Please wait

Inspection on 22/03/10 for Virginia Lodge

Also see our care home review for Virginia Lodge for more information

This is the latest available inspection report for this service, carried out on 22nd March 2010.

it is an annual review prepared by CQC after examining previous reports and information from the provider. At the time of this report, CQC judged the service to be Excellent.

The inspector made no statutory requirements on the home as a result of this inspection and there were no outstanding actions from the previous inspection report.

What follows are excerpts from this inspection report. For more information read the full report on the next tab.

Annual service review Name of Service: Virginia Lodge The quality rating for this care home is: The rating was made on: three star excellent service 0 4 0 3 2 0 0 8 A quality rating is our assessment of how well a care home, agency or scheme is meeting the needs of the people who use it. We give a quality rating following a full review of the service. We call this review a ‘key’ inspection We do an annual service review when there has been no key inspection of the service in the last 12 months. It does not involve a visit to the service but is a summary of new information given to us, or collected by us, since the last key inspection or annual service review.   Has this annual service review changed our opinion of the service?   No You should read the last key inspection report for this service to get a full picture of how well outcomes for the people using the service are being met. The date by which we will do a key inspection: Name of inspector: Nancy Saich Date of this annual service review: 1 6 0 2 2 0 1 0 Annual Service Review Page 1 of 7 Information about the service Address of service: Old Road Longtown Carlisle Cumbria CA6 5TL 01228791986 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address:   Name of registered provider(s): Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : dementia old age, not falling within any other category Conditions of registration: Mrs Julie Walsh Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 Over 65 32 0 0 32 The registered person may provide the following category of service only: Care Home only - Code PC to service users of the following gender: Either whose primary care needs on admission to the home are within the following categories: Old age, not falling within any other category - Code OP. Dementia - Code DE. The maximum number of service users who can be accommodated is: 32. Have there been any changes in the ownership, management or the No service’s registration details in the last 12 months? If yes, what have they been: Date of last key inspection: Date of last annual service review (if applicable): Brief description of the service Virginia Lodge is a residential care home for up to thirty-two older people, some of who may also have dementia. It is managed by Mrs Julie Walsh. She and her husband own the service. The home is located approximately one mile from Longtown and is in a rural setting. The building is single storey and accommodation is mainly in single rooms, although Annual Service Review Page 2 of 7 0 4 0 3 2 0 0 8 people can choose to share a double room. Some of the rooms have ensuite toilets and wash hand basins. There are a number of shared areas and the home has its own gardens, including a secure garden for people with dementia. Further information can be gained from the home at the above address. Annual Service Review Page 3 of 7 Service update since the last key inspection or annual service review: What did we do for this annual service review? We asked the manager to complete an Annual Quality Assurance Assessment (The AQAA). This asks for information about the service since the last inspection and for any plans for the future. We also ask for some statistics about the service. We check on any other information we had gathered about the service since we last inspected. We look at anything the service is required to tell us about under the law. This includes accidents and incidents that may have an impact on peoples wellbeing. We consider any complaints that have been received and we also look at any allegations of harm or abuse. There had been nothing of concern reported about this service. We then sent out questionnaires to the staff team and to people who live in the service and to professionals who may visit. We had a very good response to these and quote from them in this report. What has this told us about the service? We learned from this information that things in this home continue to go smoothly and that people who live or work in the home are happy with the way it is managed. The AQAA was returned to us within our timescales and contained detailed information about how well the service meets or continues to exceed the required standards. The provider gave us robust evidence to show that she continues to manage the home appropriately. She told us how her quality systems ensure that the home is running well and that residents, relatives and staff have the opportunity to comment and make suggestions about how things could develop or improve. In the past year these are some of the improvements and changes that have been made to what is already an excellent service. The home has an active residents committee who are regularly consulted. People in the home are involved in the recruitment process for new staff and are actively involved in how the services and systems of the home operate. This includes them being involved in how the kitchen and laundry works and how the home is cleaned. Life story and care planning work has been refined and developed in a more person centered way after suggestions from residents and staff. Staff have had training on person centered thinking and planning. Residents have asked for more information to be gathered on their wishes for end of life care and this has been included. Staff have gained further knowledge of how to support people and have gained qualifications on end of life care. A mini bus has been purchased and people go out more often. The home provides Annual Service Review Page 4 of 7 culturally diverse activities and entertainments. Residents also wanted a new flat screen TV and a Nintendo Wi and these were purchased. Nutritionally sound meals are provided and there are themed nights where people get the chance to try different foods. Staff have had specialist training to help people with swallowing problems and nutritional needs. The home has had no formal complaints in the last year and no safeguarding issues. Staff continue to be trained in how to manage any issue of potential or actual abuse. Management and administrative staff have received training in updates to legislation around issues like capacity and deprivation of liberty. The provider has purchased new furniture and equipment and continues to decorate the home on a regular basis. At the request of residents they have enhanced the outside areas and bought new garden furniture, a gazebo and patio heaters so people can make the most of the garden. They also have a new member of staff who takes charge of the laundry and they use an outside contractor to do deep clean work in different areas of the home. Staff continue to receive good levels of training in a wide range of subjects. Staff continue to gain National Vocational Qualifications up to level 4. New staff complete an induction certificate. They have employed a graduate who is developing I.T systems in the home so they can progress to a paperless office system and allow administration to be streamlined. They have an apprentice carer who is supernumerary and who can give a lot of time to residents and also learn and gain a qualification. One member of staff starts an hour earlier every day as some residents want to get up earlier and asked for more support. We had plenty of evidence in this very detailed AQAA to show that the management systems continue to work effectively to allow the staff team to focus on delivery of care. The provider has developed the quality monitoring in the service and continues to have new quality goals to work towards. We received a high number (80 of those sent out) of surveys from people who live in the home. Here are some of the comments: The care I get is very good...plenty of food and good choices...the staff are nice...I like my room...I enjoy the parties and social gatherings.... I have settled well and everything possible has been done to make this happen.... Content and happy. Such good people...very attentive. I enjoy arts and crafts and making things.... We also had a high level of responses from staff and they were very positive about working in the home and they confirmed information contained in the AQAA. They contained lengthy and detailed comments about all aspects of care and service Annual Service Review Page 5 of 7 delivery. Training and support is always available if needed or if staff wish to attend a course to further their knowldege...we have an activities team and we need to continue to support them so people are entertained and have interesting things to do. I am extremely proud to work here, the environment and the person centered approach to care is fantastic...we are given regular training and the opportunity to gain qualifications.... Our residents are like friends ...we share special moments in their lives. Our manager is open to new ideas and new ways...and this helps us improve. We also received surveys from other professionals who visit individuals in the home. Again these were positive. Always helpful and proactive...all advice and instructions carried out promptly and fully. Highly commend the home and service . They deal with behavioural issues in dementia very well...they try different interventions and keep accurate records and this helps me to help the person...the home shapes the care to meet the individual needs throughout the course of their life stages. What are we going to do as a result of this annual service review? This review has not changed our opinion of the service. The Care Quality Commission will continue to monitor information about this service and will carry out an inspection when required. Annual Service Review Page 6 of 7 Reader Information Document Purpose: Author: Audience: Further copies from: Annual service review CQC General Public 0870 240 7535 (national contact centre) Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. The content of which can be found on our website. Helpline: Telephone: 03000 616161 Email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk Web: www.cqc.org.uk We want people to be able to access this information. If you would like a copy of the findings in a different format or language please contact our helpline or go to our website. Copyright © (2009) Care Quality Commission (CQC). This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, free of charge, in any format or medium provided that it is not used for commercial gain. This consent is subject to the material being reproduced accurately and on proviso that it is not used in a derogatory manner or misleading context. The material should be acknowledged as CQC copyright, with the title and date of publication of the document specified. Annual Service Review Page 7 of 7 - Please note that this information is included on www.bestcarehome.co.uk under license from the regulator. Re-publishing this information is in breach of the terms of use of that website. Discrete codes and changes have been inserted throughout the textual data shown on the site that will provide incontrovertable proof of copying in the event this information is re-published on other websites. The policy of www.bestcarehome.co.uk is to use all legal avenues to pursue such offenders, including recovery of costs. You have been warned!