CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Bridle Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, September 2019
Rated Outstanding overall; inspectors found exceptionally responsive and well-led care, with safe, effective and caring support rated Good.
This was a planned inspection on 16 July 2019. Two inspectors reviewed care records, medicines records, staff files and management records. They spoke with one person, staff, relatives and visiting professionals.
The home supported five younger adults with learning disabilities and autism. Inspectors found that people were safe, received their medicines as prescribed, and were supported by trained staff. People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect.
The strongest findings were about personalised support, communication, independence and community involvement. The home was rated Outstanding overall. Responsive and well-led improved from Good at the previous inspection, while Safe, Effective and Caring remained Good.
Personal goals
People were supported to achieve individual ambitions, including education, volunteering, charity work and learning new skills.
“People were fully supported to achieve their dreams and goals.” from the report
Community involvement
The home helped people become more involved in local life and supported friendships and activities outside the home.
“The service supported people to be fully integrated into the community and to avoid social isolation.” from the report
Communication and choice
The home used detailed communication plans, technology and social stories to help people express themselves, make decisions and try new activities.
“People had in depth detailed communication plans in place using innovation and technology.” from the report
Open leadership
Inspectors found strong leadership, good involvement of people and relatives, and systems for checking quality and acting on feedback.
“There was an open and transparent culture within the service.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you make sure each person's care plan and risk assessment continue to reflect their changing wishes and needs?
- 02What communication methods would you use for someone who cannot communicate easily, and how would you check that they are working?
- 03How do you assess staff competency when they give medicines or support people with complex needs?
- 04How do you help new residents build relationships and become involved in the local community?
- 05What improvements have been made since the previous inspection, and how do you monitor whether they are lasting?
This planned inspection looked at all five key questions, the premises and the care provided; Safe, Effective and Caring remained Good, while Responsive and Well-led improved from Good to Outstanding. This explanation was written from the published report of 6 September 2019 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
What inspectors found, January 2017
Bridle Lodge was rated Good; inspectors found kind, person-centred care and improved medicines management, but some management and planning issues remained.
Inspectors carried out an announced inspection on 9 December 2016. They spoke with people living at the home, relatives, staff and the manager. They observed care and checked records for all five people, including medicines, accidents and incidents.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People were supported by enough staff, received kind and respectful care, and were helped to make choices, stay independent and take part in activities that mattered to them.
The home had corrected the medicines problems found at the previous inspection. However, there was no registered manager application in place, the business continuity plan needed updating, two fire doors needed adjustment and some staff supervision was behind schedule. The fire doors were fixed during the inspection.
Medicines improved
The problems identified at the previous inspection had been addressed. Staff competency checks, medicines records, stock checks and protocols for medicines given when needed were all in place.
“We also found detailed protocols were in place where people received 'as needed' medicines.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw positive relationships between staff and people. Staff listened, offered choices and protected people's privacy and dignity.
“Staff interacted with people in a positive and caring way.” from the report
Person-centred support
Records included people's preferences, routines and support needs. People were helped to choose activities and live as independently as possible.
“There was a clear emphasis on providing people with care and support in a person centred way.” from the report
Good activity support
People took part in activities they valued, including going to local places, swimming, the gym and holidays. The larger sensory room was being used and enjoyed.
“Records showed people had regular discussions with staff about the activities they wanted to do and then plans were put in place to help people to do them.” from the report
Quality monitoring
The home carried out regular checks of support records, staff performance and medicines. People and staff were invited to suggest improvements.
“Quality assurance and auditing processes were in place.” from the report
No registered manager application
needs fixingThere was no registered manager in place and inspectors found no application for registration. The manager agreed to take action.
“We checked our records and did not find an application in place for a person to become registered to manage this home.” from the report
Emergency planning
needs fixingThe business continuity plan was a corporate policy and did not contain enough detail specific to the home. Inspectors said it needed updating.
“However, this was a corporate policy and lacked details specific to this service and required updating.” from the report
Staff supervision and turnover
minorSome staff supervision was behind the manager's intended frequency. One relative also said a high staff turnover was worrying.
“Records showed staff had received supervisions, but the frequency for some was behind what the manager hoped to achieve.” from the report
Fire doors
seriousTwo fire doors closed too quickly and posed a safety risk. This was put right during the inspection and was due to be included in regular checks.
“We noted during the inspection that two of the fire doors closed quickly and posed a risk to people's safety.” from the report
- 01Is there now a registered manager for the home, and has the registration application been completed?
- 02Has the business continuity plan been updated with details specific to this home?
- 03How are fire doors and other environmental safety checks now monitored?
- 04How often do staff receive supervision, and what is being done about staff turnover?
- 05How are the improved medicines checks kept accurate, including MAR records, stock levels and as-needed medicine protocols?
This was an announced inspection covering all five key questions and included records for all five people living at the home; it also checked whether earlier medicines problems had been corrected. This explanation was written from the published report of 11 January 2017 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of Bridle Lodge
3 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Outstanding.
- September 2019Outstandingcurrent ratingup from GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Outstanding
- January 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- May 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 29 June 2011.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
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