Rusthall Lodge Care Home provides personal and nursing care with accommodation for up to 67 older people. There were 62 people using the service at the time of our inspection.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good and met all relevant fundamental standards.

Why the service is rated Good

Staff knew how to recognise and respond to the signs of abuse. Risks to individuals’ safety and wellbeing were assessed and minimised. We made a recommendation about improving risk assessments and care plans for people with epilepsy and diabetes. Accidents and incidents were recorded and monitored to identify how the risks of recurrence could be reduced. Medicines were managed safely.

There was a sufficient number of staff deployed to meet people’s needs. Nursing and care staff received the training and support they needed to meet people’s individual needs. Robust recruitment procedures were followed to ensure staff were of suitable character to carry out their role.

Staff knew each person well and understood how to meet their needs. Staff communicated effectively with people and treated them with kindness and respect. People were supported to make their own decisions and remain as independent as possible. Staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible and the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People had enough to eat and meals were in sufficient quantity. People told us they enjoyed the food. Staff knew about and provided for people’s dietary preferences and restrictions. People were promptly referred to health care professionals when needed. Personal records included people’s individual plans of care, life history, likes and dislikes and preferred activities. These records helped staff deliver personalised care.

The registered manager and the provider were open and transparent in their approach. They placed emphasis on continuous improvement of the service. There was a system of monitoring checks and audits to identify any improvements that needed to be made. Action had been taken as a result of these checks to improve the quality of the service and care. The majority of records were maintained accurately, but we made a recommendation about the completion of repositioning charts.

Further information is in the detailed findings below

Rusthall Lodge Care Home provides personal and nursing care with accommodation for up to 67 older people. There were 62 people using the service at the time of our inspection.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good and met all relevant fundamental standards.

Why the service is rated Good

Staff knew how to recognise and respond to the signs of abuse. Risks to individuals’ safety and wellbeing were assessed and minimised. We made a recommendation about improving risk assessments and care plans for people with epilepsy and diabetes. Accidents and incidents were recorded and monitored to identify how the risks of recurrence could be reduced. Medicines were managed safely.

There was a sufficient number of staff deployed to meet people’s needs. Nursing and care staff received the training and support they needed to meet people’s individual needs. Robust recruitment procedures were followed to ensure staff were of suitable character to carry out their role.

Staff knew each person well and understood how to meet their needs. Staff communicated effectively with people and treated them with kindness and respect. People were supported to make their own decisions and remain as independent as possible. Staff supported people in the least restrictive way possible and the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

People had enough to eat and meals were in sufficient quantity. People told us they enjoyed the food. Staff knew about and provided for people’s dietary preferences and restrictions. People were promptly referred to health care professionals when needed. Personal records included people’s individual plans of care, life history, likes and dislikes and preferred activities. These records helped staff deliver personalised care.

The registered manager and the provider were open and transparent in their approach. They placed emphasis on continuous improvement of the service. There was a system of monitoring checks and audits to identify any improvements that needed to be made. Action had been taken as a result of these checks to improve the quality of the service and care. The majority of records were maintained accurately, but we made a recommendation about the completion of repositioning charts.

Further information is in the detailed findings below

People experienced support that met their personal, social and health care needs and ensured their safety and welfare. The welfare of people who used the service was promoted by opportunities for social and recreational activities. People told us “The activities provided are very good. We have exercises and play bingo” and “I went to Eastbourne and we had a lovely day.”

Care plans gave staff guidance about how to support each person with their personal, social and health care needs.

The manager was knowledgeable about how to refer to and work with the safeguarding authority about concerns or allegations of abuse. There was a system in place that supported people with their financial affairs.

People benefitted from safe and comfortable accommodation, which was suitably designed and maintained to meet their needs. One person told us “I love my room. This is my bedsit. I like to look out of the window.” People’s health and safety was protected from risks associated with the environment in which they lived.

People who used the service were supported by enough skilled staff who knew how to meet people’s needs.

People who used the service and their relatives and/or representatives were asked for their views about the service provided. We saw that people were able to communicate their wishes to staff, who listened and took action. People who used the service told us “[Staff] are very good. I’ve got no complaints.”

People told us they were always treated with kindness. One person said “I like it here, it’s very nice and very friendly.” People expressed their views and were involved in making decisions about their care and treatment. One person told us “[People] can choose what time they want to get up and their bedtime.”

People’s needs were assessed and care and treatment was planned and delivered in line with their individual care plan.

The welfare of people who used the service was promoted by the provision of social activities. “[My relative is] happy being here – [they] like the company.” Care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that ensured people’s safety and welfare. One family member told us “[One member of staff] in particular is very good with [my relative] and managing [their] behaviour.”

Staff received training and support, which helped them to meet the needs of people who used the service. One person told us “Staff are friendly and good.” The manager told us they had scheduled courses for all gaps in necessary staff training, which would be completed during the first half of 2013.

The provider had taken steps to identify the possibility of abuse, which aimed to prevent abuse from happening. During the course of the inspection, we were informed of safeguarding matters, which were currently being looked into by the local authority safeguarding team.

People who used the service told us they were supported and enabled to do things for themselves. They said they were encouraged to express their views and make or participate in making decisions relating to their care and treatment.

People explained how they were able make day to day choices about their lives and plans for the future and described how staff supported them to do this.

People told us the staff were kind and caring. People described how staff helped them.

People said that they felt safe and were well cared for by staff. People explained that they could speak with staff if they had a problem or were worried about anything. People told us that they were asked for their views about the support they received.