Ward Green Lodge

Updated 27 November 2018

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 comprehensive inspection took place on 29 October 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of two adult social care inspectors, an inspection manager and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Before our inspection, we reviewed the information we held about the service. This included correspondence we had received, and notifications submitted by the service. A notification must be sent to the Care Quality Commission every time a significant incident has taken place, for example, where a person who uses the service experiences a serious injury.

The provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). 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.

We gathered information from the local authority and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. This information was reviewed and used to assist with our inspection.

At the time of our inspection there were 63 people using the service. We spoke with 10 people living at the home, four relatives or friends of people and four visiting health professionals.

We spoke with 13 members of staff, which included the registered provider and manager, the business and compliance manager, assistant manager, support workers, the administrator and ancillary staff such as housekeepers, laundry staff and cooks.

We spent time observing care in the communal areas and used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We looked around different areas of the service; the communal areas, bathrooms, toilets and with their permission, some people’s rooms.

We spent time looking at records, which included three people's care records, three people’s Medicine Administration Records (MAR), three staff records and other records relating to the management of the home, such as training records and quality assurance audits and reports.

Updated 27 November 2018

Ward Green Lodge is registered to provide accommodation and personal care. The home can accommodate up to 66 older people, some of whom are living with dementia. It is situated in the Ward Green area of Barnsley, close to local amenities and bus routes. The home is purpose built over two floors, accessed by a passenger lift. All of the bedrooms are single occupancy and have en-suite toilet and shower facilities. Communal lounges and dining areas are provided. The home has an enclosed garden and a car park.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

At this inspection, we found the service remained Good.

There was a manager at the service who was registered with the CQC. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People living at Ward Green lodge said they felt safe and they liked the staff. Relatives we spoke with felt their family member was in a safe place and did not have any concerns about their family member’s safety. Staff said they had been provided with safeguarding vulnerable adults training, so they understood their responsibilities to protect people from harm.

There was sufficient staff to meet people’s needs safely and effectively. The service used effective recruitment procedures which helped to keep people safe.

There were effective procedures in place for the safe management and administration of medicines.

Staff were provided with relevant training and supervision to make sure they had the right skills and knowledge to support people.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.

People enjoyed the food provided and were supported to receive adequate food and drink to remain healthy.

We found the home was clean, bright and well maintained.

People were treated with dignity and respect and their privacy was protected. People, their relatives, visitors and health professionals we spoke with made positive comments about the care provided by staff.

We found people’s care plans and risk assessments were reviewed regularly and in response to any change in needs.

We saw people participated in a range of daily activities both in and outside of the home which were meaningful and promoted independence.

People living at the home and their relatives said they could speak with staff if they had any worries or concerns and they would be listened to.

There were effective systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. Regular checks and audits were undertaken to make sure full and safe procedures were adhered to.

Staff told us they felt they had a very good team. Staff, people and relatives said the registered manager was approachable and communication was good within the service.

Further information is in the detailed findings below