Archived: Stroud Lodge

The home was made up of three floors with nine bedrooms, five of which had en suite facilities. There was a lounge, dining room, computer room and a small room where people could sit and read. Stroud Lodge also had the benefit of an enclosed landscaped garden. At the time of our inspection there were nine people living at the home.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 were happy and felt safe. People’s confidence and ability to be as independent as possible had grown since living at Stroud Lodge. Their risks were managed effectively and they felt confident meeting new challenges with the support of the staff. They had their medicines administered safely and there were enough staff so that they could undertake the activities they wished and be supported in meeting their individual needs.

People’s care plans were tailored for them as individuals with the involvement of their families at all stages. People were cared for by staff that knew them really well and understood how to support them to attain their goals. People’s progress was monitored and celebrated. Staff were constantly looking for opportunities to offer to people that would help them grow, gain confidence and live a fulfilled life. People were able to participate in the quality assurance processes of their home and could undertake a variety of different training offered by the provider.

People and those important to them were closely involved in developing the service. People were enabled and encouraged to maintain and develop friendships in and outside of the home and to develop links with the community.

Staff were very well supported and had the benefit of a programme of training that enabled them to ensure they could provide the best possible care and support. Staff lived the values of the provider and put people at the heart of everything they did. Staff were all clear that they worked as a team and for the benefit of the people living at Stroud Lodge. Their comments and feedback fed into the continuous improvement of the service.

There had been no complaints about the service for the last two years.

The service had a strong leadership presence with a registered manager who had a clear vision about the direction of the service. She was committed and passionate about the people they supported and was constantly looking for ways to improve. The home and the registered manager had significant support and guidance from the provider. Thorough and frequent quality assurance processes and audits ensured that all care and support was delivered in the safest and most effective way possible.

We found the home to be well staffed. We also saw that staff had been trained appropriately. All the necessary checks had been completed before people started work within the home. We also saw evidence that people who used the service were involved in the interviewing of new staff. The manager confirmed that the last complaint had been made in October 2012 and was between two people who used the service. We also saw evidence that staff acted proactively in relation to any concerns.

We saw one comment from a local authority social care worker which stated 'my client is doing very well and making good progress'. We also spoke to two people who used the service. Their positive comments included 'it's brilliant here, I love it'. 'It's good here, if I have a problem, the staff help me. They could not do anything better'.

People were involved in their care plans, and where they were able had signed each document. A Deprivation of Liberty (DoLs) screening tool had been used for each person. We observed information for staff was also available which was specific to each person using the service.

We spoke to two people who use the service. One person told us 'there is nothing I don't like here, I have lots to do'. Another person told us 'I get to do what I want to do and the staff help me when I need it. This is the best home I have ever lived in, I'm really happy here'.