CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Washington Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risks and medicines were managed safely, staffing levels were reviewed and infection control arrangements were in place.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not rated in this inspection report.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not rated in this inspection report, although people and relatives gave positive feedback about the care.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not rated in this inspection report.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Managers used audits, feedback and investigations to monitor and improve the service. Staff, people and relatives were offered opportunities to share their views.
What inspectors found, April 2023
Washington Lodge is rated Good; inspectors found safe, caring support and clear improvements since the last inspection.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 16 February 2023. One inspector spoke with the manager, one person, three relatives and four staff. They also checked care records, medicines records, staff recruitment files and management records.
Inspectors found that people were safe. Risks were assessed, medicines were managed safely, staffing was enough for people's needs and staff were recruited with the required checks. Infection control arrangements were also found to be effective.
The home was well-led. Managers carried out regular checks, listened to feedback and used incidents and audits to improve care. People and relatives were positive about the care and support provided.
The overall rating was Good. Safe and well-led were both rated Good. The previous rating was Requires Improvement, published on 4 August 2021. Inspectors said improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of Regulation 17.
Safe care planning
Care plans covered people's health, communication, allergies, mobility, diet and other needs. They also included positive behaviour support information.
“Risks to people were assessed regularly and managed in a way that kept people safe” from the report
Medicines
Medicines were checked regularly, stored safely and given by staff whose competence was assessed. Relatives said they were confident in medicines management.
“Medicines were managed safely. The registered manager carried out regular checks on people's medicines” from the report
Staffing and recruitment
Inspectors found enough staff to support people safely. New staff had identity, work history, reference and DBS checks.
“Staff were recruited safely by the provider and there was enough staff to safely support people” from the report
Management and improvement
Managers carried out audits and used feedback, incidents and investigations to improve care. The management team was described as visible and approachable.
“Results from investigations, feedback sessions and audits were used to improve the quality of the service.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How many permanent staff are currently in post, and how often are agency staff used, especially at night?
- 02What actions are being taken to recruit to the vacant posts mentioned in the report?
- 03How will you assess and manage my relative's specific health, mobility, communication and dietary risks?
- 04How are medicines reviewed if a person has difficulty swallowing tablets or has other medicine-related needs?
- 05How can relatives take part in care planning, family meetings and feedback about the service?
This was an unannounced inspection focused on Safe and Well-led; the other three key questions were not rated in this report. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 April 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, February 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found infection-control arrangements in place during a COVID-19-focused visit.
This was an unannounced, targeted inspection on 24 January 2022. Inspectors looked mainly at infection prevention and control, including COVID-19 measures, and asked about staffing pressures.
Inspectors were assured that the home was using protective equipment safely, arranging testing, supporting vaccination, managing visitors and admissions, and keeping its infection-control policy up to date. They also found measures to reduce the spread of infection.
The service was inspected but not rated. This means the visit did not provide a new overall quality rating or a full assessment of all five areas of care.
Infection prevention
The home had systems intended to reduce the spread of infection among residents, staff and visitors.
“Systems were in place to help prevent people, staff and visitors from catching and spreading infection.” from the report
Protective equipment
There was enough protective equipment, and staff were using it appropriately during the visit.
“There was enough PPE such as aprons, gloves and masks. Staff were wearing these appropriately when we visited.” from the report
Testing and vaccination
Residents and staff were tested regularly, and a COVID-19 vaccination programme was in place.
“Staff and people were tested regularly for COVID-19. A COVID-19 vaccination programme was in place.” from the report
Visiting checks
Visitors were checked to help reduce the risk of bringing infection into the home.
“Visitors to the home underwent the appropriate checks to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 to others.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How did COVID-19-related staffing pressures affect residents' care and daily routines?
- 02How are PPE supplies, staff training and safe use of PPE checked now?
- 03How often are residents and staff tested for COVID-19, and what happens when someone tests positive?
- 04What checks are currently made for visitors, and how are visits managed during an outbreak?
- 05What are the home's current ratings for caring, effective, responsive and well-led care?
This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, with questions about staffing pressures; it did not provide a full rating of all five areas of care. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 February 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 Washington Lodge
3 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- April 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- August 2021Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- February 2018GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- January 2017
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 11 January 2017.
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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46 live-in carers within about an hour of Sunderland
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 £1,210 a week. 42 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.