Hill Lodge

Updated 9 April 2022

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.

As part of CQC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic we are looking at how services manage infection control and visiting arrangements. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection prevention and control measures the provider had in place. We also asked the provider about any staffing pressures the service was experiencing and whether this was having an impact on the service.

This inspection took place on 21 February 2022 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection.

Updated 9 April 2022

Hill 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.

Hill Lodge is registered to accommodate up to 18 people with a learning disability or physical disability. People were accommodated in five adapted buildings. At the time of this inspection there were 16 people living at the home. The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support CQC policy 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.

We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 27 February 2018. After that inspection we received information about incidents which raised concerns in relation to people’s continuing safety at the service. As a result we undertook a focused inspection to look into those concerns. This report only covers our findings in relation to the key areas of safe and well-led. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the “all reports” link for Hill Lodge on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Why the service is rated good

The service continued to meet all the fundamental standards relevant to people’s care and support being safe and well led. Processes were in place to protect people from risks, including risks to their safety and wellbeing, in a way that enabled them to take part in activities according to their preferences. People were supported by sufficient numbers of suitable staff to maintain their safety. There were appropriate processes and procedures in place to make sure medicines were handled safely and to make sure people were protected from risks associated with the spread of infection.

There was a positive, empowering culture in the home. The provider engaged with people, their representatives, and staff to deliver a management system whose purpose was to drive forward and improve the quality of the service. Where appropriate the provider worked in partnership with other agencies and organisations.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.