Camber Lodge

Updated 15 March 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by two inspectors.

Service and service type

Camber Lodge is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or 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.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the service to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since its registration. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service and four members of staff including the registered manager. We spent time observing people in areas throughout the service and could see the interaction between people and staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and all medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service were viewed, including health and safety records, maintenance checks and procedures.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records along with documentation requested to clarify discussions during the site visit. We received feedback from four visiting professionals and spoke with two relatives.

Updated 15 March 2022

About the service

Camber Lodge is a residential care home providing accommodation personal care and support for up to eight people, living with a learning disability, in an adapted house. At the time of the inspection there were seven people living at the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Staff understood how to support people safely, risk assessments provided further guidance about individual risks. The environment was well maintained, and safety checks were in place. People were supported to receive their medicines when they needed them. There were enough staff, who had been safely recruited, working in the service. They understood safeguarding risks and procedures and knew what to do if concerns were raised.

Staff were trained and knowledgeable about people’s individual needs. People were listened to and supported to have control and choice over their lives. People were supported to eat and drink what they wished, whilst encouraged to eat a healthy diet.

People received support from staff who were kind and caring and were able to form trusting relationships. People were relaxed, comfortable and happy in the company of staff and engaged with them in a positive way. Staff found ways to communicate with each person in an individual and meaningful way. People were supported to take part in activities to meet their individual needs and wishes.

The registered manager promoted an open and supportive culture in the service. They had a good oversight of the service and were working to continually develop and improve the service. They worked in partnership with their staff, people and their representatives, to get the best outcomes for people. There was a strong team spirit where staff were valued and felt well supported.

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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support: Model of care and setting maximises people’s choice, control and Independence;

People were central to everything and made their own decisions about how they spent their time and lived their lives. Staff worked with people to increase their independence and confidence but were always available to support and ensure people’s safety.

Right care: Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights;

Staff knew people well and understood what was important to each person. Staff were passionate about supporting people in line with their individual preferences and unique abilities. They respected each person and took account of their rights as unique individuals. Staff advocated for people’s rights to ensure they had the freedoms and choices they were entitled to

Right culture: Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives;

The registered manager fostered and open and relaxed atmosphere where people and staff felt valued and listened to. Staff described a supportive working environment where they could focus on people. People were comfortable with staff and had developed trusting relationships that supported them to lead the live they wanted.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for the service under the previous provider was Requires Improvement published on 26 November 2019.

Why we inspected

This service was registered with us on 6 October 2020 and this is the first inspection.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.