Birkin Lodge

Updated 18 December 2024

We carried out this comprehensive assessment between 05 February 2025 and 17 February 2025. We looked at how Birkin Lodge assessed and planned for people's care needs, how they trained and supervised staff to support people according to their needs and preferences. Birkin Lodge is a residential care home providing accommodation for persons who require nursing and personal care for up to 38 people. The service is registered to provide support to older people, and people living with dementia. There were 34 people living at the service, some of whom had complex health needs. We spoke with 15 people, 3 relatives, and 14 staff during the assessment. We made calls to relatives and staff after the site visit, and reviewed documents and had ongoing discussions with the management team to clarify evidence. We observed care and support in communal areas and reviewed 8 people’s care plans, 5 staff recruitment records as well as general records for the service. We identified some areas of improvement needed including signage and way marking around the service, staff training, responses to call bells, access to baths and showers, embedding changes to care plans and embedding changes when incidents and accidents have occurred. However, staff knew people well, so the impact on people had been minimised. Staff treated people with kindness and people told us they felt well looked after and enjoyed living at Birkin Lodge. Staff spent time with people encouraging them to participate in activities and maintain important relationships with their families. Most staff told us they received appropriate training and support to enable them to care for people safely. Feedback from people and relatives was positive and we observed some kind and caring interactions between staff and people. Relatives felt involved and told us communication was good. The service appeared clean and tidy, and people’s rooms were personalised.

Updated 18 December 2024

People's feedback about the service they received was generally positive. Comments included, “Brilliant staff and fantastic family”; “Staff are very helpful, if I am worried about anything they put you at ease” and “The staff check on me regularly.” A person raised some concerns about something that had just happened, which they had not reported to anyone else. We shared this with the registered manager who met with the person and their relative to investigate the concerns and address any anxiety. People's relatives told us their loved ones were safe and well looked after. They were kept informed about changes in health or incidents and accidents. A relative said, “Since being at Birkin Lodge I have seen a big improvement in his wellbeing, he is thriving, benefiting from the stimulation, physical exercise and he is well looked after.” Another relative told us, “All the staff are very caring, they do take time to care for mum. The staff are always very welcoming. Staff do ask if mum would like to do activities, they encourage her a lot. Continuity of care is good.”