Archived: Oakwood Lodge

Oakwood Lodge is a care home registered to accommodate and support up to eight people with mental health needs. At the time of the inspection, seven people were living at the home.

People’s experience of using this service

Care plans contained suitable and sufficient risk assessments to effectively manage risks and help keep people safe. Pre-employment checks had been carried out to ensure staff were suitable to support people. Staff were aware on how to safeguard people from abuse. There were appropriate numbers of staff to support people when required. Medicines were being managed safely.

Staff had completed essential training to perform their roles effectively and staff felt supported in their role. 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 received care from staff who were kind and compassionate. Staff treated people with dignity and respected their privacy. Staff had developed positive relationships with the people they supported. They understood people’s needs, preferences, and what was important to them. People were encouraged to be independent and to carry out tasks without support.

Care plans were person centred and included people’s support needs. Care plans had been reviewed regularly to ensure they were accurate. People participated in regular activities to support them to develop and maintain relationships to avoid social isolation.

Systems were in place for quality assurance and quality monitoring to ensure people received high quality care.

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

Rating at last inspection

At our last inspection on 23 May 2017, the home was rated good (published 23 June 2017).

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.

Oakwood Lodge provides residential care and accommodation for seven adults with mental health support needs. At the time of the inspection, there were six people living at the service. The service has a garden and an outdoor building that is used for meetings, games and exercise.

The service had a registered manager in post. 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 provider had measures in place to ensure the environment was suitable and safe for people using the service.

People were safe at the service and were cared for by staff who were knowledgeable about safeguarding people. Staff knew how to report any concerns of abuse.

Medicines were managed safely by staff who were trained and assessed as competent. People received their medicines at the required times and in the way they had been prescribed.

Risks to people had been assessed and there was guidance in place on how to manage them safely. We made a recommendation about updating people’s evacuation plans to ensure correct procedures are followed by staff in the event of a fire.

There were sufficient staff available to meet people's needs. Staff received training in relevant areas to ensure they had the skills to meet people's needs and provide safe care.

People's consent was sought where appropriate. Staff had received Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) training and understood the systems in place to protect people who could not make independent decisions. The provider followed the legal requirements outlined in the MCA and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

There was a safe recruitment process and suitable staff were recruited to keep people safe.

People were supported with their finances, although we made a recommendation about ensuring records and audits were more robust.

Staff were caring, interacted well with people and respected their privacy and dignity. They promoted people’s independence.

People’s records reflected their current health needs. People were supported by staff with appointments to meet with healthcare professionals. They were able to express their views and to make decisions about their care.

People were supported to have a nutritious and balanced diet. Their health and wellbeing was promoted and they were able to plan menus for their meals.

People’s care plans were personalised and contained information about aspects of their life. People were encouraged to take part in household chores and leisure activities.

There was a complaints procedure in place. Staff were able to support people if they wished to complain. Relatives knew how to make a complaint and were kept up to date by staff with any concerns. Staff, people and relatives told us the management team were supportive and friendly.

Systems were in place to evaluate and monitor the quality of the service. The management team demonstrated an understanding of their role and responsibilities. The registered manager supported a new manager and a plan was in place for the new manager to succeed their role.