Moorgate Lodge

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

Safe – this means we looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people were safe and protected from avoidable harm.

This service scored 78 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider had a strong proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and complete honesty. Staff actively listened to concerns about safety and thoroughly investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were always learnt to continually identify and embed good practice. The registered manager took every opportunity to learn from accidents and incidents and used them to drive improvements. Robust policies and procedures were in place for managing safety events. They were effective and reflected best practice guidance. The registered manager was fully aware of their duty of candour and was open and honest with people when things went wrong. One external professional said, “Staff are very helpful, if there is something wrong, they readily accept advice and follow recommendations.”

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. They made sure there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services. When people moved between services, for example, to hospital, the electronic care planning system had the capability to generate information to accompany them. Care planning documentation was kept up to date and under review to ensure current information was passed on. We saw staff engaging with a family member who was escorting their relative to hospital. Staff ensured they had all the correct information to take with them. One external professional said, “Moorgate Lodge is one of the best homes for communication between services therefore ensuring continuity of care. The manager is especially approachable and down to earth making new patients very welcome and the team follow her example.”

The provider worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. Staff concentrated on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. The provider shared concerns quickly and appropriately. Staff were knowledgeable about safeguarding and said they would take immediate and appropriate actions to keep people safe. They knew what signs to look out for and were passionate about ensuring safety. Staff were confident appropriate actions would be taken if they raised concerns.

The provider worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. Staff provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them. Risks associated with people’s care had been identified and managed to keep people safe. Risk assessments were informative and showed hazards had been reduced. For example, where people were at risk of falls, sensor equipment was in place to alert staff of their movement. Crash mats were also in place to minimise the risk of injury to people if they fell from bed. Where bed rails were needed, these were provided and carefully managed to ensure safety. People felt safe and 1 relative said, “[Relative] has had a lot of pain in their legs due to cellulitis, they [staff] have been brilliant looking after [relative] here.”

The provider detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care. Care plans were in place to ensure the care environment was safe. Personal emergency evacuation plans [PEEPS] were in place and kept under review. Where equipment was used, this was regularly serviced, and checks were carried out to ensure safety. One person said, “I have 2 crash mats at the side of my bed and an alarm. I have fallen on them, as I toss and turn in bed, they [staff] come running, I have a low bed. I do feel safe, because I have got people.”

The provider made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs. Staff received training and support to carry out their roles effectively. Staff told us they felt supported and said they worked well together as a team. The provider had a robust recruitment policy which showed pre employment checks were carried out to ensure appropriate staff were selected. New staff received an induction and shadowed existing staff. The provider used a dependency tool to identify the numbers of staff required throughout the day and night.

The provider assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly. We carried out a tour of the home and found it to be clean and well maintained. Personal protective equipment was available throughout the home and kept well stocked and staff used this appropriately. People were happy with their environment and commented that it was kept clean. One person said, “Yes, it’s clean. The cleaner comes in when I go for breakfast, so she doesn’t have to work round me. I have my own bedding. The laundry is fine, and everything comes back.”

The provider made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. Staff involved people in planning, including when changes happened. Processes were in place to ensure people received their medicines as prescribed. Medicines were administered and stored safely. Some people were prescribed medicines on an ‘as and when’ required basis, often referred to as PRN. Protocols were in place to ensure people received PRN medicines appropriately. People told us they received their medicines on time and staff provided drinks for ease of swallowing them. An external professional said, “I have found trained nurses have liaised with either the hospital, GP, pharmacist or medicines management regarding any queries with a patient’s medication.”