Middleton Lodge Care Home

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated good. This meant the service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 71 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

Middleton Lodge Care Home had a very welcoming, and calm atmosphere. The management team showed an open and transparent approach. There was a positive culture, providing person-centred and effective care and support. Feedback was actively gathered from people using the service, relatives and staff to drive improvements where needed. People, relatives and staff spoke positively about the management team. A relative said, “You can visit at any time you like it’s an open honest service. I think the culture and behaviour of the staff when the registered manager is not here, is the same.”

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

We found the management team to be passionate about the service and responsive to the information we requested. Staff told us they found the management team approachable. The provider and management team evidenced the steps taken to promote an inclusive service, which included ensuring activities were accessible to all and individualized to meet people’s specific needs.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

Staff explained they felt able to raise any concerns and were confident that their concerns would be acted upon appropriately by the management team. The registered manager promoted an open-door approach, enabling people using the service, staff and relatives to raise queries or issues with the management team.

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them.

Staff were given opportunities to develop through regular supervision, staff meetings and training. Polices were in place which promoted equality and diversity in the workplace. The registered manager supported staff by making reasonable adjustments, for example in line with their cultural and religious needs.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.

Audits to cover all aspects of service delivery were regularly carried out, however these audits had not always identified the issues we found in relation to medicines and two people’s mobility risks. We discussed this with the registered manager and at the second day of the inspection visit, we found improvements had been made. For example, mobility risk assessments had been completed, and a medication action plan was put into place. The provider also had systems in place to ensure regular compliance audits were carried out by their senior management and quality team.

The provider clearly understood and carried out their duty to collaborate and worked in partnership, and services worked seamlessly for people. They always shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement.

The service worked with a range of external community health and social care agencies to provide good outcomes for people they supported.

We found established links with the local community in place with entertainment, churches and various groups providing well-being and support activities to people. Middleton Lodge Care Home had strong links with a local primary school. The children visited the service regularly joining people with activities and people from the home also visited the school. This achieved positive outcomes for people.

Events had also been organised where people from the local area attended including a “Dog show” and “Summer fair.” A “Tots and treats” meeting took place monthly where parents came in with their infants, providing people with meaningful time across generations. People and their family members were kept up to date with the activities and events on offer through displays, newsletters and activity planners.

The provider focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research.

The provider had processes in place to learn lessons and drive improvements. Systems were in place to analyse learning from areas including complaints and safeguarding’s. The management team welcomed our feedback and took immediate action to address the issues we identified during our inspection.