CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at SummerLodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, July 2019
SummerLodge was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care across all five areas.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 02 July 2019. One inspector spoke with three people, three relatives, the manager and two care workers. They also observed care and checked care files, medicines records, training information, audits and other records.
The home supported four people at the time of the inspection and could care for up to six people with learning disabilities. Inspectors found that people were safe, supported by trained staff and helped to make choices and become more independent.
Care was tailored to people's needs and communication styles. People were supported with food, healthcare, activities, family contact and end-of-life planning. Inspectors also found kind relationships between people and staff and regular checks on the quality of care.
The home was rated Good in Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This was the same overall rating as at the previous inspection, published on 11 March 2017.
Personalised support
Care plans described people's preferences, interests and communication needs. They were regularly reviewed with people, relatives and other professionals.
“Care plans were person centred and included information on people's background, hobbies and interests, likes and dislikes and preferences on how they wished to receive their care and support.” from the report
Choice and independence
Staff encouraged people to make choices and do as much as they could for themselves. The home was arranged and adapted to support independence.
“Staff always worked hard to promote people's independence through encouraging and supporting people to make informed choices.” from the report
Kind relationships
Inspectors saw people appearing happy and communicating well with staff. Relatives also spoke positively about the care.
“We saw people had good relationships with staff. They were smiling and happy around staff and communicating well together planning how they were going to spend their time.” from the report
Safe medicines and staffing
Medicines records checked by inspectors were in good order. People received care from a consistent staff team, with staff trained for their roles.
“Medicines were received, stored, administered and disposed of safely.” from the report
Activities and community life
People were supported to keep in touch with family and friends, attend clubs, go on trips and plan holidays.
“Staff supported people to have trips out to places that interested them such as to the seafront, parks, cafes ad pubs.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you support my relative's particular communication needs, including any use of pictures, objects, gestures or Makaton?
- 02How will my relative be involved in reviewing their care plan and making everyday choices?
- 03What activities, clubs and trips could my relative take part in, and how would you support contact with family and friends?
- 04What training do staff have for my relative's health needs, and how are medicines checked and monitored?
- 05The report says a new manager was becoming registered with the CQC. Has that process now been completed?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five key questions, and all five ratings were Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 31 July 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.
What inspectors found, March 2017
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care across all five areas.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 13 February 2017. One inspector spoke with three people, the registered manager and two care workers. They observed care, including for people who found it difficult to communicate verbally, and reviewed care files, staff recruitment records, support records, audits and policies.
Five people were living in the home, which can support up to six people with learning disabilities. Inspectors found that people were safe, supported by enough trained staff and given medicines safely. Staff understood people's communication, health and dietary needs, and supported people to make choices.
Inspectors found care was kind, respectful and tailored to each person. People and relatives were involved in care planning, activities were based on people's interests, and complaints were handled effectively. The home had systems to check and improve care.
The overall rating was Good, and each of the five areas was rated Good. This was unchanged from the previous inspection.
Safe staffing and recruitment
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs, with a consistent team and appropriate recruitment checks.
“People received care from a consistent staff team. The registered manager did not use any agency at the service” from the report
Understanding communication
Staff understood different signs, sounds and gestures used by people who could not communicate easily with words.
“Staff knew all the different signs people used and what each adapted sign meant.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Staff treated people with dignity and supported their independence, privacy, relationships and preferred ways of spending time.
“Staff treated people with dignity and respect and supported them in spending their time in the way they chose.” from the report
Personalised support
The home assessed people's needs before they moved in and adjusted support when their needs changed.
“People continued to receive care that was individual and personalised to their needs.” from the report
Quality monitoring
The manager used regular meetings, feedback and audits to review the service and improve care.
“The registered manager had a number of quality monitoring systems in place to continually review and improve the quality of the service” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you support my relative's particular way of communicating, including any signs, sounds or gestures they use?
- 02How would you assess and manage my relative's risks while still supporting their independence?
- 03How would you support my relative's health needs, including any specialist care or hospital appointments?
- 04How are relatives involved in reviewing care plans when needs change?
- 05What activities and community opportunities would be available to match my relative's interests?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions and the overall quality of the home; all ratings remained Good from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 11 March 2017 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 SummerLodge
3 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- July 2019Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2013
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 21 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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51 live-in carers within about an hour of Southend-on-Sea
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 £960 to £1,200 a week. 44 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
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“She was always cheerful and looking for ways to stimulate my mother. She became her "friend" and provided best care always.”
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.