Maple Leaf Lodge

The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 19 May 2025. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.

Maple Leaf Lodge is a residential care home providing accommodation for people with learning disabilities and autism. The service provides for up to 12 people. At the time of our assessment there were 8 people using the service. Our assessment ran from 6 February 2025 to 18 March 2025, and we visited the service on 6 February, 13 February, 12 March and 18 March 2025. We spoke with 4 people that used the service, 7 staff and 6 relatives. The assessment was triggered by concerns we had received about the management of risks.

We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

Right Support: People had varying experiences of person-centred care. Most staff focused on people's strengths and promoted what they could do, however, some staff did not always promote what people wanted over their own needs.

The service worked to the principles of least restriction and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). Staff understood how to manage people’s needs during times of distress and there was not a reliance upon medication or restraint to manage these situations and people’s freedoms were restricted only if there was no alternative.

Right Care: Some of the records relating to people's care and health and safety required updating. Some staff needed more focus on responding to people’s individual needs, however steps had been taken to improve the outcomes for people.

Staff understood their responsibilities to protect people from poor care and abuse. The service worked well with other agencies to do so. The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe.

Right Culture: Most staff placed people's wishes, needs and rights at the centre of everything they did. Where feedback from people indicated that this did not happen, the manager took swift action to address this. The quality of support provided to people was evaluated, involving the person, their families and other professionals as appropriate. The provider had systems to ensure risks of a closed culture were minimised so that people received support based on transparency, respect and inclusivity.