Bentley Lodge Care Home

Updated 29 May 2021

The inspection

This was a focused inspection to check whether the provider had met the requirements of the Warning Notices in relation to Regulation 12 Safe care and treatment and Regulation 17 Good Governance of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 related to specific concerns we had about infection control, safety, medicines, oversight and quality. We also checked if the provider had met their action plan in relation to the remaining breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

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 site visit was completed by two inspectors. An Expert by Experience spoke with people's relatives off-site. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Bentley Lodge Care Home is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or 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 who had applied to register with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We gathered this information as part of the inspection. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service and nine relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with ten staff, including care staff, nurses, activity staff, the clinical lead and the manager. We reviewed a range of records. This included four people's care records and medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 29 May 2021

Bentley Lodge Care Home is a nursing home providing personal and nursing care to 37 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 56 people. The service supports older people who may have a physical disability, sensory impairment or who are living with dementia. People are accommodated either within the main building or in the new purpose-built extension.

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

People told us there had been improvements and changes in the service. They liked the new manager and said, “The staff are happy, it makes it jolly” and “We always have a laugh.” They told us staff were kind, gentle and caring.

People and their relatives told us they were safe in the care of staff. Processes and practices were in place to safeguard people from the risk of abuse and staff understood the need to report any concerns. Risks to people had been assessed and their safety managed. Measures had been taken to ensure the environment and equipment were maintained and in full working order. It will take further time to fully complete all of the provider’s planned actions in response to their new fire risk assessment, completed following the last inspection.

The provider employed sufficient staff in all roles to meet people’s needs and support them safely. Staff had been re-trained since the last inspection to ensure they had the required knowledge and skills. The manager had recruited new staff with sufficient verbal fluency in English and provided support to those staff who needed to further develop these skills. The provider’s pre-employment checks were not fully robust during the period of the home’s COVID-19 outbreak and we have recommended the provider reviews the guidance on staff recruitment during the pandemic.

People’s medicines were managed safely. We identified two issues regards medicines recording which were brought to the manager’s attention and addressed. Processes were in place to protect people from the risk of acquiring an infection. A relative confirmed, “The home is always very clean.”

Staff treated people with kindness and compassion. They had sufficient time to spend with people as they provided their care. Staff involved people in decisions about their day to day care. People’s privacy, dignity and independence were upheld during the provision of their care.

People and their relatives told us there had been improvements in the management of the service. A relative said, “The manager is professional, and his communication is much better.” Quality assurance arrangements were consistent and effective at driving improvements within the service. The manager had led positive improvements in the culture of the service for people. Processes were in place to seek people’s feedback on the service. The manager worked openly with statutory services in the provision of people’s care.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 27 January 2021) and there were six breaches of regulations. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

We carried out an unannounced focused inspection of this service on 26 November 2020, breaches of legal requirements were found. Two Warning Notices were issued in relation to safe care and treatment and good governance. The provider completed an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve person centred care, dignity, safeguarding and staffing.

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had met the requirements of the two Warning Notices and to confirm they met legal requirements for the other four breaches of legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the Key Questions of Safe, Caring and Well-led which contain these requirements.

The ratings from the previous comprehensive inspection for those key questions not looked at on this occasion were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Bentley Lodge Care Home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

In January 2021, the home had an outbreak of COVID-19. 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.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.