Archived: Norfolk Lodge

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, discussions with four people using the service and four of the staff supporting them. We also spoke with two representatives of the provider. We looked at records including four support plans and three staff recruitment files.

If you wish to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

Is the service safe?

Since our last visit, people's support plans had been reviewed and updated. This meant that they were protected from the risk of unsafe care or treatment because staff had accurate and up to date information to refer to.

We looked at the recruitment processes and found them to be safe and thorough. The service had carried out relevant checks to ensure that staff had the necessary skills and aptitudes to work with people living at Norfolk Lodge.

CQC monitors the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards which applies to care homes. While no applications had needed to be submitted, the manager demonstrated knowledge of their responsibilities in respect of this.

Is the service effective?

We found that support plans were detailed and that they reflected people's needs and preferences. This meant that people were sure that their individual care needs and wishes were known and planned for. One person told us, 'I wouldn't want to go anywhere else'.

People were offered a suitable choice of food and drink. They told us that they enjoyed the meals. One said, 'The food is very good'. We observed that people were given time to enjoy their food and to eat independently.

During our visit people were engaged and involved in a variety of tasks and activities. We observed that they were free to come and go and that where they required support, staff were available to assist them. One person told us, 'I couldn't do half the things I do without them'.

Is the service caring?

People were supported by kind and attentive staff. We saw that staff were patient and gave encouragement when supporting people. A member of staff shared, 'They know us, it's like a family'.

People spoke highly of the staff. One said, 'They're very good to me'. Another told us, 'I'm happy here. I like it here'.

Is the service responsive?

People and staff told us that they were able to raise suggestions or concerns. One person told us that they had asked for more salad on the menu and that this had been arranged. They said, 'We get a choice of food here'. We found that the service listened and responded to feedback received from people and staff.

Where people's needs changed or staff were concerned about them, we noted that action was taken. For example, one person was referred to the GP as they had not eaten properly for a period of three days.

Is the service well-led?

Since our last inspection we found that improvements had been made in relation to record keeping. People's support plans were now up to date and reviewed on a monthly basis. In general records were accurate and fit for purpose. Where we noted omissions in support plans and staff files these were quickly rectified.

We saw there were systems for monitoring the quality of services provided. The manager demonstrated a commitment to making improvements to the quality of service provided to people.

People told us they were "happy" with the care and support they received from staff. One person said "I feel happy and safe here" another person told us "staff are friendly and nice". A person's relative told us "there does not appear to be any secrets here - when I ask a question, I get an answer, very much a homely home". We found that people were cared for appropriately and safely.

We found that the provider had in place suitable arrangements in place for the management and administration of people's medicines.

All the people we spoke with said that there were enough staff to meet people's needs. We found that staff we spoke with were able to demonstrate their knowledge of people's individual needs and had the relevant training and qualifications to support people competently.

We have asked the provider to make some improvements in people's care records. This is because records did not always reflect people's current or changed needs.

In this report the name of a registered manager appears who was not in post and not managing the regulatory activities at this location at the time of the inspection. Their name appears because they were still a Registered Manager on our register at the time.

We spoke with two relatives, both of whom visited the home unannounced. They told us that their family members all enjoyed living at Norfolk Lodge. One relative told us that it was 'home'.

Both relatives we spoke with were happy with the quality of care and felt that staff would listen to and act upon complaints should they occur. One relative told us that their family member had 'blossomed since coming to live at the home".