Background to this inspection
Updated
3 June 2015
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
This inspection took place on 14 and 15 April 2015 and was unannounced.
There were two adult social care inspectors. Prior to our inspection we reviewed information from notifications before the inspection. We had not sent the provider a ‘Provider Information Return’ (PIR) form prior to the inspection. This form enables the provider to submit in advance information about their service to inform the inspection.
We spoke with the local authority commissioners and safeguarding teams before the inspection. We spoke with 11 people who used the service and three relatives during our visit. We spoke with the registered manager, the regional manager, a quality manager and four staff. We observed how people were cared for, inspected the premises and reviewed care records for five people. We also reviewed documentation to show how the service was run.
Updated
3 June 2015
The inspection took place on 14 and 15 April 2015 and was unannounced.
There were several breaches of the legal requirements that we checked at the last inspection in September 2014 and we had issued a notice of proposal to cancel nursing at the home.
Earls Lodge Care Home is registered to provide accommodation and nursing care for up to 60 people. There were 31 people living at Earls Lodge Care Home at the time of our inspection, some of whom where living with dementia.
Accommodation at the home is provided over two floors, which can be accessed using a passenger lift. People who require nursing care live on the first floor.
At the time of our inspection 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 and has the legal responsibility for meeting the requirements of the law; as does the provider.
The home had significantly improved since our previous visit. We saw evidence of people’s good relationships with staff who understood their individual needs. Activities for people were more meaningful and people were purposefully engaged.
People’s dignity and rights were promoted and they were treated respectfully. Staff empowered people to maintain their independence, be involved in their own care and contribute to the running of the home.
Staff had sufficient opportunities to update their skills and professional development.
Staff had an understanding of the impact of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).
Strong teamwork with a more stable staff team enabled staff to work together to support people’s needs. Handover information had improved between shift changes which provided clear information to ensure people’s care needs were more effectively communicated.
Care records had been improved to ensure more detailed and accurate information for staff to be able to support people’s needs safely.
People were given good explanation about their medications and staff took time to make sure people were supported during medication rounds. We were concerned to note the medication trolley on the nursing unit had a broken lock which had potential to compromise people’s safety. However, the registered manager promptly attended to this and arranged a replacement trolley the same day.
People and their relatives gave positive feedback about the service and how it had improved over recent months. People and relatives said they felt included and involved in how the home was run.
Systems to monitor and review the quality of the provision were more securely in place. The registered manager had more consistent support from the organisation, which enabled the driving of improvement.