CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Brook Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Requires improvement
- People were generally protected by risk assessments, safe medicines systems, suitable staffing and safeguarding procedures. However, some staff were not wearing face masks as required, creating limited assurance about safety.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs were assessed before they moved in. Staff had suitable training and supervision, and people were supported with food, healthcare, mobility and decisions about their care.
- Caring?
- Good
- People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Staff knew people's preferences and supported people to remain as independent as possible.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's choices, communication needs and interests. People were supported to keep in touch with relatives, enjoy activities and receive end of life care.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Management was described as open and approachable. Audits and checks were completed, and action plans were used when shortfalls were found.
What inspectors found, July 2021
Rated Good overall, but inspectors found that Safe Requires Improvement because some staff were not wearing face masks as required.
Inspectors made an unannounced visit on 3 June 2021. They spoke with people, relatives, staff and a visiting professional. They also observed care and checked medicines, safety records, staff files and care plans.
The home was clean and hygienic. People said they felt safe. Risks, medicines, staffing and safeguarding were generally managed well. However, some staff were not wearing face masks when inspectors arrived, so the Safe rating was Requires Improvement.
The other four areas were rated Good. Inspectors found effective care, kind and respectful staff, personalised support and open management. The overall rating was Good.
This was the first inspection under the current provider and legal entity. The previous rating, published in July 2019 under the previous provider, was Requires Improvement.
Risk and medicines
Risks were assessed with clear guidance for staff. Medicines were ordered, stored and recorded safely.
“Medicines were managed safely. Senior care staff had completed training and their competency had been checked before they were able to administer medicines.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and supported their dignity, choices and independence.
“People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff knew people well and their choices and preferences.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans included people's routines, preferences, communication needs and interests. People were supported to take part in activities and maintain relationships.
“Each person had a care plan in place that had been developed with people or their families.” from the report
Open management
Relatives said managers were approachable. The home used audits, meetings and action plans to monitor quality.
“There was an open and transparent culture within the service.” from the report
Face mask rules were not always followed
seriousSome staff were not wearing masks when inspectors arrived, despite knowing the requirement. The provider acted immediately and sent an action plan with staff spot checks.
“On arrival at the service staff on the Jasmine unit were not wearing masks.” from the report
- 01What results have you had from the staff mask-wearing spot checks since the inspection?
- 02How do managers make sure staff follow the face mask policy on every unit and every shift?
- 03What other actions were included in the action plan sent to inspectors, and have they all been completed?
- 04How often are medicines, infection control and other safety checks reviewed, and can you explain what happens when a shortfall is found?
This was the first inspection under the current provider and legal entity and covered all five key questions, including infection prevention and control. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 July 2021 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, February 2021
Brook Lodge was inspected but not rated; inspectors were assured that infection control measures were in place.
This was an unannounced, targeted inspection on 29 January 2021. It followed concerns about infection prevention and control, rather than being a full inspection of all aspects of the home.
Inspectors found examples of good practice. These included a separate visiting area with a screen, regular cleaning of frequently touched items, and testing and isolation arrangements for people moving into the home.
The home was inspected but not rated. Inspectors were assured about infection prevention and control, including the use of protective equipment, testing, social distancing, cleaning and the management of possible outbreaks.
Safer family visits
The home had a visiting area reached through an external door, so visitors did not need to walk through the home. A screen was used to reduce the risk of COVID transmission.
“There was a visiting area where people could meet their family or friends in a safe way.” from the report
Regular cleaning
Staff followed a cleaning schedule that included frequently touched items and additional cleaning after items were used.
“Staff had a cleaning schedule in place which included additional cleaning of areas such as the door bell, handles, phones and hand held devices.” from the report
Safe new admissions
People moving into the home were tested and supported to isolate in their room. Staff used full protective equipment when providing support.
“When people moved into the service they were testd for COVID and supported to isolate in their room.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are visiting arrangements managed now, and is the separate visiting area still being used?
- 02How often are frequently touched areas and shared devices cleaned?
- 03What happens when someone new moves into the home, including testing, isolation and use of protective equipment?
- 04How do you test people using the service and staff, and what happens if there is a positive result?
- 05How would you manage an infection outbreak in the home?
This was an unannounced targeted inspection of infection prevention and control measures, so it did not provide a full rating of the home or detailed ratings for the other areas of care. This explanation was written from the published report of 17 February 2021 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 Brook Lodge
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- July 2021Goodcurrent ratingSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- October 2019
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 8 October 2019.
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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