Beechwood Lodge

Updated 9 December 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection, we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

One inspector and 2 experts by experience undertook the inspection on the first day. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. One inspector visited the service on the second day.

Service and service type

Beechwood Lodge is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Beechwood Lodge is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced on the first day.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service, such as notifications. These are events that happen in the service that the provider is required to tell us about. We also sought feedback from the local authority.

The provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We observed how staff provided support for people to help us better understand their experiences of the care they received. We spoke with 20 people living in the home, 5 relatives, 7 members of care staff, the head housekeeper, 2 deputy managers, the registered manager and the group manager. We also spoke with an advocate and 2 quality assurance officers from the local council.

We carried out a tour of the building with the registered manager and reviewed a range of records. This included 2 people’s electronic care documentation, 2 staff files and a sample of people’s medication records. We also reviewed a range of records relating to the management of the service.

Updated 9 December 2022

Beechwood Lodge is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to 66 people. There were 56 people living in the home at the time of the inspection. The home has four distinct areas known as Oak, Maple, Holly and Willow. People with dementia were provided with care and support in the Oak and Maple areas of the home.

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

People told us they felt safe living in the home, and they were happy with the service provided. Staff had received training on safeguarding vulnerable adults and had access to the provider’s policies and procedures. There were sufficient numbers of staff deployed to meet people's needs and ensure their safety. The recruitment procedures had been improved and ensured prospective staff were suitable to work in the home. There were minor shortfalls in the management of medicines and records intended to monitor risks. The registered manager immediately addressed these issues during the inspection. Individual and environmental risks had been assessed and recorded. The premises had a good standard of cleanliness and people were protected from the risk of infection.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People's needs were assessed prior to them using the service. There was ongoing training for all staff. Staff were supported with regular supervisions and were given the opportunity to attend regular meetings to ensure they could deliver care effectively. People were supported to eat a nutritionally balanced diet and to maintain their health.

The registered manager and staff had worked hard to address the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. The management team carried out a series of audits to check and monitor the quality of the service and ensure records were completed accurately. The registered manager provided clear leadership and considered the views of people, their relatives and staff in respect to the quality of care provided. The registered manager and staff used the feedback to make ongoing improvements to the service.

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 29 June 2022).

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.

This service has been in Special Measures since 29 June 2022. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.

Why we inspected

We carried out an unannounced focused inspection of this service on 17 May 2022. Breaches of legal requirements were found. The provider completed an action plan after the inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve safe care and treatment, fit and proper persons employed and good governance.

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions safe, effective and well-led which contain those requirements. For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last comprehensive inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Beechwood Lodge on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.