Archived: Outlook Care - Waterside Lodge Recovery Centre

Outlook Care - Waterside Lodge Recovery Centre provides accommodation and 24 hour support with personal care for up to 16 adults with mental health needs. At the time of our inspection there were 16 people using the service.

The care home is an adapted property accommodating people across two floors along long corridors. There were two communal lounges and kitchens and a medium sized garden.

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

People and their relatives told us the service was safe. However, relatives told us, and we found one staff member to occasionally speak to people in a brusque manner. We have made a recommendation in relation to dignity and respect.

The service had assessed the risks people faced and developed plans for staff to help prevent them. People’s medicines were managed safely and they had access to healthcare support.

People, their relatives and staff felt there were enough staff to meet their needs. Records showed staff were recruited safely. Staff received training to help them carry out their roles. People were supported to eat and drink enough and encouraged to eat a balanced diet.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Care records were personalised to reflect people’s preferences. People told us staff knew how they wanted to be supported and were caring. Staff supported people’s diversity and independence.

The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality of the care provided. People’s relatives told us they felt confident to make a complaint about the service if required. Staff and relatives spoke highly of the management team and reported the service had a positive and open culture.

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 14 June 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

Outlook Care Waterside Lodge provides accommodation and 24 hour support with personal care for up to 16 adults with mental health needs. At the time of our inspection there were 14 people using the service.

There was a registered manager at the service at the time of our inspection. 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 service was safe and had practices in place to protect people from harm. Staff were knowledgeable about safeguarding and what to do if they had any concerns and how to report them. People who used the service told us they felt safe and protected from harm and bullying.

Risk assessments were robust and personalised and staff knew what to do in an emergency situation. People had risk assessments in place for their mental health and instructions for staff if a person displayed signs of relapse.

Staffing levels were meeting the needs of the people who used the service and staff demonstrated that they had the relevant knowledge to support people with their care. Arrangements for staff cover were in place if there were any unexpected absences.

Recruitment practices were safe and records confirmed this.

Medicines were managed, stored and administered safely and audited on a weekly basis. People who used the service had risk assessments in place for their medicines. There was a member of staff on each shift who was the ‘medicines lead’ to ensure robust medicines management at the service.

Newly recruited care staff received an induction and shadowed senior members of staff. Training for care staff was provided on a regular basis and updated regularly. Staff spoke positively about the training they were provided and told us they were informed of any training that they needed to complete.

Care staff demonstrated an understanding of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and how they obtained consent on a daily basis. Consent was recorded in people’s care plans.

People were supported with maintaining a balanced diet and the people who used the service were involved in menu planning and told us that there were always options on the menu. People with dietary needs were supported to manage those needs and the cook demonstrated good knowledge of people’s individual requirements.

People were supported to have access to healthcare services and receive on-going support. The service made referrals to healthcare professionals when necessary.

Positive relationships were formed between staff and the people who used the service and staff demonstrated how well they knew the people they cared for.

The service supported people to express their views and be actively involved in making decisions about their care. People who used the service told us they felt in control of their care and involved with their care plans.

The service promoted the independence of the people who used the service and people felt respected and treated with dignity.

Care plans were detailed and contained relevant information about people who used the service and their needs. Care plans were reviewed regularly and any changes were documented accordingly.

Concerns and complaints were encouraged and listened to and records confirmed this. People who used the service told us they knew how to make a complaint.

The registered manager and deputy manager for the service had good relationships with staff and the people who used the service. Staff spoke highly of the management style and the support they received from their peers.

The service had quality assurance methods in place and carried out regular audits. The service monitored the feedback from people who used the service by way of an annual questionnaire and by holding a quarterly ‘manager’s surgery’.

People we spoke with told us they felt safe. People who used the service were protected from the risk of abuse, because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.

At this inspection we found the provider had made improvements to the areas of concern we raised in our last report. We found adequate maintenance procedures were in place for the proper operation of the premises. The toilet on the ground floor had been repaired and was in working order.

There were effective recruitment and selection processes in place. Staff told us they had to complete an application form as part of the recruitment process before they started work. We confirmed this when we viewed staff files.

People's personal records including medical records were accurate and fit for purpose. Staff told us they updated people's records regularly and kept accurate records about them. People's records we viewed verified this.

We found people were cared for in a supportive environment which met their personal needs. However we found more activities were needed to keep people engaged and occupied.

People told us they felt safe in Waterside Lodge. We found staff had the appropriate safeguarding adult's training and were knowledgeable about the different types of abuse and how to recognise the signs of abuse.

We found the premises were in a good condition however there were faults which the provider needed to be addressed in the toilets and bathrooms.

We found the provider kept people's records securely and followed the appropriate guidance for the safe management of people's records and information. The provider was able to locate records promptly when we requested them.