CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at May Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found that risks were assessed and managed, staffing levels were sufficient, medicines were handled safely and infection control arrangements were in place. They also found that staff learned from incidents.
- Effective?
- Good
- No current rating was given for this question in the report. The inspection focused on Safe and Well-led.
- Caring?
- Good
- No current rating was given for this question in the report. Inspectors did describe care as kind and compassionate and said staff respected privacy and dignity.
- Responsive?
- Good
- No current rating was given for this question in the report. Inspectors found that support was tailored to people's needs, wishes and goals.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found approachable management, supportive staff relationships and effective checks on care plans, training, medicines and incidents.
What inspectors found, May 2023
May Lodge is rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and well-led care, and investigated recent safeguarding concerns without finding evidence of current harm.
This was an unannounced inspection on 11 May 2023. Two inspectors spoke with two relatives and five staff. They reviewed care plans, medicine records, incident records and records about how the home was managed.
The home supported six people with learning disabilities and/or autism. Inspectors found enough suitably trained staff, safe medicine systems, suitable risk assessments and a clean, well-maintained environment. They found that people were treated with kindness, dignity and respect, and were supported with their choices, interests and goals.
The inspection was partly prompted by safeguarding concerns. Those concerns had been resolved, and inspectors found no evidence that people were at risk of harm from them during the visit. Safe and Well-led were both rated Good. The previous overall rating was also Good, published in September 2017.
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors found that people received compassionate care and that staff understood their individual needs. Relatives also described staff as knowledgeable and caring.
“People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people's privacy and dignity.” from the report
Enough familiar staff
The home had enough staff to meet people's needs and support one-to-one activities. When agency staff were needed, the home used people who regularly worked there.
“When there were gaps in the rota due to sickness or leave, these gaps were filled with agency staff who regularly worked at the service.” from the report
Safe medicines practice
Inspectors found that medicines were stored, administered and recorded safely. Staff understood how to give emergency medicines and medicine records and counts were accurate.
“People's medication administration records were up to date and medicine counts were accurate with medicine audits.” from the report
Strong management checks
The manager used regular checks covering areas such as care plans, training and medicines. Incidents and accidents were reviewed so that learning and further action could take place.
“The registered manager had robust and effective governance systems in place.” from the report
Recent safeguarding concerns
minorThe inspection was partly prompted by safeguarding concerns that had already been resolved. Inspectors found no evidence during the visit that people were at risk from this concern, but the home arranged extra safeguarding training for staff.
“In response to recent safeguarding concerns that had been resolved, the registered manager had organised additional in-depth safeguarding training session for all staff to ensure they were competent and had a good level of understanding.” from the report
- 01What extra safeguarding training was provided, and how do you check that staff understand what they learned?
- 02How would you manage my relative's particular health risks, such as epilepsy or constipation?
- 03How often might agency staff be used, and how do you make sure they know my relative's needs and routines?
- 04How will you tell us about accidents, incidents or safeguarding concerns involving our relative?
- 05How are medicines reviewed if they might be affecting behaviour or are prescribed at a high dose?
This was a focused, unannounced inspection of Safe and Well-led; the report did not give current ratings for Effective, Caring or Responsive. This explanation was written from the published report of 26 May 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, March 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good COVID-19 infection control and visiting arrangements.
This was a targeted inspection on 28 February 2022. It looked mainly at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and whether COVID-19 staffing pressures affected care. The inspection was announced with one hour's notice.
Inspectors were assured that the home was using protective equipment safely, arranging testing, following social distancing and shielding guidance, and keeping its infection control policy up to date. Staff also had measures to manage COVID-19-related staffing pressures.
People were able to keep seeing family and friends. Visitors followed the home's testing and protective equipment rules, and people could choose where and how visits took place.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the inspection did not give an overall quality rating or a rated judgement for the wider care provided.
Protective equipment
Staff followed the guidance on masks, gloves and aprons, and disposed of used protective equipment safely.
“Staff followed government guidance in relation to wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves and aprons.” from the report
Testing and infection control
Inspectors were assured that the home arranged COVID-19 testing and had up-to-date infection prevention arrangements.
“We were assured that the provider was accessing testing for people using the service and staff.” from the report
Family contact
People received regular visits and could choose where and how to meet their loved ones.
“People received regular visits from their loved ones. People were able to chose where and how they wanted their visit to take place.” from the report
Visitor safety
Visitors followed the home's COVID-19 policy, including testing and wearing protective equipment.
“Visitors understood the need for following the homes COVID19 policy including testing and wearing PPE.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What measures are currently in place to manage staffing pressures caused by COVID-19?
- 02How are people and staff currently tested for COVID-19?
- 03What protective equipment must staff and visitors use, and how is it disposed of?
- 04How can residents currently meet their family and friends, and can they choose where visits take place?
- 05How do you prevent and manage infection outbreaks now?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; the service was inspected but not rated. This explanation was written from the published report of 10 March 2022 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 May Lodge
4 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has improved, from Inadequate to Good.
- May 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- September 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2016Requires improvementup from InadequateSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- May 2016InadequateSafe: Requires improvementEffective: InadequateCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: InadequateWell-led: Inadequate
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- November 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 25 November 2010.
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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39 live-in carers within about an hour of Kent
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 £1,260 a week. 33 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Always on time and with a lovely smile for my mum. Theresa is kind and sensitive to my mum's needs.”
“Irene was a very kind and empathetic carer who knew just the right words to say to put a smile on my face.”
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.