Maple Lodge

Maple Lodge provides residential care for up to five individuals with learning disabilities and/or autistic spectrum disorder. This inspection report focuses on the safety, effectiveness, and leadership of the service. The findings highlight significant concerns across these areas, leading to a revised overall rating.

On safety, the service had serious shortcomings. There were failures in safeguarding people from avoidable harm and abuse, including the misuse of physical restraint by untrained staff, which was not reported or investigated appropriately. Infection prevention and control measures were not robust, with areas of the home being unkempt and unhygienic, posing a risk to residents. Furthermore, fire safety procedures were inadequate, with insufficient fire drills and a lack of essential emergency evacuation plans readily available.

In terms of how effective the care is, the service requires improvement. Staff training was not consistently up-to-date, particularly regarding the safe use of restraint and other essential areas like moving and handling. While care plans generally reflected residents' needs, their timely completion was an issue. Decisions regarding medication, such as covert administration, were not always clearly documented as being in residents' best interests with appropriate authorisations.

Regarding how well-led the service is, there were significant governance failures. The provider’s systems did not effectively identify or address critical issues related to quality and safety, including restraint, medicine administration, infection control, and risk management. The service was not being run in line with national best practice guidelines, and residents were at risk of harm due to a lack of protection and oversight.

The report indicates that residents were not always supported to have maximum choice and control in their lives. Staff felt frustrated by their inability to deliver person-centred care due to systemic failings. While staff cared for residents, the overall management and operational systems were not effective in ensuring their safety or well-being.

Specific areas needing urgent attention include ensuring all staff receive appropriate training in restraint techniques and other essential skills. Improvements are also needed in maintaining the physical environment to a high standard of cleanliness and repair. Robust systems for monitoring risks, including fire safety and infection control, must be implemented and regularly reviewed. The provider is expected to take immediate action to address these breaches and improve the safety and quality of care provided.