Iceni Lodge

Updated 1 November 2019

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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

Consisted of one inspector.

Service and service type

Iceni Lodge is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the nominated individual are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. At the time of the inspection, the registered manager and nominated individual were on leave. We therefore liaised with the residential services manager and general services manager in their absence; and sourced additional information from the nominated individual and registered manager after the inspection visit.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small, and we wanted to be sure we would have the opportunity to speak with the person and staff at the service.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information, we had received about the service since the last inspection. This included details about incidents the provider must notify us about. We liaised with third party stakeholders. We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return (PIR). This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually 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 spoke with the person living at the service and observed care and support provided in communal areas. We spoke with the residential services manager, the general services manager and two members of care staff. We looked the person’s care and support records and their medicine records. We also reviewed staff files as well as records relating to the management of the service, recruitment, policies, training and systems for monitoring quality.

After the inspection, we sourced additional information from the registered manager, this was provided within agreed timescales.

Updated 1 November 2019

About the service

When last inspected, Iceni lodge was providing short stay respite care for up to two people. Iceni Lodge now provides residential care for one permanent person, who has learning disabilities.

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.

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

The person was supported to have maximum choice and control of their life 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.

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

Iceni Lodge offered one to one and group activities through attending a day service run by the same provider. Staff showed empathy, kindness and compassion, and placed value on their caring roles and involvement in the person’s life. The care provided was flexible to meet assessed needs and preferences.

The service worked with the person and their family to complete end of life care planning to ensure provision of high standards of care and support at that stage of their life. The service had good working relationships with the local GP practice and learning disability healthcare professionals.

The service worked in partnership with the person and encouraged feedback on the care provided. We received positive feedback from the person about the service they received. Staff told us they enjoyed working at Iceni Lodge and spoke highly of the support provided by the registered manager.

The person had their care and support needs met by sufficient numbers of suitably trained staff. The care environment was clean and comfortable throughout. The service had governance arrangements in place and completed regular internal quality checks and audits. Findings from these were reviewed by the registered manager and nominated individual and used to continually drive improvement within the service.

Rating at last inspection: Iceni Lodge was previously inspected 20 October 2016, rated as Good overall with Requires Improvement for the Safe key question. The report was published 3 February 2017.#

Why we inspected: This was a scheduled, comprehensive inspection, completed in line with our inspection schedule for services rated as Good.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor this service and will reinspect in line with our schedule for services rated as Good.

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