Grennell Lodge Nursing Care Home

Updated 18 November 2023

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

This inspection was carried out by 1 inspector.

Service and service type

Grennell 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. Grennell Lodge is a care home with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

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 3 months and had submitted an application to register. We are currently assessing this application.’

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

Inspection activity started on 12 October 2023 and ended on 3 November 2023. We visited the location’s service on 16 and 23 October 2023.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with 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 used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 1 healthcare professional, 7 people who used the service and 2 relatives about their experience of the care and support provided. We spoke with 2 members of staff, the 2 owners, 1 registered nurses, the chef and the laundry assistant. We reviewed a range of records, including 3 people’s care records, 5 staff recruitment files, training and supervision information and other records relating to the service. After the inspection we spoke with 2 relatives about their experience of the care and support provided.

Updated 18 November 2023

About the service

Grennell Lodge Nursing Home is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 24 people. The service provides support to adults living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 23 people using the service.

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

People were kept safe. Staff demonstrated they knew how to raise safeguarding concerns and were aware of the processes to follow in order to keep people safe. People told us they were kept safe and that they felt safe.

Risk management strategies identified risks which included triggers for behaviours that may cause distress. Risk management plans together with care plans helped staff as well as the person involved to minimise risks.

The administration of medicines was managed in a safe way. There were policies and procedures in place for staff to follow and staff told us they found them useful in ensuring people received their medicines safely.

The service was following safe infection prevention and control procedures to keep people safe.

Staffing levels were good and appropriate to ensure people's needs were met in a safe, timely and consistent way. Staff were provided with the right training and support to make sure they could fulfil their roles appropriately.

There was evidence of collaborative working and good communication with other professionals in the health and social care sector.

People's health care needs were being met and they had access to healthcare services where needed.

People and their families told us the care they received was good and they were supported and treated with dignity and respect. We received positive feedback from relatives that reflected the caring, compassionate nature of staff.

Where people’s abilities enabled them, they were involved in decisions about their day to day lives and staff respected people's choices. Examples of this was seen with menu planning and with the activities programme. An activities coordinator worked well with people to try to ensure there was a wide range of appropriate activities people could involve themselves in. People’s dignity and privacy was respected.

People's diversity and their individual needs were respected by staff. The staff team knew people well and were able to provide appropriate care and support.

People were supported to maintain contact with relatives and friends.

Care and support plans were developed to ensure people’s needs and risks were met appropriately.

People were supported to have as much choice and control of their lives as they could achieve. Staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Appropriate policies and procedures were in place to manage and respond to complaints and concerns.

There was a comprehensive and effective governance system in place.

People, relatives and staff were confident about approaching the manager if they needed to. They recognised that their views and feedback were valued and respected and consistently used to support quality service development.

A wide range of comprehensive audits took place to ensure the quality of the service was maintained.

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 this service was good (published 27 June 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.