CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Heath Lodge Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm, and risks were assessed and reviewed. Medicines were given as prescribed, but some medicine records and guidance for as-required medicines needed improvement.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs were assessed using recognised tools, staff were trained, and people could access health services. Inspectors found that mealtimes needed better organisation and that food was not always warm enough.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were described as kind and caring, and inspectors observed respectful interactions. Organisational problems sometimes meant requests for support were not followed up.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised and reflected people's preferences. Activities were available, but people and relatives said the activity programme needed further development.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had strong management oversight, a clear improvement plan and visible leadership. Recent management changes had led to improvements in how the service was run.
What inspectors found, July 2023
Heath Lodge Care Home rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care, with improvements still needed in medicines records, mealtimes and activities.
This was the first inspection since the home registered. It was unannounced and took place on 15 June 2023. Inspectors spoke with people, relatives and staff, observed care, checked care and medicines records, and reviewed records about the running of the home.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found people were protected from avoidable harm, received their medicines as prescribed, and had their health needs supported.
There were some areas to improve. Medicines records did not always reflect changes, guidance for as-required medicines lacked detail, mealtimes were not always well organised, some requests were not followed up, and activities were still being developed.
The inspection was prompted partly by concerns about medicines, staffing, training and management. Inspectors found no evidence that people were at risk of harm from these concerns. The home had opened in February 2023, and inspectors found recent management changes had improved how it was run.
Personalised care
Care plans included people's life histories and preferences. Staff took individual steps to support people's interests, such as nature and music.
“Care plans contained person-centred detail, which included people's life histories and personal preferences around the support they needed.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
People and relatives generally described staff as kind and caring. Inspectors observed pleasant interactions, and people's dignity and independence were promoted.
“We observed respectful and pleasant interactions during our visit.” from the report
Health support
Staff helped people access routine healthcare and made referrals when needed, including to falls teams.
“People were supported to access routine health care services when required, such as chiropodists and opticians.” from the report
Management oversight
The home had audits, provider oversight and an improvement plan. Inspectors found that the management team identified issues and monitored actions to address them.
“There was a strong governance framework. This ensured managers had good oversight of risks and quality.” from the report
Safety and infection control
Risks were assessed, environmental safety checks were carried out and infection control arrangements were judged effective. Call bells were answered within minutes.
“We reviewed call bells times and audits. These showed call bells were answered within minutes and we did not identify any significant concerns with people waiting for assistance.” from the report
Medicines records
needs fixingPeople received their medicines as prescribed, but records did not always show changes accurately. Instructions for as-required medicines did not contain enough detail.
“Whilst people received their medicines as prescribed, we found medicine and care plan records had not always been updated to reflect changes to people's medicines.” from the report
Mealtime organisation
needs fixingSome meals were not warm enough and some people thought portions were small. The lunchtime service was cramped, and meals for people eating in their rooms arrived late.
“People who preferred to eat in their rooms did not receive their lunch till 13:20 and were concerned about its late arrival.” from the report
Following up requests
needs fixingPeople and relatives said staff could be disorganised and did not always return after promising to do something. The management team had a plan to improve this.
“Staff say they'll get something or do something and don't come back. It's frustrating for [name].” from the report
Activities still developing
minorPeople and relatives felt there was not enough going on. An activities co-ordinator was due to start, and links with community groups were being developed.
“I'm glad to hear there's a lifestyle coordinator starting soon. There's needs to be more going on even with only 18 residents.” from the report
- 01What changes have been made to ensure medicine and care plan records are updated whenever medicines change?
- 02How do staff now make sure instructions for as-required medicines contain enough detail?
- 03What has been changed to make mealtimes better organised and to ensure meals arrive on time and at the right temperature?
- 04How do you monitor whether staff return promptly when people ask for help?
- 05What activities are now available, and how has the activity programme developed since the inspection?
This was an unannounced first inspection covering all five key questions, as well as infection prevention and control; there was no earlier rating to carry over. This explanation was written from the published report of 15 July 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.
Every inspection of Heath Lodge Care Home
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- July 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2023
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 30 January 2023.
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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13 live-in carers within about an hour of Norfolk
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 £990 to £1,120 a week. 9 can care for a couple. 14 years' experience on average.
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.