Coppice Lodge

Updated 20 November 2019

The inspection

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.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by two inspectors on the first day of the inspection and one inspector on the second day of the inspection.

Service and service type

Coppice Lodge is a care home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Coppice Lodge accommodates up to eight people in one adapted building.

The service did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. A manager had been appointed and was in the process of applying to become the registered manager. This will mean that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We looked at information we held about the service, including notifications they had made to us about important events. We also reviewed all other information sent to us from other organisations, for example, the local authority.

During the inspection

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We spoke with the provider’s nominated individual and two provider representatives. We spoke with the manager, a senior care staff member, and seven care staff.

We looked at three people’s care records, compliments received and multiple medication records. We saw records relating to the management of the home. These included minutes of meetings with staff and checks undertaken by the manager and provider on the management of the home and safety and quality of care. We also saw systems used to manage complaints and any accidents and incidents which may occur.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at the training which staff had undertaken, and additional training planned.

Updated 20 November 2019

About the service

Coppice Lodge is a care home providing care for up to eight younger people, living with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder or mental health needs. There were six people living at the home at the time of the inspection.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

The service was a large home, bigger than most domestic style properties. It was registered for the support of up to 8 people. Six people were using the service. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home.

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

The provider did not have a consistent manager at the home since our last inspection. Further time was needed for the provider to embed an open and honest culture within the staff group, so staff consistently felt confident to escalate concerns about people’s care. This would enable the provider could manage these promptly. Administration of people’s prescribed creams was not always safe.

A new manager had been appointed and advised us they were intending to apply to become the registered manager for Coppice Lodge. The provider had introduced new systems, staff structures and process so they could understand people’s experience of living at Coppice Lodge. These new arrangements will take time to embed and to provide assurances people are receiving good care.

People’s risks had now been identified and staff supported people to stay as safe as possible. There were enough staff to care for people and staff promptly supported people when they wanted assistance or reassurance.

The manager and provider planned further improvements to the care provided and the environment and checks on the quality of care. Compliments had been received from relatives and other health and social care professionals regarding the improvement in people’s care and the appearance of the home, since our last inspection. The manager understood their responsibilities and acted to inform CQC of important events at the home. Staff felt supported and their suggestions were listened to.

The provider, manager and staff had driven through improvements in the way people’s needs were assessed. People were assisted to achieve the best health and well-being possible, through planned health checks. People were supported to have enough to eat and drink, based on their choice. 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. Staff had commenced training to meet the needs of the people they cared for and were supported in their roles.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

People approached the new staff team supporting them with confidence, when they wanted any assistance. The provider and manager had driven through improvements in people’s environment, which had further enhanced how people’s rights to dignity and independence was promoted. Further improvements were planned to meet people’s needs and increase their well-being and safety. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and listened to their choices.

Care plans and risk assessments reflected people’s histories and preferences, and people’s care was planned in consultation with their relatives, with input from other specialist health and social care professionals. People’s care plans were reviewed as their needs changed.

People had opportunities to do things which they enjoyed, and their communication needs were considered when their care was planned. People’s wishes at the end of their life were being established, and plans created based on their preferences and needs.

Systems were in place to manage any complaints, and to take learning from these.

Rating at last inspection and update

The last comprehensive rating for this service was Inadequate (published 5 March 2019) and there were multiple breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. We also undertook a focused inspection (published 22 May 2019), in response to concerns about the management of people’s risk of choking. The inspection did not lead to a change in ratings.

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 5 March 2019. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.

Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our inspection programme, to ensure all improvements made are embedded. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.

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