Archived: Summer Lodge

Updated 11 September 2015

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection took place on 14 July 2015. This visit was unannounced, which meant the provider and staff did not know we were coming.

Two inspectors undertook this inspection. Before our inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service. We considered information which had been shared with us by the local authority and looked at notifications which had been submitted. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.

We observed care in the communal areas and over the three floors of the service. We spoke with people and staff, and observed how people were supported during their lunch. We spent time observing care and used the short observational framework for inspection (SOFI), which is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We spent time looking at records, including five people’s care records, four staff files and other records relating to the management of the service, such as complaints, accident/incident recording and audit documentation.

During our inspection, we spoke with eight people living at the service, two care staff, the registered manager, the deputy manager, and the activities co-ordinator.

Updated 11 September 2015

This inspection took place on the 14 July 2015. Summer Lodge was last inspected on 23 April 2014 and no concerns were identified. Summer Lodge is located in Hove. It provides accommodation with personal care and support for up to 20 older people, some of whom were living with varying stages of dementia, along with healthcare needs such as diabetes and sensory impairment. Accommodation was arranged over three floors. On the day of our inspection, there were 18 people living at the service.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

People were happy and relaxed with staff. They said they felt safe and there were sufficient staff to support them. One person told us, “I definitely feel safe, they are very good to me and look after me well”. When staff were recruited, their employment history was checked and references obtained. Checks were also undertaken to ensure new staff were safe to work within the care sector. Staff were knowledgeable and trained in safeguarding adults and what action they should take if they suspected abuse was taking place.

Medicines were managed safely and in accordance with current regulations and guidance. There were systems in place to ensure that medicines had been stored, administered, audited and reviewed appropriately.

People were being supported to make decisions in their best interests. The registered manager and staff had received training in the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

Accidents and incidents were recorded appropriately and steps taken to minimise the risk of similar events happening in the future. Risks associated with the environment and equipment had been identified and managed. Emergency procedures were in place in the event of fire and people knew what to do, as did the staff.

Staff had received essential training and there were opportunities for additional training specific to the needs of the service, including diabetes management, the use of breathing aids, such as a nebuliser and the care of people with dementia. Staff had received both one-to-one and group supervision meetings with their manager, and formal personal development plans, such as annual appraisals were in place.

People were encouraged and supported to eat and drink well. There was a varied daily choice of meals and people were able to give feedback and have choice in what they ate and drank. People were advised on healthy eating and special dietary requirements were met. People’s weight was monitored, with their permission. Health care was accessible for people and appointments were made for regular check-ups as needed.

People chose how to spend their day and they took part in activities in the service and the community. People told us they enjoyed the activities, which included singing, exercises, films, arts and crafts and themed events, such as reminiscence sessions. People were encouraged to stay in touch with their families and receive visitors.

People felt well looked after and supported. We observed friendly and genuine relationships had developed between people and staff. One person told us, “Everyone gets on with the staff, they’re very nice and very gentle”. Care plans described people’s needs and preferences and they were encouraged to be as independent as possible.

People were encouraged to express their views and had completed surveys. Feedback received showed people were satisfied overall, and felt staff were friendly and helpful. People also said they felt listened to and any concerns or issues they raised were addressed.

Staff were asked for their opinions on the service and whether they were happy in their work. They felt supported within their roles, describing an ‘open door’ management approach, where managers were always available to discuss suggestions and address problems or concerns.

The provider undertook quality assurance reviews to measure and monitor the standard of the service and drive improvement.