CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Sovereign Lodge Care Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and risks were assessed and reviewed. Medicines were managed safely overall, but records for topical medicines were not always clear.
- Effective?
- Good
- People had detailed, person-centred care records and access to healthcare support. Some records about drinking were not fully completed.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff treated people with dignity and respect, supported independence and involved people in decisions about their care.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised to people's needs, communication needs were recorded and activities were available. Complaints were handled through the home's procedure.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found an open and positive culture, with audits and feedback used to monitor and improve the service.
What inspectors found, December 2022
Sovereign Lodge Care Home is rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some medicine records needing improvement.
Inspectors made an unannounced visit on 28 September 2022. They spoke with people living in the home, relatives, staff and a visiting healthcare professional. They observed care and checked care plans, medicine records, staff recruitment files and management records.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe recruitment, good infection control and care that respected people's choices, dignity and independence.
Inspectors found that records for topical medicines were not always clear. They recommended improving how these medicines were documented, and the manager later confirmed that improvements had been made. Some records of people's drinking were also incomplete.
This was the first inspection of the newly registered service. It had previously been part of a different registration with the same provider, which was rated Good in 2019. The inspection was prompted partly by a reported death, but it did not examine the circumstances of that incident.
Enough trained staff
Inspectors found enough suitably trained staff to support people. Recruitment checks had also been completed safely.
“There were enough suitably trained staff to provide support to people who use the service.” from the report
Dignity and independence
People were treated respectfully and encouraged to do things for themselves where possible. Staff also respected people's wishes about how they spent their time.
“People were treated with dignity and respect, and their independence was promoted whenever possible.” from the report
Good partnership working
Staff worked with healthcare professionals to support people's physical and mental health. Visiting professionals reported that staff raised concerns promptly.
“the staff are proactive in caring for people and raising concerns about their health in good time.” from the report
Topical medicine records
needs fixingRecords did not always make clear which topical medicine should be used. Inspectors recommended reviewing the recording process, and the manager later said improvements had been made.
“The process for recording topical medicines meant it was not always clear what topical medicine should be used.” from the report
Drinking records
minorSome records about people's drinking were incomplete, although inspectors saw people drinking during the visit.
“Sometimes records were not fully completed in the relation to drinking, however people we observed drinking during the inspection.” from the report
- 01How are topical medicines recorded now, and how do you check that the records clearly show what should be applied?
- 02How do you make sure records of people's food and drink are completed accurately?
- 03What changes have been made following the inspection's recommendation about topical medicines?
- 04How would you respond if my relative's health changed or they needed timely healthcare support?
- 05How will my relative's preferences, communication needs and interests be included in their care plan and activities?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions; it did not examine the circumstances of the reported death, which were subject to a separate CQC investigation. This explanation was written from the published report of 2 December 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 Sovereign Lodge Care Home
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- December 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- December 2020Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- November 2019GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2022
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 12 September 2022.
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
36 live-in carers within about an hour of Newcastle upon Tyne
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 £950 to £1,160 a week. 30 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Petty introduced herself to Mum every time she was caring for her and responded very quickly to Mum if she was distressed in the night.”
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.