Tate Lodge

Updated 16 October 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked 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 18 July 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection was conducted by an adult social care inspector.

Before the inspection we checked the information we held about both the service and the service provider. We looked at any statutory notifications received and reviewed any other information we held prior to visiting. A statutory notification is information about significant events which the service is required to send us by law. We also invited the local authority commissioners to provide us with any information they held about the service. We used all this information to plan how the inspection should be conducted.

During the inspection we spoke with the manager, the deputy manager, three members of care staff and two people who lived at the service. We also spoke to three relatives on the telephone and four health care professionals who visited the service on a regular basis.

We looked at care records belonging to four of the people living at the service, three staff recruitment files, a sample of medication administration records, policies and procedures and other documents relevant to the management of the service.

We undertook general observations of the service and the support people received. At the time of our inspection two people were temporarily absent from the service and some were not present at the service as they were engaged in activities in the community.

Updated 16 October 2018

Tate Lodge is a residential care service which offers support for eight adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs. It is a spacious purpose-built facility set over two floors and all bedrooms have an en-suite bathroom. There is a large enclosed garden to the rear of the building. The service is conveniently situated near to local amenities. At the time our inspection there were eight people living at the service.

Tate Lodge is a ‘care home’. People in ‘care homes’ receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with 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.

This was an unannounced inspection which took place on 18 July 2018. The last inspection was in January 2016 when the service was rated as Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

We found that staff’s suitability to work with vulnerable adults at the service had been checked prior to employment. For instance, previous employer references had been sought and a criminal conviction check undertaken.

Staff had received training which equipped them with the knowledge and skills to ensure people received adequate support. Staff had also received more specific training to meet the needs of people living with mental health illnesses.

Medication was managed safely and was administered by staff who were competent to do so.

Appropriate arrangements were in place for checking the environment was safe. For example, health and safety audits were completed on a regular basis and accidents and incidents were reported and recorded appropriately.

Quality assurance processes were in place to seek the views of people using the service and their relatives.

Staff sought consent from people before providing support. Staff we spoke with understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) to ensure people consented to the care they received. The MCA is legislation which protects the powers of people to make their own decisions.

People were involved in their support and there was evidence in their support plans to show that they had been consulted about decisions. Support plans contained detailed information to identify people’s requirements and preferences in relation to their care. Appropriate risk assessments were recorded which helped to keep people safe.

There was no set daily routine at the service and people had a choice in what activities they participated in each day. We saw evidence that people’s hobbies and interests were recorded and catered for.

Most people living at the service had one to one support. People were assigned a ‘key support worker and co-support worker’ to support them with activities in the local community. People devised a weekly activity planner which ensured they participated in the activities they enjoyed doing. People were supported by their support workers with attending external health care appointments which helped to promote people’s wellbeing.

We asked people about how they thought the service was managed and their feedback was positive.