Devon Lodge

This report provides an overview of an inspection conducted at Devon Lodge, a care home for adults with autism, learning disabilities, and complex needs. The inspection aimed to assess the service against the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) standards, focusing on how well people are supported, cared for, and how the service is managed. While the report highlights improvements and positive aspects, it also identifies areas where the service needs to develop further to ensure the highest standards of care.

On safety, the service has made progress in securing harmful chemicals and making risk information more accessible, with clear seizure management plans in place for some individuals. However, risks related to medicines are not always effectively managed, with some critical information being out of date and rescue medicines being removed without clear assessment of associated risks. There are also concerns about restrictive practices limiting choices, such as access to drinks and snacks, and the rationale behind some of these restrictions is unclear.

In terms of how effective the care is, staff are better supported with improved staffing levels and reduced reliance on agency workers. People are helped to achieve goals and aspirations, and the environment is more homely and well-maintained. Staff understand how to protect people from abuse, and care plans generally reflect a good understanding of individual needs, with improvements in personalized responses.

Regarding how caring the service is, staff support people in their preferred way, and decision-making processes follow best practice. Relatives and staff report that the service has improved, and they are happy with the changes. There's a collaborative approach involving specialists to enhance support, though a disconnect sometimes exists between how staff perceive communication preferences and what is documented in care plans.

When considering how responsive the service is, improvements have been made to ensure sufficient familiar staff are available, which helps in providing personalised care. People are supported to maintain contact with family members, and the service facilitates visits in accordance with current guidance. However, people are not always supported to have maximum choice and control, and less restrictive options are not always considered before choices are limited.

In the area of how well-led the service is, the registered manager is seen by staff as performing their role effectively, and staff feel valued. While improvements have been made in recruitment processes, some historical records require further attention. A key area for development is the effectiveness of systems to monitor service quality; the registered manager has not always effectively operated these systems, leading to a need for more thorough reviews of incidents and better staff coaching on recording interventions. The introduction of a new incident reporting platform is expected to help address these issues.