CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Byker Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors were assured about visiting, admissions, protective equipment and responses to infection risks. They were only somewhat assured about the premises because parts of the décor were tired and improvements were needed.
- Effective?
- Good
- Does the care work? Training, consent, food and drink, working with GPs and nurses.
- Caring?
- Good
- Are people treated with kindness and dignity?
- Responsive?
- Good
- Is care built around the person? Care plans, activities, complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Is the home run well? The manager, the culture, how problems get found and fixed.
What inspectors found, November 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection control, but some areas of the building looked tired.
The home provides short stays for people living with dementia who need short-term or emergency care. It can support up to 25 people, and 18 people were using it during the inspection.
This was an unannounced, targeted inspection on 7 November 2022. Inspectors focused on infection prevention and control, including visiting, testing, personal protective equipment and staffing pressures linked to COVID-19.
Inspectors found good practice in infection control. Staff followed advice from infection control professionals, and checks and walkarounds helped maintain standards. The home was rated inspected but not rated, so this report does not give an overall quality rating.
Infection control checks
Regular audits and walkarounds helped maintain infection prevention standards and the safe use of protective equipment.
“Auditing and regular walkarounds of the service were effective in maintaining high standards of IPC practice and personal protective equipment (PPE) usage.” from the report
Advice was acted on
Staff responded to advice from visiting infection prevention professionals.
“Staff responded to advice from visiting external professionals, for instance from Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) nurses.” from the report
Visiting arrangements
The manager followed national visiting guidance, enabled visits and encouraged appropriate protective equipment.
“They ensured people could visit their relatives and were encouraged to use appropriate PPE.” from the report
Tired décor
needs fixingInspectors were only somewhat assured about safety linked to the building's layout and hygiene. Parts of the décor needed improvement, although plans were in place.
“The décor of the building was tired in places and the registered manager was aware there were improvements needed in this area.” from the report
- 01Which parts of the building's tired décor have been improved since the inspection?
- 02What improvements are still planned for the layout and hygiene of the premises?
- 03How will you manage infection prevention if there is an outbreak?
- 04How are relatives kept informed about visiting and testing guidance?
- 05How do you respond when infection prevention professionals give advice?
This was an unannounced targeted inspection of infection prevention and control and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it was inspected but not rated and did not provide an overall rating. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 November 2022 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, August 2018
Byker Lodge was rated Good; inspectors found safe, caring and well-managed support for people living with dementia.
Inspectors made an unannounced comprehensive visit on 15 and 16 March 2018. They spoke with 13 people, two relatives and five staff. They also reviewed care and recruitment records, medicines, incidents, the building and daily care.
The home provides short stays and emergency crisis care for up to 25 people living with dementia. Inspectors found that people were safe, treated with dignity and supported by staff who understood their needs. Medicines, staffing, care plans, activities and complaints were well managed.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. The home remained Good compared with its previous comprehensive inspection. Inspectors found no breaches of regulations and said the legal requirements were being met.
The inspection was partly prompted by an incident in which a person sustained a serious injury. The report says the circumstances of that incident were not examined because of an ongoing criminal investigation. Inspectors recorded that the provider had addressed the identified environmental risks and found the premises safe.
Safe medicines
Medicines were securely stored and administration records were checked regularly. Staff had clear guidance for medicines given when needed.
“Medicines were securely stored in a separate area of the service which was only accessible to staff.” from the report
Kind, respectful care
People and relatives described staff positively. Inspectors saw staff respecting privacy, dignity and personal choices.
“The staff have been simply marvellous and like an extended family to us.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans reflected individual needs and were reviewed as people's needs changed. People were supported with activities, relatives and community contact.
“People had personalised care plans which reflected their individual needs.” from the report
Strong oversight
The home used regular daily, weekly and monthly checks, alongside provider audits, to identify and complete improvements.
“The registered manager carried out daily, weekly and monthly audits of the service and we saw evidence of these.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What changes were made after the serious injury mentioned in the report, and what safeguards are now in place?
- 02How would you assess and meet my relative's needs if they arrived during an emergency or crisis?
- 03How are staffing levels reviewed when a person's needs change?
- 04How would my relative be supported to take part in activities and keep in contact with family or friends?
- 05How are medicines given when needed, and how would you review whether they are working?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions; inspectors did not examine the circumstances of the serious injury because of an ongoing criminal investigation. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 August 2018 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 Byker Lodge
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2022Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
- August 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 27 January 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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36 live-in carers within about an hour of Newcastle upon Tyne
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £950 to £1,160 a week. 30 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Petty introduced herself to Mum every time she was caring for her and responded very quickly to Mum if she was distressed in the night.”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.