This inspection took place on 17 July 2018 and was announced. At our previous inspection on 9 August 2017 we rated the service ‘requires improvement’ and identified two breaches of legal requirements relating to safe care and good governance. The service was not consistently safe as people's medicines were not always managed in a safe way. Records relating to people’s care and the management of the service were not always maintained up to date and some information was difficult to access.

Lona Lodge provides accommodation, care and support for up to five people with mental health needs. The aim is to help people to live with more independence in the community and the average length of stay is approximately two years. There were five people using the service when we visited.

Lona 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.

The service had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 told us they felt safe with the service they received. There were arrangements in place to help safeguard people from the risk of abuse. Staff were aware of the provider’s policies and procedures about how to identify potential abuse and how to report abuse.

We looked at the systems in place for managing medicines and found the systems in place for medicines management had been comprehensively reviewed and revised and were safe.

People had risk assessments and risk management plans to reduce the likelihood of harm. Staff knew how to use the information to keep people safe and work with them positively to help them be as independent as possible.

The registered manager ensured there were safe recruitment practices to help protect people from the risks of being cared for by staff assessed as unfit or unsuitable.

People received effective care because staff were appropriately trained and supported to do their jobs.

All the people living in the home had the capacity to make decisions. Staff had received appropriate training and had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). DoLS provides a process to make sure people are only deprived of their liberty in a safe and correct way.

People were encouraged and supported by staff to become more independent by developing the knowledge and skills to do so. This included eating well and staying healthy. When people needed care and support from healthcare professionals, staff ensured people received this promptly.

Relatives and other visitors were made to feel welcome and staff told us they were free to visit people in the home.

People had care plans outlining the goals they wished to achieve whilst at the service and what support they required from staff to achieve them. People were involved in planning their care and their views were sought and planned for as a central and important part of the process. The service regularly monitored people’s changing needs and involved them in discussions about any changes that needed to be made to their care plans.

Staff respected people’s privacy and treated them with respect and dignity.

The provider encouraged people to raise any concerns they had and responded to them in a timely manner. People were aware of the complaints policy.

A review of the home’s recording systems and processes was implemented since the last inspection and records relating to people’s care and the management of the service were up to date, clear and accessible.

People gave positive feedbac

This inspection took place on 9 August 2017 and was unannounced. At our last inspection on 19 July 2015 the service met all the regulations we inspected.

Lona Lodge provides accommodation, care and support for up to five people with mental health needs. The aim is to help people to live with more independence in the community and the average length of stay is approximately two years. There were five people using the service when we visited.

The service had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 told us they felt safe with the service they received. There were arrangements in place to help safeguard people from the risk of abuse. Staff were aware of the provider’s policies and procedures about how to identify potential abuse and how report abuse.

We looked at the systems in place for managing medicines and found the systems in place for medicines management were not always safe.

People had risk assessments and risk management plans to reduce the likelihood of harm. Staff knew how to use the information to keep people safe and work with them positively to help them be as independent as possible.

The registered manager ensured there were safe recruitment practices to help protect people from the risks of being cared for by staff assessed as unfit or unsuitable.

People received effective care because staff were appropriately trained and supported to do their jobs. The registered manager acknowledged the need to increaser the frequency of staff supervisions in line with the provider’s policy.

All the people living in the home had the capacity to make decisions. Staff had received appropriate training and had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). DoLS provides a process to make sure people are only deprived of their liberty in a safe and correct way.

People were encouraged and supported by staff to become more independent by developing the knowledge and skills to do so. This included eating well and staying healthy. When people needed care and support from healthcare professionals, staff ensured people received this promptly.

Relatives and other visitors were made to feel welcome and staff told us they were free to visit people in the home.

People had care plans outlining the goals they wished to achieve whilst at the service and what support they required from staff to achieve them. People were involved in planning their care and their views were sought and planned for as a central and important part of the process. The service regularly monitored people’s changing needs and involved them in discussions about any changes that needed to be made to their care plans.

Staff respected people’s privacy and treated them with respect and dignity.

The provider encouraged people to raise any concerns they had and responded to them in a timely manner. People were aware of the complaints policy.

Records relating to people’s care and the management of the service were not always maintained up to date. Some information was difficult to access.

People gave positive feedback about the management of the service. The registered manager and the staff were approachable and fully engaged with providing good quality care for people who used the service. The provider had systems in place to continually monitor the quality of the service and people were asked for their opinions via feedback surveys. Action plans were developed where required to address areas that needed improvements.

This inspection took place on 29 July 2015 and was unannounced. At our last inspection on 7 May 2014 the service met all the regulations we inspected.

Lona Lodge provides accommodation, care and support for up to five people with mental health needs. The aim is to help people to live with more independence in the community and the average length of stay is approximately two years. There were three people using the service when we visited.

The service had a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 told us they felt safe with the service they received. There were arrangements in place to help safeguard people from the risk of abuse. The registered manager and staff, the people who used the service and their relatives were all aware about how to report suspected abuse.

People had risk assessments and risk management plans to reduce the likelihood of harm. Staff knew how to use the information to keep people safe and work with them positively to help them be as independent as possible.

The registered manager ensured there were safe recruitment practices to help protect people from the risks of being cared for by staff assessed as unfit or unsuitable.

Safe medicines management processes were in place and people were supported to self-medicate where they were able to do so.

People received effective care because staff were appropriately trained and supported to do their jobs.

All the people living in the home had the capacity to make decisions. Staff had received appropriate training and had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). DoLS provides a process to make sure people are only deprived of their liberty in a safe and correct way.

People were encouraged and supported by staff to become more independent by developing the knowledge and skills to do so. This included eating well and staying healthy. When people needed care and support from healthcare professionals, staff ensured people received this promptly.

People had care plans outlining the goals they wished to achieve whilst at the service and what support they required from staff to achieve them. People were involved in planning their care and their views were sought and planned for as a central and important part of the process. The service regularly monitored people’s changing needs and involved them in discussions about any changes that needed to be made to their care plans.

Support workers respected people’s privacy and treated them with respect and dignity.

People were encouraged to maintain relationships with the people that were important to them. Relatives and other visitors were made to feel welcome and told us they were free to visit people in the home without restrictions.

The provider encouraged people to raise any concerns they had and responded to them in a timely manner. People were aware of the complaints policy.

People gave positive feedback about the management of the service. The registered manager and the staff were approachable and fully engaged with providing good quality care for people who used the service. The provider had systems in place to continually monitor the quality of the service and people were asked for their opinions via feedback surveys. Action plans were developed where required to address areas that needed improvements.