19 February 2016
During a routine inspection
Abbegale Lodge is a residential care home providing accommodation for up to 41 people. The home consists of two converted Victorian villas with a two storey modern extension and supports people with mental health and dementia care needs. There is a passenger lift in the main building with a stair lift in place at the other villa and extension. The service provides upper and ground floor accommodation. There is a large garden to the rear of all three buildings. It is within easy walking distance of The Strand shopping centre in Bootle
A manager was in post who was in the process of registering with CQC. 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 a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
Process relating to the safe administration of medications were in place within the home, and the home was addressing any issues to help mitigate risks.
People and relatives we spoke with told us they felt safe living at the home.
Risk assessments were in place and personalised.
The staff we spoke with were aware of what constituted abuse and how to report an alleged incident.
Recruitment procedures were robust to ensure staff were suitable to work with vulnerable people. Systems were in place to maintain the safety of the home. This included health and safety checks of the equipment and building
Staff told us they were well supported in the home and had an induction when they first started work, and had regular supervision and appraisal.
People had a plan of care in place which was personalised and contained information such as their likes, dislikes and backgrounds.
The registered manager and the staff had knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and their roles and responsibilities linked to this. Staff support was available to assist people to make key decisions regarding their care.
The home had aids and equipment to meet people’s needs and promote their independence.
We found the home to be clean, warm and homely, although the décor required attention in some places. There was a strong smell of smoke which was present in most of the areas of the home.
Everyone told us the staff were caring and we could see evidence that the staff genuinely cared about the people they supported.
Food was fresh and home cooked. Everyone we spoke with told us that they enjoyed the food.
Staff worked well with health and social care professionals to make sure people received the care and
support they needed. Staff referred to outside professionals promptly for advice and support.
A process was in place for managing complaints and the home’s complaints procedure was available so people had access to this information.
People and relatives told us that the manager was approachable and supportive.
Staff were aware of the homes whistleblowing policy and told us they would not hesitate to report any concerns or bad practice.
Systems were in place to monitor the standard of the service and drive forward improvements. This included a number of audits for different areas of practice.