Whitebirch Lodge

Updated 4 March 2022

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.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 23 February 2022 and was unannounced.

Updated 4 March 2022

About the service

Whitebirch Lodge is a residential care home providing personal care to 17 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. Whitebirch Lodge is a care home set in two large residential houses which are connected. The service can support up to 19 people.

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

People and their loved ones told us they were happy and well cared for at the service. One relative said, “It is a home from home, everyone is so caring it gives you peace of mind.” Staff knew people well and used their knowledge of people to tailor their support. People were treated with dignity and respect and were encouraged to stay as independent as possible.

People’s care was planned with them and their loved ones. Care plans detailed people’s care needs and preferences. People were encouraged to continue with hobbies they enjoyed before moving into the service. Families told us they were always made to feel welcome and that staff supported them to spend quality time with their loved ones.

At the last inspection we found that staff were not always up to date with their training and that the registered manager’s oversight needed to be improved. A dependency tool did not give an accurate reflection of staffing levels needed, care plans required more detail and policies were not accurate or up to date. At this inspection improvements had been made. We found that people were supported by trained and competent staff. Regular audits and surveys gave the registered manager clear oversight of the quality of the service provided. Any issues raised were addressed quickly. A new dependency tool supported the registered manager to ensure there were enough staff to keep people safe. Policies had been put in place which were appropriate and up to date.

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. People were supported to have a balanced diet which met their health needs. Staff worked closely with health professionals to manage people’s health needs.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 08 December 2018).

The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

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.