CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Sobell Lodge - Care Home Physical Disabilities
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
What inspectors found, April 2021
Sobell Lodge: inspected but not rated; inspectors found good COVID-19 infection prevention measures.
This was an announced, targeted inspection on 25 March 2021. It focused only on infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Inspectors found good arrangements for visitors, testing, protective equipment, social distancing, cleaning and infection control audits. They said they were assured that the home was preventing and managing infection risks.
The home was inspected but not rated. This report does not provide a new overall rating or ratings for care areas other than infection prevention and control.
Controlled visiting
Visits were arranged in advance. Face-to-face visits required a negative rapid COVID-19 test, while other visits used a separate room with screening and cleaning between visits.
“Face to face visits by one visitor was allowed following a negative rapid test for COVID-19.” from the report
Protective equipment
Inspectors found enough protective equipment and saw staff using it correctly, including extra protection for some procedures.
“Staff were using PPE correctly and in accordance with government guidelines.” from the report
Clean environment
The home looked clean. Cleaning schedules were in place and monitored by the infection control lead.
“The home looked clean and there were cleaning schedules in place which were monitored by the infection control lead.” from the report
Ongoing checks
The home carried out regular infection control audits, with actions monitored to make sure they were completed.
“Regular infection control audits were done by the infection control champion and outcomes and actions were monitored by the manager and provider to ensure completion.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What infection prevention and control arrangements are in place now for visitors?
- 02How do you make sure there is enough PPE for current and future needs?
- 03How often are infection control audits carried out, and how are outstanding actions followed up?
- 04What testing arrangements are currently used for people living in the home and staff?
- 05What is the home's latest full CQC rating for areas that this inspection did not assess?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control measures only; the service was inspected but not rated and the other care questions were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 10 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.
What inspectors found, April 2019
Sobell Lodge - Care Home Physical Disabilities was rated Good; inspectors found kind, safe and personalised care, with some smaller gaps in guidance, checks and communication.
This was an unannounced inspection on 7 and 8 March 2019. One inspector and an expert by experience visited the home. They spoke with 13 people, four visitors and nine staff, observed care and checked records, medicines, staffing, training and safety systems.
The overall rating was Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. People said they were happy and felt safe. Inspectors found staff knew people well, respected their choices and supported them with dignity and independence.
There were some areas to improve. Guidance about preventing pressure ulcers did not always contain all the needed information. Some staff competency checks were not recorded regularly enough. Staff raised concerns about weekend staffing, and there were some concerns about how suggestions and complaints were communicated.
Kind and respectful care
People were supported by staff who treated them with kindness, dignity and respect. Staff encouraged people to make choices and remain as independent as possible.
“People were supported by kind and caring staff who respected their differences most of the time.” from the report
Personalised support
Care plans reflected people's needs and wishes, and staff knew people's preferences well. People were involved in writing and updating their plans.
“People's care plans reflected their needs and wishes.” from the report
Good health support
The home worked closely with health and social care professionals, including dieticians, district nurses and physiotherapists.
“People were supported by staff who worked closely with other health and social care professionals.” from the report
Quality monitoring
Management and the provider used audits and outside specialists to find problems and took action when issues were identified.
“There were a range of quality assurance methods carried out by the management and provider.” from the report
Pressure ulcer guidance
needs fixingSome risk assessments did not include important details, such as the settings needed for air mattresses. Staff understood the risks, and the mattresses were checked, but written guidance did not always match practice.
“However, there were occasions when key information was not included.” from the report
Staff competency checks
needs fixingChecks to confirm that staff remained competent to give some medicines, including medicines for people with swallowing problems, were not always recorded as regularly as needed.
“There were occasions follow up competency checks had not been recorded to ensure it was still safe and in line with current best practice.” from the report
Weekend staffing
needs fixingPeople and visitors felt staffing was sufficient during the inspection, but most staff said weekends could be more difficult because of staffing levels.
“Most staff felt weekends were more difficult with staff levels than weekdays.” from the report
Respectful communication
needs fixingOne person said some staff sometimes spoke to them like a child. Management said this would be followed up and staff interactions would be monitored.
“One person did feel there were occasions when some staff spoke to them like children.” from the report
Responding to concerns
minorSome relatives and staff felt management could be more proactive in explaining what had been done after concerns were raised.
“There were occasions relatives and staff felt the registered manager could be more proactive in how they responded to concerns raised with them.” from the report
- 01How are pressure ulcer risks assessed now, including the correct settings for specialist air mattresses?
- 02How often are staff competency checks completed for medicines given to people with swallowing problems?
- 03How do you make sure staffing levels are sufficient at weekends?
- 04How do you monitor the way staff speak to people and make sure communication is respectful?
- 05How are relatives told what action has been taken after they raise a concern?
This was a planned, unannounced inspection covering all five quality areas, including the premises, care, records, medicines, staffing and management systems. This explanation was written from the published report of 13 April 2019 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 Sobell Lodge - Care Home Physical Disabilities
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- April 2021Inspected but not ratedcurrent ratingSafe: Inspected but not rated
Read what inspectors found at Sobell Lodge - Care Home Physical Disabilities →
- April 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read what inspectors found at Sobell Lodge - Care Home Physical Disabilities →
- November 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 12 January 2011.
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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