We carried out a review of the data available to us about Waterside Lodge 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 Waterside Lodge, you can give feedback on this service.
People’s experience of using this service:
The service maintained its overall rating of Outstanding awarded at the last inspection in 2016. All of the feedback we received from people who lived at the home and their relatives was of a service where staff’s commitment resulted in exceptionally high standards of person centred care and support.
Staff were exceptionally kind and caring towards people and had developed very strong relationships with them, knowing them in detail, including their histories, likes and dislikes. People had a say in the staff who worked at the service and the fondness and appreciation people had for staff was very evident.
The service was exceptional at helping people experience positive outcomes. People were supported to follow their preferred routines, set goals for new achievements and maintain and develop contact with relatives, friends and the community.
There was a truly person-centred approach to care. Care and support was planned following careful and continuous assessment of people’s abilities and needs to make sure people retained as much independence and control as possible.
The service provided exceptional and compassionate end of life care and took into consideration the needs of relatives and friends.
The service had a proven track record of providing exceptional care and support. Leadership and management was of high quality and people who used the service were at the heart of how the service was managed.
The service was safe. Risks to people’s health and safety were assessed and mitigated and staff knew what to do to maintain people’s safety.
Medicines were managed in a safe way. There were enough staff deployed to ensure people received appropriate care and support.
People benefitted from a very comfortable environment where furnishing, décor and standards of cleanliness were of a very high standard. Outside space provided a very pleasant and comfortable area for people to enjoy.
Staff received a range of training relevant to their role. Staff said they felt very supported in their roles.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection: The service was last rating Outstanding at its last inspection in September 2016.
Why we inspected: This was a routine inspection as part of our ongoing inspection schedule.
Follow up: ongoing monitoring.
Waterside Lodge provides nursing and personal care for up to 64 older people, some of whom are living with dementia. Accommodation is provided over four floors with passenger lift access. There are 62 bedrooms, the majority of which have en suite facilities. Three of these rooms can be used for double occupancy. There are a variety of communal areas including lounges, dining rooms, a reading room and a hairdressing salon. There were 63 people using the service when we visited.
The home has a registered manager who registered with the Commission in May 2010. 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 registered manager was on holiday when we inspected and despite our unannounced early morning arrival at the home the staff team were welcoming and the service ran smoothly and successfully in the manager’s absence.
Staff showed consistent attention to detail that meant people received an outstanding level of care and support that was completely centred on each individual’s needs. Staff knew each person well and were very responsive in identifying any changes to people’s conditions at a very early stage in order to ensure their changing needs were addressed. The consistently outstanding level of care and support promoted people’s health and wellbeing and enhanced their quality of life.
People and relatives were extremely happy with the care and praised the staff for being very kind and caring and this was confirmed through our observations. Staff were fully dedicated and committed to making sure people could lead happy lives of their choosing and went the extra mile to ensure their individual wishes were met.
People's privacy and dignity was respected by staff with whom positive relationships had been formed and who promoted their individuality. People were enabled and supported by staff to maintain contact with relatives and friends and develop new friendships within the home.
People were supported to lead active lives pursuing their individual interests and hobbies which included trips out. People were involved in planning and making decisions about their care and their preferences and wishes were respected and acted upon.
Staff demonstrated great empathy, knowledge and understanding of end of life care and used these attributes to help people prepare for the end of their life by ensuring their individual wishes were discussed, recorded and respected.
People felt safe in the home and staff knew how to keep people safe without unduly restricting their freedom. Staff had a positive approach to risk taking and enabled people to live as full lives as possible yet understood how to balance this with people’s safety. For example, doors were unlocked which allowed people to go freely in and out of the home yet staff were conscious of their whereabouts. Staff understood the different types of abuse and knew the signs that may indicate this was happening. Staff understood the procedures for reporting any safeguarding concerns and we saw incidents reported were dealt with appropriately and reported correctly to the relevant authorities.
There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs and preferences and staffing levels were adjusted according to people’s dependencies. Safe systems were in place to manage medicines which ensured people received them when they needed them.
Staff recruitment procedures were robust which ensured only staff who were suitable to work in the care service were employed. Staff received the induction, training and support they required to fulfil their roles and were encouraged to develop and progress their careers.
People enjoyed the food and were offered a choice. We saw staff ensured the mealtime experience was a positive, relaxed and sociable occasion. People’s weight was monitored to ensure their nutritional needs were met.
The home was meeting the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and acting within the legal framework of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA).
Effective quality assurance systems were in place which ensured the service continued to improve. Management provided strong and supportive leadership which promoted a positive, inclusive and open culture which acted in the best interests of the people who used the service. This was exemplified in the way staff rallied after the Boxing Day floods when their commitment and dedication meant they put the needs of people who used the service ahead of any personal difficulties caused by the flood which enabled the service to continue and ensured people received the care and support they needed.
One person said 'It's very nice. I can have friends to stay. We sit out in the courtyard when it's nice, and there's drinks and cake.' They also said 'Whilst unwell a while ago the staff made sure I was o.k. They never made me feel embarrassed. Everything's always very clean, there are no bad smells. The hairdresser's good too'.
Another person said, 'The staff are very conscientious and they are always kind to me. I'm able to express my wishes and say what I'm thinking. I'm cautious about complaining, but I have done in the past, and they listen to me.' Another person said 'I don't need company, I am not a party goer, but I could join in things if I liked. The staff are very nice, and they treat me with respect.'
There were systems and processes in place to continually review and evaluate the quality of the services provided for people and there was sufficient staff on duty to meet people's needs.
On the day of our inspection we observed people were well cared for. People were dressed appropriately for the weather, had regular access to drinks and there were a range of activities taking place. People living at Waterside Lodge told us they were happy and received good care.
The bedrooms we looked at were clean and furnished to people's individual taste. However, we did observe bedroom windows in the old part of the building opened very widely which presented a health and safety risk. We brought this to the attention of the Registered Manager who said they would take action to rectify this.
We looked at the care records of seven people and found they provided a clear description of the care people required. When risks to a person's health and wellbeing were identified, there were appropriate risk assessments in place.
We talked to a group of people in one of the lounges. They said they had a good social life, they enjoyed chatting, reading newspapers and books and going out to the market, shops and supermarket across the road. The home has a lively, welcoming atmosphere and people living and working there are very friendly. People told us the place was always busy, with plenty of visitors calling in and a range of activities on offer that people could join in if they wanted to. People living in the home are interested and engaged and are being kept mentally active and stimulated. One person said 'you don't get bored here, there's always something going on'.
Everyone was full of praise about the standard of cleanliness within the home, they said the domestic team were very good. People were also positive about the quality of food, they told us the meals were appetizingly presented with plenty of variety on the menu. The menus are on display in the dining area and people we talked to knew what they were having for lunch. The kitchen is on the ground floor adjacent to the main dining room. This means that people can easily go and talk to the cook and see food being prepared. We saw people having lunch and it was a very much a social occasion, people were chatting and joking with the catering staff. Everyone was asked if they wanted more. Later, people told us they had enjoyed their meal.
People we talked to said they were impressed with the quality of the d'cor and fittings throughout the home. These are some of the comments people made about the environment: 'everywhere is comfortable and nicely furnished' 'we love the ornaments and flowers everywhere' 'all the furniture is sturdy, comfortable and well made, they buy good quality fittings' 'I love my bedroom, it's big and warm. I can entertain my visitors there if I want to'. We like this lounge because you can look out and see people passing. People we know give us a wave'.