knowledge to enable them to meet their needs. People received their prescribed medicines safely and when required. However, improvements were needed to ensure medicine given as and when required was supported by clear guidance as to how a person may express anxiety or pain, and whether the administration of the medication had had the desired effect. The environment was clean and well maintained.
Staff were committed to their work and acknowledged the support they received from the provider, registered manager and management team. Staff spoke positively of their colleagues and of how the staff team worked collaboratively to meet people’s needs and in the delivery of good quality care.
People's experience of this service
We received feedback from people living at the service and their relatives who were positive and complementary about the care and support provided. A relative told us, “I'm very happy with the staff and how they’ve looked after [person], they know them well, and they’ve fitted in very well here.”
People and relatives were positive about the leadership and management of the service. They told us the registered manager was approachable and accessible, and referred to meetings and newsletters which helped keep them informed of key changes within the home. People and relatives expressed confidence in raising concerns and felt listened to.
Relatives told us they were kept informed of changes to people’s health, including the outcome of health care practitioner visits. Most relatives told us they had been involved in the review of people’s needs.
People’s nutritional needs were met, which included diets to meet people’s specific needs. People told us they enjoyed their meals.
People’s views and that of their relatives were mixed regarding staffing numbers, however all felt people’s needs were being met, and by trained and skilled staff. Most people and relatives were aware of the activities held within the home, which they enjoyed, including visits to the local Church and café. However, some felt the opportunity to access events in the local community could be restricted due to insufficient staff being available to support people.
People and their relatives spoke positively of the kindness, compassion and dignity demonstrated by staff. A relative told us, “We were anxious at first but we are very pleased, it’s perfect for mum. It would have to be 10/10. People told us they were able to make day to day decisions about their lives.