2/2/2015
During a routine inspection
Abbey Lodge is a care home for older people including people with dementia. At the time of our visit there were nine people living at Abbey Lodge. Abbey lodge is registered to accommodate a maximum of 11 people. The home has seven single rooms and two double rooms which are used by people who wish to share.
We carried out an inspection of Abbey lodge on 2 February 2015. The inspection was unannounced and was carried out by one inspector. During the inspection we spoke with three people who lived at the home, three care staff and the owners. We looked at records and policies and examined procedures. We observed the care practice at the home and the interaction between staff and people.
The owner of the home is also the 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 a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
There were qualified and skilled staff at the service. However, there were no dedicated domestic or cooking staff. Care staff carried out domestic tasks such as laundry and cleaning as well as preparing meals. This meant that there were not always sufficient numbers of suitably qualified staff available for people and could not ensure adequate safe support. The manager did not have a clear system for deciding on staffing levels or for allocating staff to appropriate roles.You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.
People told us they felt safe living at Abbey Lodge. We found that the staff had been trained in safeguarding adults, moving and handling and other basic training. Staff knew the different types and signs of abuse and knew how to report any concerns.
People’s care plans accurately reflected their care needs and were up to date. They were written in a clear way and focussed on the perspective of the individual. Other records, including medication charts and pressure care were also up to date.
People received their medicines safely because there were appropriate systems in place for storing, administering, recording and disposing of medicines which staff followed. The provider enabled those who were able to manage their own medicines.
The home was clean and free from hazards, and enabled people to move around freely.
Staff understood the relevant requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS) and how it applied to people in their care.
People were supported to make decisions about their care, including where they went and what they chose to do with their time. People were given a choice of nutritious meals and had enough to eat and drink. People received the support they needed to maintain good health.
People were treated with respect and kindness. People’s privacy and dignity were maintained by staff. People received care that met their individual needs and were fully involved in making decisions about their care. Relatives and family were also invited to be as involved as they wished.
People knew how to and felt able to raise concerns or make a complaint and felt that they could speak to the manager if they had any concerns.
The home made use of external activities co-ordinators which supplemented the support available to people. Where people wished to join in there were quizzes, music and board games.