Sobell Lodge - Care Home Physical Disabilities

Sobell Lodge in Kent is a single-story care home supporting up to 21 adults with physical disabilities and complex personal care needs. Every resident has their own private room and bathroom. This specific inspection took place in March 2021 and focused entirely on how the service prepared for and managed infection prevention and control during the pandemic, rather than providing a full overall rating.

When it comes to safety and hygiene, the home established strict visitor procedures requiring appointments, negative rapid tests for indoor visits, or meetings in a designated visitor room featuring a full screen and separate access with enhanced cleaning between sessions.

Regarding the effectiveness of their daily routines, staff consistently followed government guidelines by wearing appropriate protective equipment such as masks, aprons, gloves, and visors, with specialized fit-tested masks used for specific procedures, alongside maintaining a well-stocked supply of protective gear for current and future needs.

For personalized care and support, the home adapted its physical environment by placing visual tape markers on floors in communal areas to help residents maintain social distancing, supplemented by informative posters reminding everyone about proper hand washing and hygiene practices.

In terms of being responsive to the ongoing health situation, the facility maintained up-to-date infection control policies, including specific guidelines for outbreaks and COVID-19, while the premises appeared clean and were supported by structured cleaning schedules overseen by an infection control lead.

For leadership and management oversight, regular infection control audits were conducted by an infection control champion, and the resulting actions and outcomes were closely monitored by both the manager and the provider to ensure everything was completed properly.