Archived: White Lodge Centre

Updated 24 September 2019

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

This inspection was completed by two inspectors.

Service and service type

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who used the service and four relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four members of staff including the area manager, the registered manager, senior care workers and care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with two professionals who regularly visit the service.

Updated 24 September 2019

About the service

White Lodge Centre is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to 21 children and younger adults who may have a learning disability, autism or physical or sensory impairment. The service was based as part of a larger service which included other day centre activities, short term respite care and a combination of other services regulated by Ofsted.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

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

The registered manager admitted the standard was not quite as high as the previous inspection. She had a long period of leave and had recently returned to manage the service two months before the inspection. However, the standard was still good in all areas and people’s responses throughout the inspection were noted to show limited impact of this change since the last inspection.

The correct numbers of staff were being deployed to the correct amount of people receiving support. Staff shortages were being addressed by recruiting new staff and safe recruitment processes were in place for this process. Any impact on people using the service due to shortages were being addressed as quickly as possible.

People and relatives told us they felt safe. The provider had a safeguarding policy and staff knew what signs to look for and who to contact if they saw signs of abuse. People had risk assessments to identify possible risks and advise staff on how to manage them.

Staff were supported with regular training to ensure their knowledge remained of a high standard to meet the care needs of the people they were supporting.

People were supported with maintaining their health and had support to access health care professionals. Care plans were personalised and people were encouraged to make choices. Staff got to know people well and understood their preferences.

Staff were kind, compassionate and caring. They treated people with respect and dignity by giving them choice and promoting their independence.

The registered manager was open to suggestions from people, relatives and staff and was committed to making improvements. There was a complaints procedure in place.

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.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

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 Outstanding (published 10 February 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.