Archived: Elgin Lodge

Elgin Lodge is a detached two storey property The home is registered to accommodate eight people and there were eight people living at the home at the time of our inspection.

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

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.

People felt safe using the service and were protected from abuse and the risk of abuse. Procedures were in place for the safe management of medicines and people received them on time. Safe recruitment practices were followed. Infection control practices were followed to minimise the risk of the spread of infection and regular safety checks were carried out on the environment and equipment.

Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service that people received. People's needs and choices were assessed prior to moving into the service. People received care and support from experienced staff who received training which supported their role. People were supported to have a nutritious and balanced diet and their healthcare needs were met.

People and their family members felt the service met their needs and positive relationships had been formed with the staff delivering care and support.

People and their family members had access to information about how to make a complaint about the service.

Systems were in place to monitor the quality of the service that people received. The registered manager sought information and guidance from other agencies to continually develop the service.

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 (report published 28 July 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

The service had a manager who was registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

We last inspected the service in July 2015 and gave it an overall rating of good.

Staff were safely recruited and supported with an induction process. All staff also had regular supervision and appraisal meetings with the registered manager.

The staffing levels on the day of our inspection were sufficient to meet the needs of the people living there.

There was a positive and friendly atmosphere at the service. People got on well with each other and the staff. We observed people looking relaxed and comfortable in a homely environment.

People enjoyed and were given enough to eat and drink and a choice of suitable nutritious foods to meet their dietary needs. People chose together what they would eat and some people helped with the cooking.

Staff encouraged people to maintain their independence and supported people to enjoy their hobbies and interests.

All the documentation we looked at was well-organised and easily-accessible. People living at the service had up to date personalised care plans and risk assessments and people were involved in the process of regularly reviewing this information.

The registered manager and other staff at the service regularly checked the safety of the premises and the quality of care provided through a range of audits.

The local authority told us that it did not have any concerns about the service and that it provided a personalised and homely service to the people living there.

The local community mental health team said that staff at the service were good at recognising and appropriately acting upon changes to people's behaviour. They also explained that staff often attended appointments with people to support them, which is not very common.

Records showed that staff had received training on safeguarding vulnerable adults and there were policies and procedures in place to guide staff in relation to safeguarding adults. Staff told us that they felt people living at the service were safe. They said that they would be confident raising a concern if necessary and they believed that the registered manager would listen to any concerns and take appropriate action.

There were no people living at the service who lacked capacity or were subject to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). However, staff had received training on mental capacity and DoLS and there were policies and procedures in place to meet the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the associated DoLS if necessary.

Medication was correctly administered, stored and recorded. Staff had had training on safe administration of medicines and there were policies and procedures in place to support staff.

'It is like an extended family.'

'We are all well looked after here.'

'It is a well run place.'

'It is a settled household.'

We saw that people were very relaxed in their environment and were free to spend time in the lounge with others or to be in their own room. People were able to go out without staff support. All parts of the home were clean, tidy and well maintained. People's bedrooms were furnished and decorated to their taste. Services and equipment were tested and serviced regularly.

People who lived at Elgin Lodge did not require support with personal care, but staff may prompt or encourage people to maintain their personal hygiene and appearance. People's needs were recorded in detail in their care plans and the care plans we looked at included information about the person's family, past employment and psychiatric history, and records of medical appointments. Risk assessments and care plans were written for any areas of need identified. The plans had been signed by the person and had been reviewed regularly.

The home had a small team of staff who had good knowledge of the support needs of the people living at the home and had relevant qualifications.

A complaints procedure was in place and any issues were discussed at monthly house meetings.