The Lodge

Peoples holistic needs were very well met by a staff team who were well-trained and understood the ethos of ensuring person centred care. The provider ensured the staffing ratios remained high so the best possible care and support could be provided. This included having additional housekeeping staff and kitchen staff.

Care, meals and the cleanliness of the home continued to be exceptional in their quality and delivery. Staff received really well planned support, training and supervisions to enable them to do the best job possible.

People experienced an exceptional mealtime experience. People spoke very highly about the meals offered and the whole mealtime experience. Our observations of the lunch time experience showed staff worked hard to make the mealtime experience for people special. The restaurant was open for a two-hour lunch period. Staff were extremely attentive and supported people to choose, serve and eat their lunch in comfort. The hotel services manager often arranged special alternatives, visitors' teas and bespoke menus.

People were valued and placed at the centre of the service. Staff promoted their privacy and dignity, enabling them to make choices and have as much control and independence as possible. The service used a variety of methods to facilitate this including supporting people with communication, assistive technology, providing information in an accessible format and a consistent staff team who knew people extremely well.

A huge range of activities were planned with people's hobbies and interests in mind.

The management team and staff genuinely cared for the people they were supporting. They advocated for them at every opportunity. They were there for them and their families at point of admission, when needing

to transfer to hospital or at the end of their lives. They had achieved a national accredited training in end of life care. The service had a great reputation for achieving the best quality care for people's final days and would only accept admissions if they were able to provide this high standard of care.

They ensured people were able to maintain contact with their families, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, even organising online birthday parties. The service had a guest room for family and friends to use when visiting if they lived far away or needed got be in close proximity due to ill health.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The service continued to be exceptionally well led. The providers ethos was strongly promoted and modelled by the management team. They demonstrated a commitment to valuing people as individuals, supporting them to lead active and healthy lives and achieve their individual aspirations, where possible. The management team demonstrated an open and transparent management style and were fully engaged with people and staff at the service. Robust quality assurance systems ensured the continued quality and safety of the service and continued to drive improvement. This ultimately improved the outcomes for people living at The Lodge.