Glendale Lodge

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

Glendale Lodge offers care and support for up to 30 older people, some of whom may be living with dementia. The majority of bedrooms are on the ground floor and have en-suite bathrooms. The service is located on the outskirts of Deal overlooking countryside. At the time of our inspection there were 29 people using the service. Two people received most of their care in bed.

There was a registered manager in post. 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 legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The service had last been inspected on 15 June 2016 and was rated Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of Good. We found one area of improvement within the Effective domain. There was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff had not always supported people the least restrictive way possible. This was an area for improvement.

People were supported to eat and drink enough to maintain a balanced diet and were given choice with their meals. Lunchtime meal choices did not always give people a second substantial main meal option. This was an area for improvement.

People's needs and rights to equality had been assessed and care plans had been kept up to date when people's needs changed. People and health and social care professionals involved in their care and support told us how their general health and wellbeing had improved since living at the service. Staff had the right induction, training and on-going support to do their job. People accessed the healthcare they needed, and staff worked closely with other organisations to meet their individual needs. People's needs were met by the facilities.

Risks to people were assessed on an individual basis and there was comprehensive guidance for staff. People were kept safe from avoidable harm and could raise any concerns with the registered manager.

There was enough suitably trained and safely recruited staff to meet people's needs. People were protected from any environmental risks in a clean and well-maintained home. Lessons were learnt from accidents and incidents. People's medicines had been well managed, medicines were administered safely and there was clear guidance for staff on how to support people to take their medicines.

People told us that staff were caring and the management team ensured there was a culture which promoted treating people with kindness, respect and compassion. Staff were attentive to people. The service had received positive feedback and people were involved in their care as much as possible. Staff protected people's privacy and dignity and people were encouraged to be as independent as possible. Visitors were made welcome.

People received personalised care which met their needs and care plans were person centred and up to date. Where known, people's wishes around their end of life care were recorded. People were encouraged to take part in activities they liked. There had not been any complaints, but people could raise any concerns they had with the registered manager. The provider sought feedback from people and their relatives which was recorded and reviewed.

People were happy with the management of the service and staff understood the vision and values of the service promoted by the owners and management team. There was a positive, person centred and professional culture. The registered manager had good oversight of the quality and safety of the service, and risks were clearly understood and managed. This was supported by good record keeping, good communication and working in partnership with other health professionals. The management team promoted continuous learning by reviewing audits, feedback and incidents and making changes as a result.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found