CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Cedar Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Staff understood how to recognise and report abuse, manage individual risks and give medicines safely. Inspectors also found the home clean and found enough staff to support people.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's assessments were updated and staff had training for their complex needs. Staff supported people with food, drink, health appointments and other professionals.
- Caring?
- Good
- People had trusting relationships with staff and were treated with dignity and respect. Staff supported people to make day-to-day choices and maintain independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's individual needs, risks and preferences. People were supported with communication, family relationships, activities and complaints.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Relatives and staff described open communication and positive management. The provider and manager used checks, incident reviews and staff suggestions to improve care.
What inspectors found, November 2019
Cedar Lodge was rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with end-of-life planning still being developed.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 24 October 2019. One inspector spent time with people, spoke with two relatives and seven staff, and reviewed care plans, medicines records, complaints information and quality checks.
The home provides personal care for up to nine people with learning disabilities and autism. Six people lived there during the inspection. Inspectors found good care across all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led.
Inspectors found that staff understood people's safety needs, supported their health and choices, and treated them with kindness and respect. People were supported to stay independent, maintain relationships and enjoy activities that mattered to them.
The overall rating was Good, the same as at the previous inspection published on 27 April 2017. The registered manager planned to develop end-of-life plans further, including plans for people's preferences if someone died suddenly.
Individual safety support
Staff understood people's different safety needs and adjusted support as those needs changed. Staffing could also be adjusted so people could maintain relationships and spend time in the community.
“People's safety needs were considered when staff planned their care with them.” from the report
Kind relationships
People had trusting relationships with staff who knew their needs and communication styles. Relatives said staff were patient and reassuring.
“People had developed good relationships with the staff who supported them and were confident to let staff know what care they wanted.” from the report
Choice and independence
People were involved in choices about daily care, meals, activities and their home. Staff supported people to keep and build their skills.
“People were involved in day to day decisions about their care and were supported to express their views.” from the report
Personalised activities
Staff supported people to enjoy activities, trips and celebrations adapted to their needs. This included time with relatives and activities in the wider community.
“People were supported to do things they enjoyed, such as sensory experiences, spending time sharing their day with staff and listening to music, or watching the television.” from the report
Good oversight
The manager and provider carried out checks on care, medicines and incidents. Staff were encouraged to suggest improvements and reflect on the care provided.
“The registered manager was supported by the provider to manage the quality of care provided at the home.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you finish and regularly review each person's end-of-life plan?
- 02How would you respond to a person's preferences if they died suddenly?
- 03How do you adjust staffing when someone wants to visit relatives or spend time in the community?
- 04How are people's communication needs recorded and shared with staff?
- 05How do you check that medicines are given as prescribed and that staff remain competent to give them?
This was an unannounced planned inspection covering all five CQC questions, including both the premises and the care provided; all five ratings remained Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 27 November 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, April 2017
Cedar Lodge rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, but noted changes in managers and reliance on agency staff.
This was an announced inspection of the home. Inspectors spoke with people, relatives, staff and health professionals. They observed care and checked care records, medicines records, staff files and quality checks.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People were involved in their care, supported to make choices and encouraged to be independent. Staff knew people well and supported their health, communication, interests and activities.
The inspectors found enough staff during the visit and found suitable recruitment checks and medicines procedures. However, four vacancies were being covered by agency staff, which affected continuity. There had also been three registered managers since the home registered with CQC in June 2015. A new manager had been appointed and was present during the inspection.
This was the home's first inspection. A Good rating means the inspectors found the service meeting the relevant standards at the time of the visit, although the report still identifies matters for families to monitor.
People felt safe
People said they felt safe, and inspectors found that risks were assessed with actions in place to reduce them.
“People told us they felt safe living at Cedar Lodge.” from the report
Personalised care
Staff knew people's needs and preferences and used this knowledge to provide individual support.
“Staff knew the people they supported, which enabled them to provide a personalised and responsive service.” from the report
Respect and independence
People were treated with dignity and supported to make choices and do as much as possible for themselves.
“Staff promoted people's independence and always respected their wishes.” from the report
Activities and interests
People had planned activities and outings, including support to keep in touch with their families.
“A day doesn't go by without some form of organised activity for people” from the report
Open culture
Inspectors found a calm, person-centred service where staff and relatives could raise issues and felt listened to.
“The home had a positive culture that was person centred and inclusive.” from the report
Manager turnover
needs fixingRelatives, professionals and staff were concerned about the lack of continuity in registered managers. Three registered managers had been appointed since registration in June 2015, although a new manager had been appointed by the inspection.
“Since registration with CQC in June 2015, there had been three registered managers appointed to Cedar Lodge.” from the report
- 01Has the registered manager since become registered with CQC, and how long do you expect them to remain in post?
- 02Have the four staff vacancies been filled, and how much agency staff is currently being used?
- 03How do you make sure residents have familiar staff and continuity of care?
- 04What changes have been made to improve stability since the concerns about manager turnover were raised?
- 05How are residents and families involved in reviewing care plans, risks and weekly activities?
This was an announced inspection covering all five CQC questions and the overall rating; it was the home's first inspection, although the background section contains a conflicting inspection date. This explanation was written from the published report of 27 April 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 Cedar Lodge
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- November 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2017GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2015
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 19 June 2015.
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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11 live-in carers within about an hour of Herefordshire, County of
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 £960 to £1,410 a week. 10 can care for a couple. 8 years' experience on average.
“She was very caring, kind and patient to all his needs, she built up a wondetful rapport with him, she was dedicated and was there for him through good times as well as through the tough times”
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