Archived: Flora Lodge

Updated 28 April 2017

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.

This inspection took place on 23 March 2017 and was unannounced. Our inspection team consisted of one inspector.

We checked the information we held about the service and provider and we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed other information about the service such as notifications they are required to submit to the Commission. This included information about incidents at the service and information we had received from the public. We used this information to formulate our inspection plan.

We spoke with seven people who used the service, three relatives, three members of care staff, and the registered manager. We also gained the views of commissioners of the service. We did this to gain people’s views about the care and to check that standards of care were being met.

We observed how the staff interacted with people who used the service. We looked at four people’s care records to see if their records were accurate and up to date. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service including quality checks.

Updated 28 April 2017

We inspected this service on 23 March 2017 and was an unannounced inspection. At our last inspection on 29 February 2016, we rated the service as requires improvement as we identified concerns with how staff had been recruited and the number of staff on duty; how people were supported to remain safe and well and how their human rights were protected. The quality assurance systems had not been effective and had not identified these concerns. On this inspection we found improvements had been made.

The service was registered to provide support for up to 14 people who may have a learning disability or mental health condition. There were 12 people living in the home at the time of our inspection.

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 requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Quality assurance monitoring systems were carried out; improvements were needed to identify how the environment could be enhanced and any stock of medicines were recorded. Other audits identified whether care records were reviewed and how the service was managed to help identify where improvements could be made.

People were protected from harm as staff had a good understanding of what constituted abuse and knew what actions to take to keep people safe. There were processes to minimise risks to people’s safety. These included procedures to manage identified risks with people’s care, for checking staff were suitable to work with people who used the service.

People were able to participate in activities that interested them and be independent. Care records were personalised and contained relevant information for staff to help them provide the care people required. Information about making a complaint was available for people and they knew how to complain if they needed to.

Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to work with people. Staff respected people’s decisions and gained people’s consent before they provided any care. Where any restrictions were identified, applications had been made to ensure this was lawful.

People felt staff and registered manager were caring and treated them with respect and dignity. Staff understood the importance of treating people with kindness and compassion. They also provided good humour and enjoyed spending time with people.

People were provided with a choice of what to eat and drink. Where changes in people’s health were identified, they were referred to healthcare professionals to support people’s wellbeing.