The Care Quality Commission
  • Care Home
  • Care home

Archived: Holly Lodge

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Fairheart Limited, 12 Clarence Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 4AJ (01582) 712640

Provided and run by:
Fairheart Limited

All Inspections

11 November 2014

During a routine inspection

This inspection took place on 11 November 2014 and was unannounced. Holly Lodge is a care home that provides accommodation and personal care for up to 14 older people. On the day of the inspection, there were 12 people living in the home.

The service has a 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 legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The experiences of people who lived at the care home were positive. People were treated with respect and their privacy and dignity was promoted. Their human rights were protected, and risks had been assessed and managed so that people were protected from harm. Information about the safeguarding procedures and how to report any allegations of abuse outside the service was available.

There were sufficient numbers of experienced and skilled staff to care for people safely and regular staff meetings were held to discuss issues relating to people’s general wellbeing and the day to day running of the home. Medicines were managed safely and people received their medicines as prescribed by their doctors.

Staff had received training and understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. They were aware of how to support people who lacked mental capacity to make decisions for themselves.

People were involved in the decisions about their care, and their health care needs were assessed, reviewed and delivered in a way that promoted their wellbeing. People’s nutritional and health care needs were managed well and they were supported to pursue their social interests outside the home and to join in activities provided at the home.

There was an effective complaints system in place, and the views of people were sought in an informal way because both the manager and the provider were visible and accessible on a daily basis.

27 February 2014

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We Inspected Holly Lodge on 3 November 2013 and found that they were not meeting all the standards because care plans for people who had recently moved to the service were not always completed. The provider could not provide evidence of the support that was available to staff through team meetings and one to one meetings.

We completed a follow-up compliance inspection on 27 February 2014 and found that the provider had made the required improvements and was now meeting the two standards that were previously non-compliant.

People we spoke to said that the home was 'excellent' and that they 'couldn't speak more highly of it'. We were told that the staff were 'not ruled by the clock' and that the care they experienced was 'second to none'. Staff told us that they 'enjoyed working here' and that if they had any issues or concerns they were able to speak to the manager.

4 November 2013

During a routine inspection

We carried out a follow up visit to check if the provider had made the required improvements. We found that some of the areas that had previously been identified as being non-compliant had improved and were now meeting the required standards. However two of the standards required further improvement and were found to be still below the minimum standards required.

We looked at records for people who used the service and found these did not always contain up to date, detailed information to inform care staff what type and level of support people required. The records had improved since our last visit but further work was required.

We reviewed the arrangements for ordering, storage, and disposal of medication as well as the procedure for recording "herbal remedies" and non-prescribed" and or "one off medication". We found that the required improvements had been made and the provider was compliant with this standard.

We looked at staff support arrangements and found that although there had been some improvements, further work was required to achieve full compliance.

We looked at records relating to people who used the service. For example medication and MAR charts and daily log notes. We found these contained relevant and up to date information. The provider had made the required improvements and was now meeting the standard required.

6 August 2013

During a routine inspection

During our visit to Holly Lodge, we observed that people who used the service looked well groomed and appeared contented in their surroundings. Several people were participating in a reminiscence session which they told us they enjoyed. We spoke to several people about the care they received, and they all told us that they were well cared for at Holly lodge. Two people told us that 'the staff were lovely' and another said 'it is just so homely'.

We reviewed the process for administration of medication and noted that training was out of date, and staff competency had not been checked for some time. Medication audits had not been completed on a regular basis.

We observed that staff were familiar with people's needs. However some of the staff had not attended all the mandatory or refresher training that they were required to attend. We noted from looking at staff files that staff had not had regular supervision or appraisals with their line manager.

We spoke to the manager about two missing notifications that should have been sent to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) informing them of recent events at the home and the manager agreed to look into this and submit the notifications. We noted that some of the records relating to people who used the service were out of date, no longer relevant, or had not been maintained as required.

27 November 2012

During a routine inspection

When we visited Holly Lodge on 27 November 2012, we spoke with people about the care and support they were offered. We observed that staff were patient and understood the needs of the people they were supporting. We were told by people that they were offered support at a level which encouraged independence and ensured that their individual needs were appropriately met.

The atmosphere within the home was calm and relaxed and there was positive engagement and interaction between staff and the people they supported. People told us that they were happy living at the home and with the support they received from staff. One person said,"It's very good here indeed, I am delighted with the care." Another said, "I really like it very much."

We spoke to a visiting relative who told us that they were confident that their relative was well looked after by the staff. They said, "The home is second to none."

One person told us they thought there could be more activities for those residents who were not able to leave the home. Staff advised that where this was the case, they would make time to talk with people, provide reminiscence therapy or to support people to participate in activities of their choice.

We observed staff were polite and respectful of people and involved them in making decisions about their support and how they spent their time. People told us that they liked the staff that cared for them and said that the home was run efficiently.