Penfold Lodge

Updated 7 June 2019

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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team:

One inspector carried out this inspection.

Service and service type:

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

The service did not have a registered manager. The manager had applied to register with the CQC and the application was being progressed. The provider was legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

What we did:

Before our inspection, we reviewed the information submitted by the provider in their completed Provider Information Return (PIR). This form asks the provider to give some key information about the service; what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

We reviewed information we had received about the service including Notifications. Notifications inform us about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We also looked at information sent to us from other stakeholders such as the local authority and members of the public.

During the inspection we spoke to two people. We used informal observation to evaluate people’s experiences and to help us assess how their needs were being met. We also observed how staff interacted with people. We looked at records in relation to three people’s care. We spoke with the manager, the regional manager, the providers operational manager and quality manager. We looked at records relating to the management of the service, staff recruitment and training, medicines management, complaints and systems for monitoring the quality and safety of the service.

Updated 7 June 2019

About the service: Penfold Lodge is a residential care home that provides accommodation and personal care for up to 18 people with mental health needs, whose primary needs are emotional support and enablement. The service aim is to support people through the recovery process to enable them, where possible, to move on and live more independently.

People’s experience of using this service:

Penfold Lodge provided a safe, relaxed and homely environment for people that encouraged personal development. Staff were friendly and respectful in their approach and interacted with people in a confident, friendly and considerate manner.

Systems and processes were in place to promote people’s safety in the home and when out in the Community. Staff had a good working knowledge of how to protect people from potential abuse and promote people’s rights.

People’s care records held on the homes electronic system were in parts brief. Improvement was needed to ensure care records show how the service is fully supporting people and how they should be responding to the risks people faced.

The provider had a thorough recruitment and selection process in place to check that staff were suitable to work with people who used the service. People were supported by enough staff. Staffing levels were flexible to support people to follow their interests, take part in social activities or attend hospital /GP appointments and follow ups with healthcare professionals.

During our visit we saw people were supported to express their views and choices and staff clearly understood each person’s needs and behaviours. Staff looked after people’s healthcare needs in a pro-active way. People were provided with choices of food and drink that met their individual needs.

The provider had effective systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service that people received. Arrangements were in place to routinely listen and learn from people’s experiences, concerns and complaints. There was a strong emphasis on promoting good practice in the service and there was a well-developed understanding of equality, diversity and human rights and management and staff put these into practice. The manager inspired confidence in the staff team and led by example.

Rating at last inspection: Good.

Why we inspected: This was the first inspection following the merger between the provider, Partnerships in Care and The Priory Group. The inspection was scheduled based on previous rating.

Follow up: We will re-inspect this service within the published time-frame for services rated good or sooner if required. We will continue to monitor the service through the information we receive.

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