CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Lona Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People felt safe and staff understood safeguarding procedures. Inspectors found that risks, staffing, medicines and infection control were managed safely.
- Effective?
- Good
- People's needs were assessed with them, their relatives and health professionals. Staff had relevant training and supported people with health, food, education and independence skills.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were kind, compassionate and respectful. People were involved in decisions about their care and were supported to maintain privacy, dignity and independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were detailed, personalised and regularly reviewed as people's needs changed. People were supported with communication, relationships, interests, education, work and community activities.
- Well-led?
- Outstanding
- Inspectors found exceptional leadership, a strong person-centred culture and effective quality checks. The home worked closely with other organisations and used learning and staff ideas to improve care.
What inspectors found, January 2023
Rated Good, with Outstanding leadership; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care focused on independence.
Inspectors visited on 4 and 7 October 2022. They spoke with all three people living there, staff, managers and other professionals. They observed the home and checked care plans, medicines records, staff files and management records.
The home supports up to four adults with mental health needs. Its aim is to help people build skills and move towards more independent living. Inspectors found that care was personalised, risks were managed, medicines were given safely and people felt safe.
People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Staff supported people with health appointments, food preparation, education, work, relationships and community activities. The home worked closely with health and social care professionals.
The overall rating was Good. Safe, Effective, Caring and Responsive were all rated Good. Well-led was rated Outstanding, improving from Good at the previous inspection published in August 2018.
Strong leadership
Inspectors found exceptional leadership and a culture that put people at the centre of care. Staff were encouraged to contribute ideas and develop their skills.
“Lona Lodge was exceptionally well led.” from the report
Support for independence
Care was designed around people's goals and helped them build practical skills. Several people had moved on to more independent living since the previous inspection.
“People received personalised care and support according to their needs and wishes.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff knew people well and treated them with kindness, dignity and respect. People were involved in choices about their care and daily lives.
“In talking with staff we saw kind and compassionate attitudes shown towards people.” from the report
Good partnership working
The home worked closely with mental health teams, GPs, colleges, community organisations and other professionals to support people's goals.
“There was clear evidence of collaborative working and excellent communication with other professionals in health and social care as well as in the community and education sectors.” from the report
Safe medicines practice
Inspectors found that medicines were given as prescribed, records were accurate and staff were trained and assessed as competent.
“People received their medicines safely and as prescribed.” from the report
Earlier medicines recording issue
minorAn audit found that staff had previously missed signing some medicines administration records. The home introduced checks by two staff on every shift, and inspectors found no further signing problems.
“Before the audit there had been a few issues with staff not signing the medicines administration records [MAR sheets].” from the report
- 01How will you keep checking that medicines administration records are signed correctly on every shift?
- 02What goals would you agree with my relative for developing independence, and how would you measure progress?
- 03How would you respond if my relative's mental health needs or risks changed quickly?
- 04Which health professionals would be involved in my relative's care, and how would information be shared with the family?
- 05How would you support my relative's cultural, communication, relationship and community activity needs?
This was an announced inspection covering all five key questions and infection prevention and control, based on information held by the CQC and evidence from people, staff, professionals and records. This explanation was written from the published report of 20 January 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, August 2018
Lona Lodge rated Good; inspectors found safe, respectful care and clear improvements since the previous inspection.
The announced inspection took place on 17 July 2018. One inspector spoke with three people living in the home, the director and two staff members. The inspector observed care, checked five people's care records and three staff records, and spoke with two health and social care professionals after the visit.
The home supports up to five people with mental health needs. Inspectors found that people felt safe, medicines were managed safely, staff were trained, and risks were assessed. People were involved in their care plans and were supported to build skills for more independent living.
The home was rated Good overall and Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. At the previous inspection in August 2017, it had been rated Requires Improvement with problems involving medicines and record keeping. Inspectors found these problems had been addressed by this inspection.
Safer medicines
The home had reviewed its medicines systems after earlier problems. Inspectors found medicines were given as prescribed and records and stocks matched.
“People received their medicines safely and as prescribed. We inspected people's medicines administration records [MARs] and found they were completed as required.” from the report
Building independence
People were supported to develop practical skills, including cooking, managing medicines, attending college and taking part in community activities.
“People were encouraged and supported by staff to become more independent by developing the knowledge and skills to do so.” from the report
Respectful care
Staff knew people well and supported them in a warm and respectful way. People were involved in decisions about their care and support.
“During the inspection we saw the conversations and interactions between people and staff were warm and friendly yet respectful.” from the report
Improved records and checks
The home introduced improved recording practices and regular audits. Inspectors found records were complete, secure and easy to find.
“All the records we inspected including people's care files and staff files as well as other of the home's records were well maintained, filed logically and securely and they were easy to access.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you now check that medicines records and medicine stocks remain accurate?
- 02What audits are currently carried out, and how are families told about any actions needed?
- 03How would you support my relative to develop independence in cooking, managing medicines and using community services?
- 04How do you make sure care plans continue to reflect changing needs, goals and preferences?
- 05What staffing levels and staff training would be in place for my relative's particular mental health needs?
This was an announced inspection that looked at the overall quality of the service and all five key questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 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 Lona Lodge
4 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- January 2023Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Outstanding
- August 2018Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2017Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- September 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2015
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 17 April 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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Sutton
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 £1,230 a week. 81 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“She cared for my mum with Alzheimer's with endless patience and kindness, always arriving with a smile and a positive attitude”
“Terry has been of invaluable help to our family while working as a part-time live-in carer for our mother for approximately 6 months”
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.