Enter and view: Acacia Lodge Care Home

Healthwatch Barnet carried out an announced Enter and View visit to Acacia Lodge on 24 April 2017. Acacia Lodge is a privately run residential care home in North Finchley providing accommodation for up to 32 older people, most of whom are living with dementia. There were 28 residents living in the home at the time of the visit. 

Overall, inspectors were very impressed with the quality of care provided. Residents appeared well cared for, staff were described as committed and supportive, and relatives expressed high levels of satisfaction with the service. The report concluded that the home provided a warm, homely atmosphere and delivered good standards of care. 

The home was found to be clean, welcoming and well maintained. Facilities included communal lounges, dining areas, a garden with wheelchair access and a summer marquee. Residents were able to personalise their bedrooms, and Wi-Fi was available throughout the building. Healthwatch noted that some bathrooms appeared dated and would benefit from refurbishment, particularly replacing older bath facilities with wet rooms or walk-in showers where appropriate. 

Care planning arrangements were comprehensive. Prospective residents underwent detailed assessments before admission, and care plans were informed by consultation with residents, relatives and healthcare professionals. However, inspectors expressed concern that responsibility for writing care plans rested largely with the manager, creating a dependence on a single individual. They suggested that more staff should contribute to care planning and questioned whether the home would benefit from having a deputy manager.

The home demonstrated strong systems for supporting residents’ health and wellbeing. A local GP visited weekly, district nurses and specialist professionals were involved when needed, and residents had access to opticians, dentists, chiropodists and dietitians. Weight and nutrition were monitored regularly, and residents requiring additional hydration support were monitored using fluid charts. Twenty-one residents were subject to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). 

Staffing arrangements were viewed positively. The home did not rely on agency staff and instead maintained its own bank staff when additional cover was needed. Staff turnover was low, with some employees having worked at the home for decades. Staff spoke positively about the organisation, describing it as supportive and well managed, and inspectors gained the impression of a committed and experienced workforce. 

Training standards were strong. Staff had completed mandatory training, the Care Certificate and a range of specialist courses covering subjects such as diabetes, epilepsy, pressure care, safeguarding, communication skills and deaf awareness. Staff also received supervision every eight weeks and annual appraisals, and all staff were either qualified or working towards vocational care qualifications.

The home offered a varied programme of activities led by an activities coordinator and events manager. Activities included quizzes, arts projects, reading groups, puzzles, painting and exercise-based sessions. Residents had recently participated in community arts initiatives and hosted musical performances. While activities were generally praised, one comment suggested there could be more activities at weekends. 

Food provision was highlighted as a particular strength. Meals were prepared on site by a chef who had worked at the home for over 20 years, and a range of dietary requirements could be accommodated. Inspectors observed appetising meals being served, and residents and relatives consistently described the food as excellent, varied and nutritious. Drinks were available throughout the day, and relatives confirmed that residents could access refreshments whenever they wished. 

Feedback from residents and relatives was overwhelmingly positive. Relatives reported being involved in meetings, having a voice in how the home operated and feeling able to raise concerns if necessary. All respondents said they would recommend Acacia Lodge to others requiring care. 

Healthwatch concluded that Acacia Lodge provided a high standard of care in a positive and supportive environment. Recommendations included sharing responsibility for care planning more widely among staff, continuing to modernise bathroom facilities and ensuring staff wore proper name badges. The manager accepted the recommendations and confirmed that staff were being trained to undertake care planning, bathroom upgrades were being implemented gradually and permanent name badges would be introduced.