CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Gilwood Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines arrangements, suitable infection control and safe recruitment. However, some written risk guidance was missing information, and some legal authorisations did not include all current restrictions.
- Effective?
- Good
- The report does not give a rating for this question. It says people were supported to make choices and staff worked within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act.
- Caring?
- Good
- The report does not give a rating for this question. Inspectors observed positive staff interactions and said staff knew people well.
- Responsive?
- Good
- The report does not give a rating for this question. It records that staff knew people well and supported them according to their needs.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found visible leadership, an open culture and systems to monitor care quality. They said action plans needed more robust information about what had been done.
What inspectors found, June 2023
Gilwood Lodge was rated Good; inspectors found people were safe and the home was well managed, but some risk records needed updating.
Inspectors visited without notice on 31 May 2023. They spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care, checked medicines, care records, recruitment files and the home environment. They also reviewed management records and infection prevention arrangements.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Good for Well-led. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines systems, suitable infection control and safe recruitment. People and relatives said they felt safe, and staff knew people well.
There were some gaps in written risk guidance. Some records did not include all the information needed to reduce risks, and some legal authorisations did not list all current restrictions. The manager took action, and inspectors recommended that risk records be kept up to date.
The last inspection also rated the service Good, published on 21 May 2018. This inspection will be followed by continued monitoring of information received about the home.
Enough staff
Inspectors found staffing was sufficient and call bells were answered quickly. People, relatives and staff consistently said there were enough staff.
“There was enough staff to meet people's needs. Call bells were responded to swiftly” from the report
Safe medicines
Staff were trained to give medicines, records were checked and people appeared to receive medicines as prescribed. Extra medicines and covert medicines had suitable guidance and records.
“Medicine records were maintained, and checks indicated people had been given their medicines as prescribed.” from the report
Positive relationships
Staff interacted positively with people and knew them well. People and relatives told inspectors they felt safe.
“Staff interactions with people were positive and staff knew people well.” from the report
Open management
The management team welcomed feedback and people said they could speak to the manager about concerns. Inspectors found a positive culture focused on good care.
“The manager had an 'open door' policy, so people could approach them directly to discuss any concerns openly and in confidence.” from the report
Infection control
Inspectors were assured that infection risks were being managed, including the use of protective equipment and arrangements for preventing or managing outbreaks.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Incomplete risk guidance
needs fixingSome written risk assessments did not contain all the information needed to explain how risks should be reduced. Inspectors recommended that the records be updated.
“Written guidance on how to keep people safe was not always robust, we found examples where further mitigating information was missing.” from the report
Restrictions not fully recorded
needs fixingSome legal authorisations did not list every current restriction affecting a person. The manager was told and took action to address this.
“We found that some authorisations did not include all the current restrictions.” from the report
Action plans lacked detail
minorThe home had systems to find shortfalls, errors and omissions, but inspectors said action plans needed clearer information about what had been done.
“We discussed with the registered manager the need for more robust information to be included to show the action taken.” from the report
- 01Have all risk assessments now been updated to include the missing information about how risks will be reduced?
- 02How do you check that legal authorisations include every current restriction?
- 03What evidence can you show of the action taken after the inspection findings?
- 04How do you maintain continuity of care when agency staff are used?
- 05How do you assess the quality of care in Effective, Caring and Responsive, which were not rated in this report?
This inspection reported ratings for Safe and Well-led only, including infection prevention and control; the report does not give ratings for Effective, Caring or Responsive. This explanation was written from the published report of 17 June 2023 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 2021
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection control arrangements during a targeted COVID-19 inspection.
Inspectors visited the home without notice on 11 March 2021. This was a targeted inspection focused on infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They were assured that the home managed visitors, social distancing, shielding, admissions, personal protective equipment, testing, hygiene and possible outbreaks safely. They also found that the infection control policy was up to date.
The report describes monthly infection control audits and daily visual checks. It also records safe visiting alternatives, staff training and plans to use a separate wing if an outbreak occurred.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the report gives findings about infection control, but it does not provide an overall quality rating or ratings for the other key questions.
Health monitoring
The management team held monthly virtual meetings with the GP to review each person's medicines, progress and health.
“The registered manager had excellent methods of monitoring people's health.” from the report
Family contact
The home created safe visiting options, including electronic communication and window visits, to help families stay in contact.
“Alternatives included electronic communication and window visits to retain essential family contact.” from the report
Protective equipment
Staff had pandemic-related training and used well-stocked personal protective equipment stations effectively.
“Multiple PPE stations had good stocks of equipment, which staff used effectively.” from the report
Outbreak planning
The home kept a separate wing available for outbreaks and retained two empty beds for this purpose.
“The management team demonstrated good practice by retaining two empty beds for such events.” from the report
Regular checks
Infection control was audited monthly, with visual checks during the day. The report says identified issues were dealt with promptly.
“The management team followed strict infection control auditing every month, whilst carrying out visual checks throughout each day.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How are the infection prevention and control audits and daily visual checks carried out now?
- 02How would the home use the separate wing and empty beds if an infection outbreak occurred?
- 03How are family visits and other contact arrangements managed now?
- 04How often are residents' medicines, health and progress reviewed with the GP?
- 05What pandemic and infection control training do staff receive now?
This was an unannounced targeted inspection of infection prevention and control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic; the service was inspected but not rated and the other key questions were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 13 April 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 Gilwood Lodge
4 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- June 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- May 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2017Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- November 2016
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 11 November 2016.
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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32 live-in carers within about an hour of Blackpool
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 £980 to £1,250 a week. 31 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Thanks to Tracy, Dad was always immaculately dressed and clean, his meals were all home cooked and nutritionally well balanced and his home was always kept really clean and tidy.”
“He developed a close affinity with Terence, spending time talking with him before he retired to bed and looking after his needs during 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.