We inspected this service on 16 August 2018. The inspection was unannounced.

People in care homes receive accommodation and 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.

Godiva Lodge provides accommodation and personal care for up to 40 older people living with dementia. There were 37 people living at the home at the time of our visit.

The accommodation is set out over the ground floor which is divided into four areas, called households, where people live. Each area has 10 bedrooms, assisted bathrooms, toilets, a communal lounge/dining room and a kitchenette where snacks and drinks can be prepared, and meals from the kitchen are served.

At our previous inspection in July 2017, we rated the service as Requires Improvement. This was because the service was not as consistently safe or as responsive to people’s needs as it should have been, and the service was not consistently well led. For example, risks to people’s care were not always managed safely, particularly regarding people’s skin care. People did not always receive personalised care, and at times staff did not respond to people’s needs in a timely way. How quality monitoring systems were implemented did not ensure the home was consistently well led.

Following our feedback at the last inspection, the district manager made an unannounced visit to the home the following day. They took action to ensure people received the care and support they required. They provided an action plan that addressed the shortfalls and advised they would support the home to improve. At this inspection we found the required improvements had been made.

The registered manager, at the time of our last inspection, resigned in October 2017. The home was managed and supported by the deputy manager, the regional support manager and the district manager until another manager was appointed.

The home had a registered manager who registered with us in July 2018. 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 home provided safe care for people who lived at Godiva Lodge. Staff understood what might constitute abuse and the action to take if they had any concerns. There were enough staff available to meet people’s needs and staff were deployed effectively within the home. Staff understood risks related with people’s care and knew how to manage risks to minimise harm. The suitability of staff was checked during recruitment procedures to make sure they were safe to work at the home. People’s medicines were managed, stored and administered safely.

People had an assessment completed before moving to the home to make sure staff could meet their care and support needs. Staff received training and had the knowledge and skills they needed to meet people’s needs effectively. The registered manager and care staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and how to put these into practice. Capacity assessments were completed and where required Deprivation of Liberties authorisations to keep people safe were in place. People’s nutritional and healthcare needs were assessed and kept under review. People had sufficient to eat and drink during the day.

People at Godiva Lodge were living with dementia, during our inspection visit we saw they looked contented and settled. People said staff were helpful and understanding, and we saw friendly and caring interactions between staff and the people they cared for. Staff maintained people’s privacy, and treated people with dignity and respect. The managers and staff had a good understanding of people’s individual needs and preferences.

Godiva Lodge is a care home that provides accommodation and personal care for up to 40 older people living with dementia. There were 39 people living at the home at the time of our inspection visit.

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.

Prior to our visit we had received statutory notifications and safeguarding information about medication errors in the home. In response to this the provider had reviewed the medication processes and had worked with health commissioners and the local pharmacy to improve procedures. At this inspection we found medicines were administered and managed safely.

Staff understood their responsibilities to protect people from the risk of abuse. Risks to people’s individual health and wellbeing were assessed but some identified risks were not always being managed effectively.

There was enough staff to keep people safe, but how staff were deployed in the home was not always effective or responsive to people’s needs. Staff’s suitability for their role was checked before they started working at the home.

The registered manager and staff understood their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). People were looked after in a way that did not inappropriately restrict their freedom.

People were cared for by staff who had the skills and training to meet their needs. People’s nutritional needs were assessed and people said they had enough to eat and drink. On the day of our visit we found some people’s lunchtime experience could be improved. People had routine health checks and were referred to other healthcare services when their health needs changed.

The registered manager and staff had a good understanding of people’s individual needs and preferences. Staff were kept up to date about changes in people’s needs through a handover meeting at the start of each shift. People had a personalised care plan for staff to follow. Some care plans and daily records did not show how people’s needs were routinely met.

The atmosphere in the home was friendly and homely, and care and support was provided in a person centred way. Staff promoted people’s independence and respected their privacy and dignity. People were encouraged to maintain relationships that were important to them. People said there were things for them to do during the day to keep them occupied.

People and most relatives were confident any concerns or issues they raised would be dealt with promptly. However, we found how complaints were responded to needed improvement. People and their relatives were able to share their opinions about the service. Not all staff felt managers were available at the times they needed them or issues they raised with managers were listened to.

The provider and management team checked the quality of the service people received and implemented improvements. We found the process for auditing records and systems for checking the premises where not implemented effectively or consistently. Following the inspection the provider sent confirmation that the issues we had identified during our inspection with staff deployment and safety checks on the premises had been addressed.

This inspection took place on 19 November 2014 and was unannounced. At the previous inspection in August 2013 the provider was meeting the required standards.

Godiva Lodge is registered to provide accommodation for up to 40 people who require personal care. The home provides a service for older people with dementia care needs. Godiva Lodge is divided into four units. Each unit consists of ten bedrooms, a lounge, dining area and a kitchenette.

At the time of this inspection there were 37 people living at the home.

The home has a registered manager. 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.

People who lived at Godiva Lodge, relatives and staff told us people were safe. Staff understood their responsibilities around keeping people safe and understood what constituted abuse or poor practice. There were systems and processes in place to protect people from the risk of harm. These included a risk management process, robust staff recruitment procedure and an effective procedure for managing people’s medications.

Staff understood about consent and respected decisions people had made about their daily lives. The registered manager understood their responsibility to comply with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Where people did not have capacity, decisions were taken in ‘their best interest’ with the involvement of family and appropriate health care professionals.

People told us staff were kind and caring. Staff provided compassionate, respectful care to people. Staff protected people’s privacy and dignity when providing care. There were enough suitably trained staff to meet people’s individual care needs.

People were treated as individuals and were encouraged to make choices about their care. People had a choice of meals and enough to eat and drink during the day. People felt listened to and were confident they could raise any concerns with staff and the registered manager. There were processes in place for people to express their views and opinions about the home.

Care plans and assessments contained detailed information that supported staff to meet people’s needs. Staff had time to read care plans and to provide care to people in the way they preferred.

People who lived at the home, relatives and staff said the home was well managed. People described the management of the home as open and friendly. There were systems in place to monitor the quality of the service. This was through feedback from people who used the service, their relatives, staff meetings and a programme of audits.

Godiva Lodge is a home for people with dementia. There were 37 people living in the home on the day we visited. Not all the people living in the home were able to give us their views and opinions. We spent time talking with people and observed how staff supported people. We spoke with nine members of staff and three visitors during our visit.

We saw staff treated people with dignity and respect. Staff spent time responding to people in a quiet, unhurried way. Staff had a good understanding of the needs of people. There was a friendly, relaxed atmosphere in the home throughout our visit.

We found the home was clean and tidy. The communal areas were spacious but not homely and welcoming. There was a plan to redecorate and replace carpets in the communal areas by November 2013. This would improve the home and remove the slightly unpleasant smell in the reception and lounge area.

We found the home was meeting people’s health and care needs. Records showed people had care plans and risk assessments completed. This made sure staff had the right information about how each person should be looked after.

On the day of our visit we found there was sufficient staff to meet the care needs of people. We have reminded the provider, people living with dementia require staff to provide additional support and supervision to promote their emotional well-being as well as to meet their personal care needs.

The home had a procedure for assessing and monitoring the service. This included regular reviews of people’s care, relatives meetings, staff supervisions and spot checks. There was a process for auditing records and people had received satisfaction surveys.

People told us they were satisfied with the care provided at Godiva Lodge. One person said, “Yes it’s not bad at all; staff are very kind.” A relative told us, “I would give the home 10/10; they do a good job nothing could be done better.”

We spoke with 12 of the 40 people using the service at the time of our inspection. People spoken with told us they were satisfied with the care they received. Their comments included, “It’s very good. Everyone is very kind.”

We spoke with the relatives of two people who told us they were pleased with the care their loved ones received. One person said, “I’m glad Mum was placed with this particular group of people. She has made friends here. It has a nice atmosphere.” Both relatives told us they visit unannounced at various times of the day and have found that the care is consistent. “They’re not putting it on just because they know someone’s coming to visit.”

People were treated respectfully. We saw staff addressing people by their preferred names. Personal care was carried out in private and staff were discreet when asking about care needs.

We observed that people were not left unattended for extended lengths of times. There was a staff presence in corridors and communal areas. People appeared to be comfortable in approaching staff with their requests and staff responded quickly.

We observed staff supporting people with their routines of daily living. For example, we saw staff offering timely and sensitive assistance during a meal time. We saw several occasions when staff used equipment such as a hoist to assist people to move. We saw that staff explained what they were doing at a level and pace the person they were supporting could understand.

We made an unannounced visit to this care home on 17 November 2011.

There were 36 people using the service when we visited. On the day of our visits we toured the lounge and dining areas, corridors and several bedrooms.

People using the service at Godiva Lodge have dementia care needs, which meant they might have difficulty engaging in complex conversations with us.

We spoke with 15 people who were using the service when we visited and spent time observing their experiences in the care home

One person told us, "It’s a home from home. We’re very well looked after because they know what we need."

Another person said, "Everyone gets on well together. It’s friendly and I am not lonely."

We spent time in two of the lounge/dining areas observing people’s experience. We looked at their mood, how they spent their time and how staff interacted with them.

We saw that people were not left unattended for extended lengths of times. There was a staff presence in corridors and communal areas. We saw staff sitting and chatting with people when they were not involved in a task to meet a particular care need. People appeared to be comfortable in approaching staff with their requests and staff responded quickly.

We observed that staff treated people respectfully. They addressed people by their preferred names and they were discreet when asking about care needs. Staff gave sensitive explanations when they were helping people, speaking to them at a pace and level appropriate to their individual needs.

We also spoke with the care manager and seven care staff.

Overall, we found that the service was meeting the care and welfare needs of people using the service.