Shakti Lodge

This report summarises an inspection of Shakti Lodge, a care home providing personal care to up to 26 people. The inspection focused on how safe and well-led the service is, building on previous concerns. While the home has made improvements and is no longer in breach of regulations, some areas require further attention to ensure consistent quality and safety. The report highlights progress made since the last inspection and identifies specific areas for ongoing development to better support residents and their families.

On safety, residents generally felt safe, and staff effectively safeguarded them from abuse. Risk assessments were in place to support independence, and infection control measures were robust. However, there were some ongoing issues with medicine administration, specifically regarding the completion of topical medicine records and dating of opened liquid medicines. Fire safety checks identified areas for improvement, although the provider has since assured these have been met and validated by fire services.

Regarding effectiveness, the care provided generally met residents' needs, with sufficient staffing and appropriate referrals to healthcare professionals. The home actively promoted positive risk-taking to enhance residents' quality of life and independence. Records were transitioning to an electronic system, which aims to improve detail and accessibility.

In terms of caring, residents and their relatives expressed positive feedback about the staff and the overall environment, describing them as happy and engaged. Staff felt valued and supported by management, contributing to a positive atmosphere within the home.

The service's responsiveness was evident in how it involved residents and staff in making improvements, with a focus on meeting individual needs and preferences. Communication with relatives was a strong point, especially during the pandemic, with efforts made to facilitate visits and maintain connections.

On being well-led, while the provider is aware of regulatory requirements and works collaboratively with other professionals, the leadership and management consistency remains an area for development. Although quality assurance processes are in place and improvements have been made, actions taken were not always consistently effective in fully resolving issues, particularly concerning medicine administration records and trends analysis for incidents. The provider has been advised to review the implementation of their quality assurance systems to ensure sustained effectiveness.