Hazelwood Lodge Limited

Updated 15 February 2020

The inspection:

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

The inspection was carried out by one inspector 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.

Service and service type:

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

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection:

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection:

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

During the inspection:

There were a limited number of people able to answer our questions at the care home. In addition to talking with four people, we spent time observing the daily life in the home and we looked around the building to check the service was safe and clean. We also observed lunch being served at the care service.

On the day of the inspection we spoke with two care staff, the registered manager and the director of the service.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and end of life care records for all the people at the service. We reviewed medicine administration records (MARs) for two people and checked stocks against MARs for five medicines. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and supervision. We checked the team training log and systems for complaints, accidents and incidents and audits.

We also checked building and fire safety maintenance checks.

After the inspection:

We spoke with three family members, another member of care staff, and also received feedback from one health and social care professional.

Updated 15 February 2020

About the service:

Hazelwood Lodge Limited is a residential care home providing personal care and accommodation to 10 people with a learning disability.

The service was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to 10 people. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However, the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

People’s experience of using this service:

The service has been developed and designed largely in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence.

We found people at the service were encouraged to participate in activities in the community, but have made a recommendation that the service continue to review people's activity plans to promote and encourage personalised and individualised social and leisure activities.

People who lived at the service and their relatives were positive about the service and told us staff were kind and caring to them.

Care plans were up to date, comprehensive in scope and personalised. Risk assessments mitigated identified risks to minimise harm to people.

People were supported to access external health professionals to help promote good health and wellbeing. A health and social care professional and family members praised the service provided and the ability of staff and the management team to work in partnership with them.

People were safeguarded against the risks of abuse and harm by the systems and by the staff. Safe recruitment practices were in place and there were enough staff to meet people’s needs. Medicines were safely managed.

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.

The service was well-led. Systems were in place to manage the service effectively, and audits took place to check the quality of the service. People’s views were gained through residents’ meetings and surveys, and relatives and professionals gave positive feedback on the service. Staff were supported through supervision and training.

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 the service was good (published 23 June 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.