Archived: Abbeymead Lodge

Updated 18 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 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 13 and 14 September 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of one inspector.

Before the inspection we reviewed information available to us about this service. The registered provider had completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). The PIR is a form that asks the registered provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed the notifications that had been sent to us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law.

We spoke with the registered manager, home lead and four care staff as well as chatting informally to several people who live at Abbeymead Lodge throughout the inspection. We also spoke with four relatives by telephone and received feedback from five healthcare professionals about the service.

We reviewed four people's care records as well as records relating to the management of medicines, complaints and how the registered persons monitored the quality of the service. We also looked at staff records relating to their professional development and recruitment.

Updated 18 October 2018

Abbeymead Lodge is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. There were eight people living at the home at the time of our inspection. The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence that the service had progressed in developing people’s personal growth and empowerment. The management continually demonstrated how they reviewed their systems and care practices to ensure people received high quality care. There was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. At this inspection we found the service improved to outstanding.

Why the service is rated Outstanding:

Feedback from people’s relatives was overwhelmingly positive. They complimented the caring nature of staff and felt that the service was well-led. They praised the approach of staff and stated that they felt their relatives were safe living at Abbeymead Lodge. The strong leadership team ensured that the values and vision of the service were embedded in the care practices of staff. The management team had strong emphasis on driving improvement and improving the quality of people’s lives. All health care professionals who contacted CQC about the service acknowledged the consistent dedication and approach of staff.

People’s needs had been assessed and their support requirements and preferences were recorded in detail to provide staff with the guidance they needed to support people. Staff had a continuous approach and a healthy balance of supporting people to understand the potential risks linked with their activities such as being in the community independently without being risk averse or impacting people’s confidence and anxiety about being independent. People were continually reassured and praised for their achievements. The staff approach focused on people’s individual needs and how to maximise their potential and personal growth. Staff used innovative ways to obtain people’s consent to care. 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 were supported to maintain relationships with people who were important to them. Staff ensured people’s human rights and diverse needs were supported.

Effective systems were in place to manage people’s medicines so that they received them safely and on time. People were supported to access health care services and to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Health care professionals complimented the responsiveness and caring nature of staff.

Sufficient numbers of staff were available to ensure people’s well-being and for them to safely be involved in activities. New staff were suitably vetted and trained before they supported people. Staff had a good understanding of people’s needs and had been trained to carry out their role. Staff consistently praised the support they received from the management team. They told us they felt supported and trained and had access to the information they needed to support people. They understood their responsibility to report concerns and poor practices.

The service had an open and progressive culture to improve the quality of lives for people. The focus of the home was to ensure that people’s individual and diverse needs and their human rights were valued and respected and at the centre of the care being delivered. Systems were in place to identify shortfalls in the service and drive improvement. The managers learnt from their own and other provider’s mistakes and reviewed their processes to ensure their practices were current. The home valued people’s and their relative’s feedback to ensure people consistently received high quality care. Any concerns identified were quickly addressed.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.