• Care Home
  • Care home

Alphington Lodge Residential Home

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

1 St Michaels Close, Alphington, Exeter, Devon, EX2 8XH (01392) 216352

Provided and run by:
TN CARE LTD

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile

Latest inspection summary

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Background to this inspection

Updated 13 January 2021

The inspection

This was a targeted inspection to check on specific concerns we had received about risk management, keeping people safe; staffing and recruitment, medicines administration and the management of the service.

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 one inspector.

Service and service type

Alphington Lodge 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 was in the process of registering with the Care Quality Commission.

Notice of inspection

We gave a short period notice of the inspection so we could arrange infection control measures because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

What we did before 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. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

Due to infection control measures we were unable to speak face to face with people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We briefly observed the support being provided during an activity in the communal area of the home. We spoke with the area manager and manager.

We reviewed a range of records. This included six people’s care records and a sample of medication records. We looked at four staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision.

After the inspection

Following the inspection visit and in order to minimise the time spent on site due to the pandemic, we spoke with five relatives by telephone. We emailed and telephoned the staff team to request feedback and received a response from just two members of staff. We received feedback from three health and social care professionals.

As part of the inspection, we requested and received copies of documentation connected to the running of the service and people’s welfare. This included quality assurance records, training data, care plans, staff rotas, accident and incident records and the minutes of staff and residents meetings.

Following the inspection, we provided written feedback and met virtually with the provider and manager.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 13 January 2021

About the service: Alphington Lodge is a residential care home. The home is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 28 older people. The home does not provide nursing care. At the time of this inspection there were 21 people living there.

Rating at last inspection: Requires Improvement. Report published 27 April 2018.

Why we inspected: All services rated "Requires Improvement" are re-inspected within one year of our prior inspection. This inspection was part of our scheduled plan of visiting services to check the safety and quality of care people received.

People’s experience of using this service:

The provider had made good improvements to the service since our last inspection on 26 January 2018.

The governance of the service had improved. There was a comprehensive programme of checks and audits to determine the quality of the care. The provider had acted decisively to make improvements where failings had been identified.

There were safe systems in place for the storage and administration of medicines.

The provider had taken steps to ensure confidentiality was maintained.

The area manager had encouraged a change in the culture of the service so it was now more person centred.

People were supported by staff who treated them with patience, kindness and understanding. One person said, “They love me, and they come in and say, ‘are you alright?’ and look after me.”

Support plans provided information for staff on all aspects of people’s health and personal care needs. Staff knew people well and understood how they needed to be supported.

Staff received better training and induction so they could effectively perform their roles. They were well supported and spoke positively about the improvements at the service.

The service met the characteristics for a rating of "good" in all the key questions we inspected. Therefore, our overall rating for the service after this inspection was "good". More information is in the full report.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor the service to ensure that people receive safe, compassionate, high quality care. Further inspections will be planned for future dates.