Ward Green Lodge is registered to provide accommodation and personal care. The home can accommodate up to 66 older people, some of whom are living with dementia. It is situated in the Ward Green area of Barnsley, close to local amenities and bus routes. The home is purpose built over two floors, accessed by a passenger lift. All of the bedrooms are single occupancy and have en-suite toilet and shower facilities. Communal lounges and dining areas are provided. The home has an enclosed garden and a car park.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

At this inspection, we found the service remained Good.

There was a manager at the service who was registered with the CQC. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People living at Ward Green lodge said they felt safe and they liked the staff. Relatives we spoke with felt their family member was in a safe place and did not have any concerns about their family member’s safety. Staff said they had been provided with safeguarding vulnerable adults training, so they understood their responsibilities to protect people from harm.

There was sufficient staff to meet people’s needs safely and effectively. The service used effective recruitment procedures which helped to keep people safe.

There were effective procedures in place for the safe management and administration of medicines.

Staff were provided with relevant training and supervision to make sure they had the right skills and knowledge to support people.

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

People enjoyed the food provided and were supported to receive adequate food and drink to remain healthy.

We found the home was clean, bright and well maintained.

People were treated with dignity and respect and their privacy was protected. People, their relatives, visitors and health professionals we spoke with made positive comments about the care provided by staff.

We found people’s care plans and risk assessments were reviewed regularly and in response to any change in needs.

We saw people participated in a range of daily activities both in and outside of the home which were meaningful and promoted independence.

People living at the home and their relatives said they could speak with staff if they had any worries or concerns and they would be listened to.

There were effective systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. Regular checks and audits were undertaken to make sure full and safe procedures were adhered to.

Staff told us they felt they had a very good team. Staff, people and relatives said the registered manager was approachable and communication was good within the service.

Further information is in the detailed findings below

Ward Green Lodge is registered to provide accommodation and personal care. The home can accommodate up to 66 older people, some of whom are living with dementia. It is situated in the Ward Green area of Barnsley, close to local amenities and bus routes. The home is purpose built over two floors, accessed by a passenger lift. All of the bedrooms are single and provided with en suite toilet and shower facilities. Communal lounges and dining areas are provided. The home has an enclosed garden and a car park.

There was a registered manager at the service who was registered with CQC. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

This is the first inspection of Ward Green Lodge. The inspection took place on 9 March 2016 and was unannounced. This meant the people who lived at Ward Green Lodge and the staff who worked there did not know we were coming. On the day of our inspection there were 57 people living at Ward Green Lodge.

People spoken with were positive about their experience of living at Ward Green Lodge. They told us they felt safe and staff were kind.

Relatives spoken with had no concerns regarding their relative’s care. They told us they knew staff well and were always kept up to date with any news.

Healthcare professionals spoken with reported a good relationship with the home.

We found systems were in place to make sure people received their medicines safely.

Staff recruitment procedures were thorough and ensured people’s safety was promoted.

Staff were provided with relevant induction and training to make sure they had the right skills and knowledge for their role. Staff understood their role and what was expected of them. They were happy in their work, motivated and confident in the way the service was managed. The service followed the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) Code of practice and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). This helped to protect the rights of people who may not be able to make important decisions themselves.

People had access to a range of health care professionals to help maintain their health. A varied and nutritious diet was provided to people that took into account dietary needs and preferences so their health was promoted and choices could be respected.

People living at the home, and their relatives said they could speak with staff if they had any worries or concerns and they would be listened to.

We saw people participated in a range of daily activities which were meaningful and promoted independence.

There were effective systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. Regular checks and audits were undertaken to make sure full and safe procedures were adhered to. People using the service and their relatives had been asked their opinion via questionnaires, the results of these had been audited to identify any areas for improvement.