We carried out a review of the data available to us about Melba Lodge Limited 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 Melba Lodge Limited, you can give feedback on this service.
At our last inspection on 3 July 2017 we found breaches of Regulations 12 and 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 due to concerns that risks to people’s health and welfare were not always managed safely and the provider had not always followed safe recruitment practices when employing new staff.
At this inspection we found appropriate procedures were in place to support people where risks to their health and welfare had been identified. We also found that robust recruitment checks were being carried out before staff were employed to work at the home.
The home had a registered manager in post. 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’. The registered manager was also the registered provider of the home. 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.
There were safeguarding and whistle blowing procedures in place and staff had a clear understanding of these procedures. There was enough staff and staff were attentive to people’s needs. People received support with medicines when required. There were arrangements in place to deal with foreseeable emergencies and there were systems in place to monitor infection control, the safety of the premises and equipment used within the home.
Staff had completed an induction when they started work and received training relevant to people’s needs. 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 support this practice. People were encouraged to eat healthy meals and to cook for themselves. Staff monitored people’s health and welfare and where there were concerns people were referred to appropriate health professionals.
People were provided with appropriate information about the service. This ensured they were aware of the standard of care they should expect. People’s privacy and dignity was respected. People had been consulted about their care and support needs. These needs were assessed before they moved into the home. People’s care plans included sections on their diverse needs. Staff had received training on equality and diversity during their induction. There was a wide range of activities for people to partake in if they wished to do so. The home had a complaints procedure in place and people said they were confident their complaints would be listened to and acted on. None of the people living at the home required support with end of life care. However the registered manager knew which care providers to contact to access this type of care and support if it was required.
The provider recognised the importance of regularly monitoring the quality of the service. Regular health and safety, medicines, fire safety and incidents and accidents audits were carried out at the home. They worked with other care providers and professional bodies to make sure people received good care. The provider considered people, their relatives and staff views of the service through regular satisfaction surveys. There was an out of hours on call system in operation that ensured management support and advice was always available for staff when they needed it. Staff said they liked working at the home and they received good support from the registered manager and deputy manager.
There was a registered manager in post. 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.
At this inspection we found breaches of regulations because environmental risks to people were not always safely managed and guidance was not always in place for staff on how to manage identified risks safely. We also identified a further breach because the provider had not always followed safe recruitment practices when employing new staff.
You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.
People received their medicines as prescribed and medicine stocks were securely stored. However, improvement was required because the temperature of the medicines storage area was not accurately monitored. This meant we were unable to determine whether the storage area remained within the appropriate temperature range for the safe storage of medicines.
The provider had systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service people received, but further improvement was required because checks of staff files had not identified the issues we found with recruitment records and checks made on people’s medicines had not identified the need to monitor the storage area temperature.
People told us there were sufficient staff to meet their needs and that they felt safe at the service. They were protected from the risk of abuse because staff had received training in safeguarding adults and were aware of the action to take if they suspected abuse had occurred.
Staff received support in their roles through regular training and supervision. They were aware of the importance of seeking consent from the people they supported and told us people had capacity to make decisions for themselves. People confirmed staff sought their consent and respected their choices. They were involved in decisions about their day to day care and treatment and told us staff treated them with dignity and respected their dignity.
Staff treated people with care and consideration. People were supported to maintain a balanced diet and had access to a range of healthcare services when they needed them. People were involved in discussions about their care planning. Care plans were person centred and reflected people’s individual needs and preferences. The provider had a complaints policy and procedure in place which gave guidance to people on what they could expect if they raised a complaint. People told us they knew how to raise concerns and would do so, if they needed to.
Staff spoke positively about the registered manager and the working culture at the service. They told us they felt well supported in their roles and could discuss any issues with the registered manager when they needed to. People were supported to take part in a range of activities in support of their interests, and to maintain the relationships that were important to them. The provider had systems in place for seeking feedback from people on the service they received, and feedback showed people were experiencing positive outcomes whilst living at the service.
This inspection took place on 13 May 2015 and was unannounced.
Melba Lodge also known as 16 Heverham Road is a residential care home that provides accommodation and support for up to four people with mental health needs.
We last inspected Melba lodge in December 2013. At that inspection we found the service was meeting all the regulations that we assessed.
There was a registered manager in post at the time of 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 using the service told us that the home met their needs and said they felt safe living there. Each person said there were enough staff available to support them and that the staff were kind and caring towards them. Relatives and carers were positive about the service being provided and said they could visit at any time. There was a relaxed, friendly and homely atmosphere when we visited. We saw there were systems and processes to protect people from the risk of harm and staff were aware of safeguarding procedures.
People were being supported to develop the skills they needed to live independently. They were supported to take responsible risks and make their own choices in their daily living activities. They said they enjoyed the food provided at Melba lodge and were able to make choices about what they ate each day. Staff supported them with shopping and cooking to help them become more independent.
The service understood and complied with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). There were no restrictions on people using the service and they were able to go out when they wanted.
People were supported to have their health needs met. Staff at Melba Lodge worked with other healthcare professionals and obtained specialist advice as appropriate to help make sure individual health needs were met. We saw that people’s prescribed medicines were being managed safely and stored securely.
There was a system in place for dealing with people’s concerns and complaints. People we spoke with told us that they knew how to complain and felt confident that staff would respond and take the appropriate action.
The registered manager understood their role and responsibilities and positive feedback was received from people and staff about their leadership. There were effective systems in place to ensure the safety and quality of the service provided at Melba Lodge.
We found that people were involved in making decisions about their care and treatment and they experienced care that met their needs. People's care and support needs were assessed and regularly reviewed. Staff understood people's care needs and knew how to protect them from the risk of abuse and harm. Appropriate checks were undertaken before staff began work. People's records were fit for purpose, kept securely and could be located promptly when needed.