CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Woodthorpe Lodge
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People felt safe and inspectors found enough staff, suitable training, clearer risk guidance and improved incident management. There was a shortfall in guidance for some as-needed medicines, but this was improved during the inspection.
- Effective?
- Good
- The report did not give a rating for Effective during this inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- The report did not give a rating for Caring during this inspection.
- Responsive?
- Good
- The report did not give a rating for Responsive during this inspection.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found a positive, person-centred culture, better oversight and an action plan for continued improvement. People and relatives had opportunities to give feedback.
What inspectors found, June 2021
Rated Good after improving from Inadequate; inspectors found safe, person-centred care and the home was no longer in Special Measures.
Inspectors visited on 24 May 2021 and gathered feedback by phone on 25 May. They spoke with people living in the home, relatives, staff, managers and an external professional. They also checked care records, medicines records, training, recruitment and management documents.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. People said they felt safe. Inspectors found enough staff, suitable training, safer risk records, safe medicine storage and improved systems for reporting and learning from incidents. Infection control arrangements during COVID-19 were also found to be effective.
This was a significant improvement from the previous Inadequate rating, published in October 2020. The home had been in Special Measures and had conditions requiring action plans. Inspectors found the provider had made the required improvements, so the home was no longer in breach of regulations or in Special Measures.
People felt safe
People told inspectors they felt safe and listened to. Staff knew how to recognise and report possible abuse.
“People at the service told us they felt safe and listened too.” from the report
Enough trained staff
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs, including one-to-one support where required. Staff had received training suitable for their roles.
“There were enough staff to support people's needs” from the report
Positive culture
The culture had improved from the previous inspection. People were involved in decisions about routines, meals, activities and house rules.
“There was now a positive culture at the service, which promoted people's good outcomes.” from the report
Better incident management
Incidents were recorded and reviewed. Staff had clearer training and debriefings were used to help prevent incidents happening again.
“The management team reviewed these records to ensure that incidents were responded to in the best way possible.” from the report
COVID-19 precautions
Inspectors were assured that the home used personal protective equipment safely, arranged testing and followed infection prevention guidance.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
As-needed medicine guidance
needs fixingInspectors found that guidance for when some as-needed medicines should be given needed minor quality improvements. The provider corrected the records immediately during the inspection.
“There was a lack of clear guidance for when 'as needed' medicines would be needed.” from the report
- 01What checks now make sure guidance for as-needed medicines remains complete and up to date?
- 02What has happened with the manager's application to become the registered manager?
- 03How are incidents reviewed now, and how do you check that lessons have been acted on?
- 04How are people involved in choosing or interviewing new staff?
- 05What action plan is still in place, and how will you show that improvements have been sustained?
This inspection focused on Safe and Well-led; the report did not give ratings for Effective, Caring or Responsive. This explanation was written from the published report of 3 June 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, October 2020
Woodthorpe Lodge was rated Inadequate and placed in special measures after inspectors found serious safety and management failures.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 7 July 2020. Inspectors visited the home, spoke with people, relatives and staff, and checked care records, medicine records, incident records, training information and management checks.
The home was not always safe. People were at risk from poor safeguarding, weak risk assessments, incomplete Covid-19 assessments, fire safety concerns, gaps in staff training and poor medicines oversight. Incidents were not consistently investigated or used to prevent further harm.
The home was also not well-led. There was no registered manager, staff morale was low, records were not up to date and quality checks were not effective. The rating fell from Good at the previous inspection to Inadequate. The home was placed in special measures, and the provider said it had taken immediate action on some urgent risks after the inspection.
Infection control
Staff understood Covid-19 infection control measures. The home had increased cleaning and enough protective equipment was seen.
“Cleaning schedules confirmed cleaning was being completed and we saw staff completing cleaning tasks and wearing PPE.” from the report
Safe recruitment
The report found that recruitment checks were being used to make sure staff were suitable for their roles.
“Safe recruitment processes were used to ensure only staff suitable for their role were employed at the service.” from the report
Opportunities to speak up
People had regular meetings and keyworker meetings where they could share concerns or wishes.
“People received opportunities to share their views about the service via monthly 'Your Voice' meetings and 'keyworker' meetings for people to share their concerns or wishes.” from the report
Safeguarding and abuse risks
seriousPeople were not always protected from abuse or improper treatment. The report described verbal threats, physical abuse, property damage and staff concerns about how some people were treated.
“People were not always protected from abuse and improper treatment.” from the report
Poor risk assessments
seriousGuidance for managing self-harm and other individual risks was not detailed enough. Incidents were not consistently reviewed, so lessons were missed.
“Risk assessments did not provide staff with sufficiently detailed guidance on how to reduce the likelihood of behaviours happening and the action required if behaviours occurred.” from the report
Covid-19 risk planning
seriousIndividual Covid-19 support plans and risk assessments had not been completed, including for people who were more vulnerable.
“Individual support plans and risk assessments in relation to the risk of Covid-19 to people had not been completed.” from the report
Medicines oversight
seriousAs-required medicine protocols lacked enough detail. One person's regular use of maximum-dose pain relief had not been reviewed by a GP, and records and follow-up were poor.
“This shows a lack of record keeping, follow up and oversight of people's medicines.” from the report
Staff training and morale
needs fixingStaff had gaps in training linked to people's needs, including self-harm, substance misuse and some health conditions. Staff morale was low and people did not always feel listened to.
“Staff morale was low, and they did not always feel listened to.” from the report
- 01What has been done to protect people from verbal threats, physical abuse and improper treatment since this inspection?
- 02How are self-harm risks now assessed, recorded and reviewed, and what guidance do staff follow when an incident happens?
- 03How are medicines given when required now recorded and reviewed, including the pain relief that was regularly given at the maximum dose?
- 04How are staffing levels matched to each person's assessed needs, including additional one-to-one support?
- 05Who is currently managing the home, and what evidence can you show that the registration condition and special-measures concerns have been addressed?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other three key-question ratings were carried forward from the previous comprehensive inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 7 October 2020 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 Woodthorpe Lodge
5 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- June 2021Goodcurrent ratingup from InadequateSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2020Inadequatedown from GoodSafe: InadequateWell-led: Inadequate
- January 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- September 2016Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2015Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- August 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2013
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 19 July 2013.
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
62 live-in carers within about an hour of Derbyshire
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 £1,010 to £1,260 a week. 51 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Ernest is an amazing professional carer who delivers care from the heart.”
“We particularly appreciate the companionship Dawn gives in the evenings when she plays cards and Scrabble with my mother.”
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.