Sandhurst Lodge

Updated 11 August 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 3 July 2018 and was unannounced. The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Prior to the inspection, we reviewed information we had about the provider, including notifications of any safeguarding or other incidents affecting the safety and well-being of people using the service.

Throughout the inspection we spoke with four people who used the service. We also observed interactions between staff and people using the service as we wanted to see if the way that staff communicated and supported people had a positive effect on their well-being.

We spoke with the registered manager and four care staff. We also looked at seven staff files and staff training records.

We looked at three people’s care plans and other documents relating to their care including risk assessments and medicines records. We looked at other records held at the home including staff meeting minutes as well as health and safety documents and quality audits.

Following the inspection, we received feedback from two relatives.

Updated 11 August 2018

Sandhurst Lodge is a residential care home for five people of varying ages with learning disabilities and mental health conditions. The house is semi-detached with four out of five bedrooms having en-suite facilities. The home has a garden.

At our last inspection we rated the service Good overall with Effective rated requires improvement as staff had not received an annual appraisal. At this inspection we found this issue had been rectified and the evidence continued to support the rating of Good. 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.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

The service had a registered manager. 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 legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and the associated regulations on how the service is run.

People were safe living at Sandhurst Lodge. Risks associated with people’s care had been appropriately assessed. Medicines were managed and administered in a safe manner. There were sufficient staff available to ensure people received person centred care. Staff were safely recruited. Systems and processes were in place to ensure people were protected from abuse.

Staff had received regular training, supervision and an annual appraisal to support them to provide effective 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 had choice around what they ate and were supported to maintain good health.

We observed kind and caring interaction between people and staff. People living in the home and their relatives praised the caring nature of the care staff and registered manager. People were supported to increase their independence and maintain strong links with their families. People were involved in planning their care.

Care plans were person centred, detailed and updated as and when people’s care needs changed. People were supported to lead active and fulfilling lives and went on regular daytrips. Systems were in place to manage complaints.

People and relatives told us they were happy with the overall service at Sandhurst Lodge. Quality assurance processes were in place to monitor the quality of care delivered. The registered manager worked in partnership with external health and social care professionals to ensure people’s health and social care needs were met.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.