CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Herald Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People felt safe, staff understood risks, and there were enough staff to support people promptly. Medicines, recruitment checks and infection control systems were also found to be suitable.
- Effective?
- Good
- Staff had training and supervision, people were offered food and drink choices, and healthcare help was sought when needed. Staff understood consent and supported people in the least restrictive way.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff knew people well and treated them with dignity and respect. People were supported to make everyday choices and maintain their independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised and reviewed with people and relatives. Staff understood communication needs, supported activities and relationships, and had a complaints process.
- Well-led?
- Good
- People and staff described an open and welcoming culture. Managers used meetings, checks, feedback and a development plan to monitor and improve the service.
What inspectors found, April 2020
Herald Lodge was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some planned improvements to care plans and décor.
Inspectors made an unannounced visit on 28 February 2020. They spoke with people living there, relatives, staff and healthcare professionals. They also observed care and checked care, medicine and management records.
People told inspectors they felt safe and well cared for. Staff understood people's risks and needs. There were enough staff, medicines were managed safely, and the home was clean and free from odours.
Inspectors found that staff were kind and respectful. People were offered choices, their care was reviewed, and staff supported activities, family contact and community involvement. Managers had systems to check quality and respond to concerns.
The overall rating and all five question ratings were Good. This means inspectors found consistently good care at the time of the inspection. The previous inspection, on 30 August 2017, was also rated Good.
Safe staffing
Inspectors saw people supported promptly and without being rushed. Staff said there were enough of them to meet people's needs.
“People were supported by sufficient staff in a prompt and unrushed manner.” from the report
Food and drink choices
People were offered choices and were shown different plates of food to help them decide. Food intake and weight were monitored when there were concerns.
“People were offered choices in the food and drinks offered to them.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people's individual needs and preferences. Inspectors saw staff promote dignity, independence and choice.
“We saw staff promote people's dignity and independence.” from the report
Personalised activities
People's interests, relationships, cultural events and community activities were supported. Families were encouraged to visit and be involved.
“People's individual needs and lives were celebrated.” from the report
Open management
People, relatives and staff felt able to speak with managers. Regular meetings and quality checks were used to identify and monitor improvements.
“People and staff felt the atmosphere at the home was welcoming and open.” from the report
Care plan detail
minorThe care manager was working to improve care plans so they described people's experiences more fully. This was presented as an improvement in progress, not a breach.
“The care manager was working to improve the content of care plans to better reflect people's experience of care.” from the report
Further décor improvements
minorThe building was purpose-built, but managers said they were considering further improvements to the décor.
“The manager explained they had recently undertaken a thorough review of the home and were hoping to improve the décor further.” from the report
- 01How are care plans being improved so they reflect my relative's current experience and changing needs?
- 02How many staff will be on duty for my relative's needs, and how is the daily staffing level decided?
- 03What food and drink choices will be offered, and how will my relative's intake and weight be monitored if there are concerns?
- 04Which activities, community visits or cultural events could my relative take part in?
- 05Who will be responsible for managing the home and answering our questions if the registered manager is absent?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions, including the care provided and the premises. This explanation was written from the published report of 25 April 2020 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 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and responsive care, with some care planning and garden improvements still needed.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 26 July 2017. Inspectors spoke with people, relatives, staff and visiting professionals. They observed care, checked medicines and reviewed care files, recruitment records, complaints and other safety records.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicine management, kind care and good support for people living with dementia. People enjoyed the food and activities, and staff worked well with healthcare professionals.
The report says the home had improved since the previous inspection. Caring and responsive care were moving towards Outstanding, although the ratings remained Good. Inspectors also identified areas still being developed, including more detailed person-centred care plans and better involvement of people with dementia in care reviews.
Kind and respectful staff
Staff knew people's histories, preferences and needs. Inspectors saw reassurance, practical help and attention to privacy and dignity.
“Staff really knew the people who lived at the home and treated them with real kindness and consideration.” from the report
Safe staffing and recruitment
Inspectors found enough staff on duty and saw that staff were deployed to support people safely. Recruitment checks were completed before staff started work.
“There were enough staff on duty to keep people safe.” from the report
Activities and dementia-friendly spaces
People could take part in planned and informal activities. The home had created spaces such as a cinema room, themed lounges and dementia-friendly signs.
“People had a very good range of activities to engage them during the day.” from the report
Safe medicines
Inspectors found medicines were stored correctly and records were completed properly for the medicines reviewed, including stronger medicines.
“The medicine administration records had been completed correctly for all medicines we reviewed” from the report
Open management
The management team was visible and approachable. Staff felt supported, and the home used checks, meetings and feedback to identify improvements.
“The registered manager operated an 'open door' policy where people, relatives or staff could go to them at any time to talk about any issues or concerns.” from the report
Care plans needed more detail
needs fixingCare plans did not fully capture the person-centred knowledge that staff demonstrated. The manager was rewriting them and planned to introduce quick-reference information.
“The care plans did not provide as detailed information from a person centred perspective as was demonstrated by staff knowledge on the day of our visit.” from the report
Dementia involvement in reviews
needs fixingRelatives were involved in care reviews, but the process had not yet been adapted enough to maximise the involvement of people living with dementia.
“the home had not yet adapted the process to maximise the involvement of people with dementia in the process.” from the report
Garden was underused
minorInspectors found the garden was not being used as much as possible for activities and everyday life. The manager said improvements were planned.
“The garden was not used as much as it could be to support people with activities or their day to day life.” from the report
Meal choice was not always available
minorMost people enjoyed the food and usually had choices. However, one person was told there was no alternative when they did not want the meal being served.
“However one person said they did not want the pork but was told there was no other choice.” from the report
- 01How have the care plans been rewritten since the inspection, and how do they now record each person's preferences and needs?
- 02How are people living with dementia involved in their care reviews and decisions?
- 03What changes have been made to the garden, and how is it used for activities or everyday life?
- 04How do staff make sure people are offered a suitable alternative when they do not want the meal being served?
- 05How do you check staffing levels at weekends and respond if a staff member is absent at short notice?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions, and all five ratings were Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 30 August 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 Herald Lodge
3 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- April 2020Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2014
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 23 June 2014.
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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