• Care Home
  • Care home

Middleton Lodge

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Station Road, Middleton St George, Darlington, County Durham, DL2 1JA (01325) 333993

Provided and run by:
Potensial Limited

Latest inspection summary

On this page

Our current view of the service

Good

Updated 26 May 2024

Middleton Lodge is a care home providing care and accommodation to people with autism and a learning disability. People live in a bungalow in its own grounds. The service is registered to support a maximum of 10 people. At the time of the inspection there were 7 people using the service. We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. At the last inspection in July 2023 we rated this service inadequate and found 3 breaches of regulation. At this assessment we found the service had driven improvement across all areas and all breaches of regulation were now met. The environment had improved so people could access a new kitchen area, decorating had been completed and the garden made more accessible and enjoyable for people. We saw medicines were now administered safely and support plans for people included all their current needs and recorded how people wished to be supported. The staff team had remained consistent and they told us with pride about improvements, their training and how the service was now well-led. We observed people appeared happy, well dressed and cared for. People were supported with their health and care needs and the registered manager was committed to ensuring people received appropriate care and supported when they needed it. They had built strong relationships with health and social care professionals, who were complimentary of their approach. The management team had created a robust governance system, which rapidly identified the smallest of issue.

People's experience of the service

Updated 26 May 2024

We spoke with everyone who used the service, four relatives, a visiting advocate and a visiting healthcare professional. People we spoke with said they were happy at Middleton Lodge. The visiting speech and language therapist told us, "The food and presentation is really good and the puree is really well presented; they have worked really hard on that." People looked happy and engaged with the staff supporting them. One person enjoyed helping the maintenance man and was carrying his tool wearing a hi-viz coat. We observed staff giving people choices and enjoying crafts, helping prepare food and going to the pub. Relatives we spoke with all commented on the significant improvement at the service in recent months. One relative said, "The service is good. Lots of improvements and continuing. People are going out more. There is a new kitchen fitted with low level work tops for wheelchair users. The gardens are improved. [Name] is in a good service now, much safer than it was."