Background to this inspection
Updated
4 November 2017
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check 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.
This inspection took place on 07 September 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of an adult social care inspector.
Before our unannounced inspection, we checked the information we held about Avondale. This included notifications the provider sent us about incidents that affect the health, safety and welfare of people who lived at the home. We also contacted other health and social care organisations such as the commissioning department at the local authority. This helped us to gain a balanced overview of what people experienced living at Avondale.
Furthermore, we looked at the Provider Information Return (PIR) the provider had sent us. This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
Additionally, we spoke with a range of individuals about this home. They included two people who lived at Avondale. We further discussed care with the house manager and registered manager.
We looked around the building to check environmental safety and cleanliness. We also spent time reviewing records. We checked documents in relation to two people who lived at the home and the only staff member who had been recruited since our last inspection. We looked at records about staff training and support, as well as those related to the management and safety of Avondale.
Updated
4 November 2017
Avondale Lodge provides care and support for a maximum of seven people who live with mental health conditions. At the time of our inspection, six people lived at the home. Avondale is situated in a residential area of Blackpool close to local shops. It offers seven single room accommodation on two floors. Additionally, there is a dining room and communal lounge.
At the last inspection on 12 August 2015, the service was rated ‘Good’. At this inspection, we found the service remained ‘Good’.
During this inspection, we asked people if they felt safe at the home and they responded positively. A variety of environmental and personal care risk assessments had been implemented to reduce the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care. The home had on display at the entrance their safeguarding policy to inform people who to contact should they have concerns.
The registered manager and staff demonstrated they protected people from unsafe management of their medicines. For example, the management team completed regular audits and medication risk assessments to check procedures were robust.
We saw from records and people’s comments the management team recruited staff carefully and safely. One person who lived at Avondale said, “The new staff member is really good. She’s fitted in so well.” We found evidence in staff files that all employees received training to assist them in their roles. Avondale had a full complement of staff and there were sufficient skill mixes to assist each person safely, quickly and competently.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People told us they enjoyed their food and had choice around what to eat. Staff received food hygiene training and completed records to evidence regular kitchen cleaning took place.
We observed staff demonstrated an in-depth awareness of each person who lived at Avondale. People said they always found staff were caring and they enjoyed living at the home. They said the management team planned support collaboratively with them and their relatives.
People told us staff were consistently responsive to their needs and engaged with them in ways that helped to improve their lives. Care records contained detailed information about each person’s backgrounds, current status and their support preferences.
The management team completed regular quality assurance audits to ensure staff met the expected outcomes of care provision. They held regular ‘resident’ meetings to check for concerns and to involve those who lived at Avondale in its development. Staff told us they felt the management team were supportive in their work.