Archived: Pro-Care Dispersed Housing Ltd Clifford Lodge

Clifford Lodge is a care home for six adults with enduring mental health needs. The home is situated in the north shore area of Blackpool close to the town centre. The accommodation provides six single rooms. Toilet and bathing facilities are located on the first floor. There is no lift for this service. Street parking is available at the front of the home.

At the last comprehensive inspection on 28 October 2014 the service was rated overall as good.

At this inspection we found the service remained good.

People spoken with were satisfied with the care they received and told us the staff were kind and respectful.

There were procedures in place to protect people from abuse and unsafe care. We saw risk assessments were in place which provided guidance for staff. This minimised risks to people.

Care plans detailed how people wished to be supported. People who received support were involved in making decisions about their care. Their consent and agreement were sought before providing care.

Staff supported people with medicines safely. Medicines were stored securely, administered as prescribed and disposed of appropriately.

There were sufficient staff available to provide people with the support they needed. Staff received training to carry out their role and knew how to support and care for people. They had the skills, knowledge and experience to provide safe and effective support.

Infection control practice was good and staff had received training in this area.

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 were satisfied with the variety and choice of meals available to them. Staff knew people’s food likes, dislikes and any allergies people had.

People knew how to raise a concern or to make a complaint. The complaints procedure was available and people said they were able to raise any concerns.

People were frequently encouraged to complete short surveys about the quality of their care and actions were taken in response to these. Senior staff monitored the support provided to people. Audits of care records and risk assessments were carried out regularly.

At our visit on the 16th December 2013 we reviewed care records and copies of the staff rota. We also spoke with the home manager and the registered manager.

We found staffing levels had been increased to provide flexible support when residents needed it.

People told us they could express their views and were involved in decision making about their care. They told us they felt listened to when discussing their care needs. One person living at the home said, 'It's good here the staff are all good to me.'

People living in the home said they felt that they were safe at Clifford lodge. They said staff were supportive and helpful and they could talk to them.

Residents told us the staff team were friendly and supportive. They said routines were flexible, they could come and go as they please. One staff member told us they try and promote each person to be independent as possible. One staff member said, 'It's important to enable people to live an independent lifestyle within the community.'

People who used the service told us staff treated them with dignity and respect. We saw evidence of this when observing interaction with the staff member and residents. This included staff knocking on doors before entering and speaking to people using their preferred name.