Nightingale Lodge

Updated 21 October 2021

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. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by two inspectors.

Service and service type

Nightingale 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.

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 sought feedback from the local authority. 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.

We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with two people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with nine members of staff including the provider, registered manager, deputy manager, senior care workers, care workers, activities staff, chef and the maintenance staff. We observed care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at records. We had contact with a further four carers, nine relatives and three professionals who regularly had contact with the service.

Updated 21 October 2021

About the service

Nightingale Lodge is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to 24 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 29 people in one adapted and modernised building.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Nightingale Lodge continued to provide an outstanding service, delivered by a highly skilled, motivated and very caring workforce, led by an exceptional registered manager. People and their relatives shared the highest praise in describing how they were supported, for example, “The care of my [family member] has been exemplary”. One person said, “The staff are extremely kind and accommodating. Nothing is too much trouble.”

The registered manager fostered at the heart of Nightingale Lodge a very strong ethos of individualised care. This was the cornerstone of their practice and was the continued inspiration for the staff and service.

Support of the staff team was paramount to the registered manager, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when they had been asked to put themselves at risk. She said she, “Can only praise the whole team – they are exceptional.” The registered manager and management team had gone over and above in the support they had shown staff with examples given which had led to staff developing an unfaltering loyalty and dedication. The staff team worked as one to provide high quality, personalised care to the people living in the service, supporting each other to attain the best possible results.

People received exceptionally individualised care from staff who were thoughtful, caring and accepting. The loving and warm culture of the service promoted an especially open and mutually supportive nature that built strong relationships. People were involved, engaged and consulted on a regular basis. Relatives and people, we spoke to felt confident from previous experience, if they had any concerns the registered manager took them seriously and did whatever was required to improve the situation.

People’s wellbeing was enhanced by person-centred activity planning, both by group and individual sessions tailored to the interests and hobbies of the people living at the service. The service looked at creative ways to keep people in contact with their families during COVID-19, including photos of people giving a ‘virtual hug’, sending poems, as well as consulting with people and their families to find out suitable ways when there were communication difficulties

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 Outstanding (published 21 November 2019).

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding to test the reliability of our new monitoring approach.

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 COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

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.