Auburn Lodge Residential Home

Updated 23 March 2021

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.

As part of CQC’s response to the coronavirus pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 2 March 2021 and was announced.

Updated 23 March 2021

This inspection took place on the 14 August 2018 and was unannounced.

Auburn Lodge is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Auburn Lodge accommodates 12 people in one adapted building. At the time of this inspection the home was full and 12 people lived there. The service supported older people. People’s needs varied and we saw that people were able to live independently with staff support while one person was cared for in bed.

Following the last inspection in June 2017, we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the key question(s) of Safe, Effective, Responsive and Well-led to at least ‘Good.’ The Caring key question was previously rated as ‘Good.’ There were four breaches of Regulation of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 in person centred care, consent, safe care and treatment and governance systems. We also found a breach of Regulation 18 (notification of other incidents) of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009.

At this inspection we found that the service had improved the rating of all key questions to ‘Good’ and there were no breaches of Regulations.

There was 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.

The management team and staff had worked well to improve the service following the previous inspection. Records had improved and risks to people were now more clearly assessed and actions taken to reduce and mitigate risks had been taken. People were asked for their consent appropriately and at the time of this inspection did not lack mental capacity to make decisions about the day to day care and support they received form the staff and management team. People are 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’s needs were assessed and they were involved in the reviews of and any decisions about their care. Staff were kind and they supported people to access healthcare services as they needed them. Systems and processes ensured that people and staff views of the service were captured and accident and incidents were analysed and acted upon by the management team when required to reduce risks for people. People were safeguarded from abuse by staff who understood how to raise any concerns they may have appropriately. We received notifications from the registered manager when they were required to send these to us in law.

People and staff were happy in each other’s company and healthcare professionals spoke highly of the service and abilities of the staff and management team to meet people’s needs safely and compassionately. People were cared for at the end of their lives by a very kind and caring staff and management team.

People were given their medicines safely and were supported by appropriately skilled staff when specialist medicines techniques were required.

The home was clean and well maintained with a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere and a ‘homely’ environment. People were protected from the risks of infection by safe infection control measures. His included the appropriate use of protective equipment such as gloves and aprons by care staff.

People’s rooms were personalised with their own belongings and people were supported t take part in activities that they enjoyed. This included gardening and quizzes as well as other one to one activities for people at the end of their lives. Relationships that were important to people were supported and maintained by the caring staff team who helped people’s loved ones to visit the home to share meal times with their relative.

The service was well managed by a professional and dedicated management team who looked to improve the service received for people.