We carried out a review of the data available to us about Aspen Lodge Residential Care Home on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Aspen Lodge Residential Care Home, you can give feedback on this service.
Aspen Lodge Residential Care Home is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care in one building to 21 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection, some of whom were living with dementia. The service can support up to 25 people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were protected from the risks of abuse and ill treatment as staff understood how to recognise and respond to any concerns raised with them. The provider had systems in place and understood how to raise concerns to other agencies.
People had risk assessments in place which contained relevant information to inform staff members how to support them safely.
People were supported to have their medicines as prescribed by staff who were trained and assessed as competent to safely support them.
People were protected from communicable illnesses as staff members followed the latest guidance for infection prevention and control.
People were supported by enough staff to safely and promptly support them. The provider followed safe staff recruitment practices.
The provider had made appropriate notifications of incidents and significant events to the Care Quality Commission.
People and staff found the management team to be supportive and approachable.
People were asked for their opinions and comments on the care and support they received.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 19 March 2021). The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations associated with the key questions safe and well-led.
Why we inspected
We carried out an unannounced inspection of this service on 26 January 2021 where breaches of legal requirements were found. We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the key questions safe and well-led which we previously rated as requires improvement.
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.
The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Aspen Lodge Residential Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
Aspen Lodge Residential Care Home is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care in one building to 10 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 25 people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The providers systems and policy for protecting people from potential abuse had not been consistently followed. Governance arrangements had not identified this and some incidents which should have been reported to an outside body for investigation had not been. The provider had not consistently notified CQC about incidents as required by law.
People told us they felt safe living at the home. People had risks to their safety assessed and plans put in place to mitigate the risks. There were enough staff to meet people’s needs, and the provider was ensuring staff followed all government guidance for infection prevention control. When accidents occurred, there were systems in place to ensure peoples care plans were reviewed and learning was shared to prevent reoccurrence.
People had their needs assessed and care plans were reviewed. Staff received an induction and the registered manager was arranging for eLearning courses to update staff training. People received consistent care and the provider had made improvements to the environment to meet people’s needs.
People’s health needs were understood by staff and there were referrals to health professionals when people needed support. People had a choice of meals and drinks and their needs assessed for support and where required monitoring was in place.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 13 March 2020). The service remains rated requires improvement. This service has been rated requires improvement for the last two consecutive inspections.
Why we inspected
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to coronavirus and other infection outbreaks effectively.
We received concerns in relation to how the service managed risks to people’s safety. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, effective and well-led only.
We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.
The overall rating for the service has remained requires improvement. This is based on the findings at this inspection. We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvement. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.
You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Aspen Lodge Residential Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Enforcement
We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to discharge our regulatory enforcement functions required to keep people safe and to hold providers to account where it is necessary for us to do so.
We have identified breaches of the legal regulations in relation safeguarding people from abuse and governance arrangements for the service.
Follow up
We will meet with the provider and request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
Aspen Lodge is a residential care home providing personal care to 22 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 25 people in one adapted building.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service however did not consistently support this practice and improvements were needed.
People’s care plans were not always up to date and showing accurate information about how to effectively support people. Staff however were aware of how to meet peoples needs so this did not impact on the effectiveness of people’s care.
The governance and audit systems to check on the quality of people’s care had not identified the issues we found during the inspection.
Staff safeguarded people from abuse and managed risks to people’s safety. People were supported by enough safely recruited staff. People had their medicines as prescribed and were protected from the risk of cross infection. When incidents happened there was learning in place to minimise the risk of reoccurrence.
People were supported by staff who had received an induction and updates to their training. People were supported in a consistent way with access to health professionals when they needed it. People had enough to eat and drink and had a choice of meals. People were supported in an adapted environment.
People were supported by caring staff who respected their privacy and supported them to maintain their independence. People had their privacy maintained and were able to make choices for themselves.
People received person centred care and support from staff that understood their individual needs and preferences. People and relatives were involved in assessments and care plans. People had individual communication care plans in place to support them. People had access to social activities and visitors were encouraged to visit and made to feel welcome.
People understood how to make a complaint and there was a policy in place to manage these. There were systems in place to check on people’s medicines administration and ensure the home was clean. The registered manager was accessible to people, relatives and staff and other health professionals spoke highly of the service. There were partnerships in place and the registered manager had developed a learning culture.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 20 July 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
Aspen Lodge Residential Care Home provides accommodation and personal care to a maximum of 25 older people, some of whom may have dementia, mental health conditions or physical disabilities. There were 21 people living at the home when we visited.
A registered manager was in post and present during our inspection. 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's rights under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) were not always promoted. Significant decisions about people's care were not always reached and recorded in line with the requirements of the MCA.
The provider had taken steps to protect people from harm and abuse. Staff had received training in, and understood, how to recognise and report abuse. The risks associated with people's care and support had been assessed, managed and kept under review. The management team assessed and organised their staffing requirements to ensure people's individual needs could be met safely. People were supported to take their medicines safely and as prescribed by trained staff.
People were supported by staff who had the knowledge and skills to fulfil their duties and responsibilities. Staff received ongoing training, supervision and support. People had enough to eat and drink and were encouraged to make choices about what they ate and drank. People were supported to access a range of healthcare services.
Staff adopted a caring approach towards their work, and knew people well. People's involvement in decisions that affected them was actively encouraged. People's rights to privacy and dignity were understood and promoted.
People received personalised care and support. Care plans included details of people's personal histories and preferences, and staff referred to these. People and their relatives knew how to complain to the provider about the service provided.
The management team promoted an inclusive and open culture within the service. People, their relatives and staff had confidence in the management team. Staff felt well supported and were clear what was expected of them. The provider carried out quality assurance activities to identify and address areas for improvement within the service.