CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Steven Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, August 2018
Steven Lodge was rated Good overall, with safe, effective, caring and responsive support, but the service was not consistently well-led.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 25 June 2018. Inspectors observed care, spoke with two people, two support workers and the registered manager, and reviewed care records, staff files, audits, surveys and policies.
The home was rated Good for Safe, Effective, Caring and Responsive. Inspectors found enough staff, safe medicines, suitable support plans, regular staff training, respectful care and activities that reflected people's interests and choices.
The home was rated Requires Improvement for Well-led. Quality checks were not effective at the time of the inspection, and policies were not up to date. A new quality audit system was being introduced, but inspectors said they would check its progress at the next inspection.
The overall rating remained Good, the same as at the previous inspection on 15 December 2015. This means inspectors found the care was good overall, but the way the home was monitored and managed needed improvement.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe, and staff understood how to recognise and report abuse or other concerns.
“People told us they felt safe at Steven Lodge.” from the report
Safe medicines and staffing
There were enough staff, regular staff knew people well, and medicines records had no gaps showing that prescribed medicines were given.
“There were no gaps or omissions which indicated people received their medicines as prescribed.” from the report
Respectful care
Staff listened to people, respected privacy and supported people to do tasks for themselves where it was safe.
“The interactions between people and staff were positive, caring and inclusive.” from the report
Activities and choice
People were supported to follow their interests, visit relatives, attend a day centre and take part in community activities.
“People remained active and had opportunities to participate in a variety of activities and events that met their social and physical needs.” from the report
Good care information
Support plans covered people's daily care and support needs and gave staff guidance about their preferences, dignity and independence.
“Individual support plans were detailed, setting out guidance to staff on how to support people in the way they wanted.” from the report
Quality checks were not effective
needs fixingThe home did not have effective systems to assess, monitor and improve quality and safety at the time of the inspection. A new audit system was being introduced, but it was not yet fully established.
“The service did not have effective systems in place to assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the services provided at the time we inspected.” from the report
Policies were out of date
needs fixingThe home's policies had not been updated to reflect new developments in social care or current regulations. Inspectors recommended that they be updated.
“The policies did not reflect current regulations.” from the report
Complaints information was not accessible
minorThe complaints procedure was displayed, but it was not in an accessible format. The manager said people living in the home could read and write.
“However, this was not in an accessible format.” from the report
- 01How has the new quality audit system been implemented, and what improvements has it identified since the inspection?
- 02Have all the home's policies been updated to reflect current regulations and developments in social care?
- 03How will the complaints procedure be made accessible to each person living here?
- 04How are people's support plans and risk assessments reviewed when their needs or circumstances change?
- 05How are people supported to choose activities, maintain relationships and remain independent?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions; the provider did not complete a Provider Information Return because of technical problems, so inspectors used other available information. This explanation was written from the published report of 7 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 Steven Lodge
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- August 2018Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- February 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 20 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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91 live-in carers within about an hour of Medway
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 £1,250 a week. 78 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Usha rapidly became 'one of the family' and is sorely missed.”
“Always on time and with a lovely smile for my mum. Theresa is kind and sensitive to my mum's needs.”
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.