Knightlow Lodge

Updated 14 May 2020

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

One inspector completed the inspection.

Service and service type

This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, assistant manager, senior care workers and care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included four people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were reviewed.

Updated 14 May 2020

About the service

Knightlow Lodge is an extra care housing site providing personal care to 23 people aged 55 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 30 people. They also offer a six week reablement service, where people are supported to regain independence and return home.

Extra care housing

People using the service lived in a block of flats on one site. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

People were supported to remain safe in their own homes as there were enough staff to visit at the agreed times. Staff were aware of their role to identify and report any concerns about a person’s safety or welfare. The provider’s systems and process supported staff to record and report these concerns to maintain people’s safety. People’s medication was managed by staff who were trained and competent to do so. Staff used gloves and aprons to help reduce the spread of infection and supported people with cleaning tasks. Incidents and accidents had been recorded and reviewed and any learning shared across the provider’s locations.

People’s needs were assessed to ensure they would benefit from the care offered by the provider. Staff were trained and supported to remain knowledgeable about how to provide effective care to people. Meals were offered and prepared to meet people’s choices and nutritional needs. The provider had developed strong links with health and social care professionals which had made a positive impact to people’s quality of life. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People had made trusting and caring relationship with staff. Staff enjoyed their role and spending time supporting people to remain socially and physically independent. People’s right to privacy was respected and staff were considerate when providing care to people in their flats. Staff took time to get to know and understand people and were free from judgement or bias.

People had been included in planning their care and support and had their choices and preferences recorded and upheld. Plans of care were regularly reviewed and people’s independence were assessed, alongside plans to rehabilitate where people were looking to return h home. Complaints and comments were welcomed by the provider and used to review and drive improvements. End of life care was offered and records reflected the choices for staff to be aware of.

The provider had clear systems and process in place to monitor people’s care and treatment. People’s views and opinions were collated and used to make changes to people’s care and support needs. The registered manager was accessible for both people and staff and they had clear expectations which staff followed and respected.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 02 August 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.