Brighton Lodge

Updated 5 October 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.

The inspection took place on 21 and 22 August 2018. The inspection team consisted of two inspectors.

Before the inspection, we reviewed the information we held about the service. This included notifications about important events, which the service is required to send us by law.

During the inspection, we spoke with two people, four staff and the registered manager. We used a range of different methods to help us understand the experiences of people using the service who were not always able to tell us about their experience. These included observations and pathway tracking. Pathway tracking is a process, which enables us to look in detail at the care received by an individual using the service. We pathway tracked the care and support of one person. We also looked at a range of records, including three care plans, two staff recruitment files and safety audits. After the inspection we received feedback from two healthcare professionals.

Updated 5 October 2018

This inspection took place on 21 and 22 August 2018 and was unannounced. This was the first inspection of Brighton Lodge since a change of ownership and registration.

Brighton Lodge is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Brighton Lodge offers accommodation and support for up to nine people with a learning disability. At the time of the inspection, there were eight people living at the service. Brighton Lodge is a large Victorian house and the accommodation is over two floors. Each person had their own bedroom and people shared the communal areas.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

There was a registered manager in place. 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.

The provider had policies and procedures in place designed to protect people from abuse. Staff had spoken with people about what keeping safe meant. Risk assessments identified when people were at risk and action was taken to minimise the risks. Arrangements were in place to ensure people’s safety in the building. People benefitted from an environment which met their needs.

People’s needs were met by suitable numbers of staff who started work following a robust recruitment process. Medicines were stored safely and accurate records were kept showing people received their medicines as prescribed. People were protected by the prevention and control of infection using risk assessments and maintaining the cleanliness of the home. Lessons were learnt and improvements made if things went wrong.

People had lived at Brighton Lodge for many years and their needs were well known by staff. The registered manager was aware of good practice guidance which had been published around providing good care and support for people with learning disabilities. People were supported by staff who had received relevant induction and training to enable them to support people they worked with. People were supported to eat and drink in line with their preferences and dietary requirements. People had access to healthcare services when necessary and the provider was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act.

People were treated with kindness, respect and compassion. People were supported to express their views and be involved in making daily decisions about their care and support. Staff knew what people wanted or needed through understanding their individual body language and facial expressions. Staff respected people’s privacy and dignity.

People were involved in creating their support plans and accessed them when they wished to. Support plans gave staff detailed guidance around personal care, communication needs and individual signs that people were becoming anxious. People undertook a range of activities of their choosing. The provider had a complaints procedure in a written and pictorial format which had been discussed with people.

There was a clear vision to deliver high-quality care and support. Staff spoke positively about the registered manager and the senior staff member who was part of the management structure. People were involved with how the service was run. There was a system of auditing in place which evaluated the quality of the service. The registered manager had links with other agencies and worked with them to improve the outcomes for people.