Durlston Lodge

Updated 25 November 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

The inspection was carried out by two inspectors.

Service and service type

Durlston 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. Durlston 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

The inspection was unannounced. Due to the support needs of the people living at the home inspectors made a short visit to introduce themselves and to leave their pictures for staff to show to the residents. Inspectors then visited again the next day.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make.

We used information gathered as part of monitoring activity that took place on the15/09/2022 to help plan the inspection and inform our judgements. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

During the inspection we spoke to the registered manager and deputy manager. We reviewed various records in relation to the running of the service including three people’s care plans, medication management, audits and checks. We spoke to one family member. Some of the people were not able to communicate with us, so we spent time observing them in their home and their interactions with staff.

After the inspection reviewed records relating to the management of the service and spoke to three members of staff, three family members and one professional who work with the people living at the service.

Updated 25 November 2022

About the service

Durlston Lodge is a residential service providing accommodation and personal care for up to a maximum of six people. The service provides support to people with learning disabilities and autism. At the time of our inspection there were five people using the service.

Durlston Lodge is situated near Trowbridge, in its own grounds and away from the road. It is modern and well presented both internally and externally. There is room for the people who live there to spend time together or apart as they choose.

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

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

Right Support:

People were supported to have choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests. However, the policies and systems in the service did not always support this practice. The provider had introduced a system of “safe staffing” which meant there was a limit to the numbers of agency staff the registered manager could use impacting people’s quality of life?. Since the inspection we were told that the provider has stopped this system.

Right Care:

People were supported in a way that promoted their dignity and privacy and in a person centred way. Staff were trained in how best to support people and when needed the provider delivered person specific training. Families felt that the staff treated the people they supported with consideration and respect.

Right Culture:

The values of the manager and assistant manager were positively aligned to the ethos of ensuring autistic people lead inclusive lives. We observed staff working in a person centred way with the people they support, ensuring that they were making choices around their day to day activities wherever possible.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 1 December 2020 and this is the first inspection. The service has been inspected whilst under the management of the previous provider on 12th December 2019 and had been rated as Good

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service. We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.