Solent Lodge

Updated 4 January 2018

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 4 December 2017, was unannounced and carried out by one inspector.

We gave the service two days’ notice of the inspection site visit because some of the people using it could not consent to a home visit from an inspector, which meant that we had to arrange for a ‘best interests’ decision about this.

Solent Lodge is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

Prior to our inspection we asked the registered provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the registered provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We looked at the notifications we had received and reviewed all the intelligence CQC held to help inform us about the level of risk for this service. We also spoke with the local authority to gain their views about this service. We reviewed all of this information to help us to make a judgement.

During our inspection we undertook a tour of the service. We used observation to see how people were cared for whilst they were in the communal areas of the service. We looked at a variety of records; this included three people’s care records, risk assessments and medicine administration records (MARs). We looked at records relating to the management of the service, policies and procedures, maintenance, quality assurance documentation and complaints information. We also looked at staff rotas, four staff files, supervision and appraisal records, as well as recruitment documentation.

We spoke with the registered manager, two members of staff, two healthcare professionals and reviewed feedback from relatives.

Updated 4 January 2018

The service provides residential care for up to four adults with learning and physical disabilities.

There was a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

We previously inspected Solent Lodge on the 8 December 2016 and rated the home as requires improvement. We found a breach Regulation 17 HSCA RA Regulations 2014 Good governance. People who used the service were not protected against the risks of unsafe or ineffective care because effective quality assurance of the service was not taking place. We also found a breach of Regulation 12 HSCA RA Regulations 2014, Safe care and treatment. People who used the service were not always protected against the risks of unsafe or ineffective care because appropriate checks were not always being done to ensure that medicines were stored correctly. Regular checks had not been done to ensure the competency of staff administering medicines. There was insufficient guidance for staff about administering medicines that were to be given ‘as required’ and administration records were not always completed.

At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of the HSCA.

People were safeguarded from potential harm and abuse. Staff undertook safeguarding training and any issues raised were fully investigated. The service was homely and maintained to make sure it remained a safe and pleasant place for people to live.

Care and treatment was planned and delivered to maintain people’s health and safety. During the inspection people's needs were met by sufficient numbers of staff.

Safe arrangements were in place to reduce the possibility of infection in the service.

The provider had learned lessons from previous inspections, accidents and incidents and use this to drive improvement.

Documentation was created in a format suitable to support people to make decisions.

The registered manager and staff had created a culture of promoting independence.

Recruitment processes remained robust. Medicines were administered by staff who had received training to undertake this safely.

Staff were provided with training to help them care for people effectively. They received supervision and appraisal, which helped to develop the staff's skills. People’s dietary needs were known and if staff had concerns people were referred to relevant health care professionals to help to maintain their well-being.

People’s rights were protected in line with the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The registered manager understood their responsibilities regarding this.

Staff supported people with kindness, dignity and respect. People were supported to undertake a range of activities at the service and in the community.

People received the care and support they required and their needs were kept under review.

People were asked for their views about the service and feedback received was acted upon. The registered manager, staff and senior management team undertook checks and audits of the service.