Alexandra Lodge Care Home

Alexandra Lodge Care Centre is a home offering accommodation with nursing and personal care for up to 38 people. This inspection report details findings from visits in January 2022, reviewing the home's performance across five key areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led. The report notes that while some improvements have been made since the previous inspection, certain areas still require attention to ensure the highest standards of care.

Regarding safety, the home has made progress in medicine management, but issues like medication stockouts and a lack of clear guidance for specific needs such as diabetes care were still noted. Improvements to the building's environment, including addressing wear and tear and water damage, were also ongoing. The report highlights that while risk assessments and safety checks are in place, certain environmental hazards and storage issues were identified and are being addressed.

In terms of how effective the care is, the service has seen a positive shift, with care planning and reviews being thorough and responsive to changing needs. Staff receive appropriate training and feel well-supported. The home ensures residents are supported to eat and drink sufficiently, with a good understanding of dietary needs among staff. Collaboration with external health agencies is effective, and the environment is being adapted to be more dementia-friendly.

The caring aspect of the service has improved significantly, with staff demonstrating kindness and compassion, fostering a warm and relaxed atmosphere. Residents feel well-treated, with their dignity, privacy, and independence respected. The staff know residents well, building good rapport and offering inclusive care that values individual differences, with efforts made to meet diverse cultural and language needs.

On how responsive the service is, the planning of personalized care has been strengthened. Care plans are developed with significant input from residents and their families, reflecting a genuine understanding of individual needs, preferences, and histories. Staff are proactive in involving residents and their relatives in care decisions, ensuring that care provided is truly person-centred.

Looking at how well-led the service is, the report indicates areas where leadership and management practices require further development. While the registered manager is engaged, systems need to be more robust to consistently ensure safety and quality across all aspects of the service. The home has a history of requiring improvement in this area, and ongoing focus is needed to strengthen governance and oversight to meet regulatory standards.