Stockton Lodge Care Home - PAMMS Assessment Report

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (SBC) are utilising the Provider Assessment and Market Management Solutions (PAMMS) in our quality assurance process. PAMMS is an online assessment tool developed in collaboration with Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) East and regional Local Authorities. It is designed to assist us assess the quality of care delivered by providers.

The summary table below detail the PAMMS assessments undertaken for the contracted Older Persons (OP) care home throughout April 2025 to March 2026.

Date of inspection

22 to 24 September 2025

Date assessment was published

10 October 2025

Date previous assessment was published

27 January 2024

PAMMS Assessment Summary (Positive Outcomes, Observations and Concerns)

Stockton lodge is a 42 bedded home providing residential and dementia care. The home uses an electronic care planning system. The system is well laid out and easy to use. Each resident has a dashboard (front page), which contains pertinent information, however some dashboards were found not to include the correct information such as Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR) status or allergies, this has been identified as an area requiring improvement. The home has a range of appropriate care in plans in place which were person centred.

Observations of staff interaction with residents demonstrated residents are treated with compassion and kindness, staff were observed to promote dignity and respect in their working practice.

The home has an activity co-ordinator and activity timetable in place. Activities were seen to be scheduled morning and afternoon, every day of the week. The activity programme was on display for residents in an accessible format. The programme included a range of activities and were seen to be well attended by residents. 

Mental Capacity Assessments (MCA's) were seen to be on file for residents and those residents deemed not to have capacity had Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard (DoLs) best interest decisions in place. DoLs care plans were in place detailing if the resident had capacity and were seen to contain the pertinent information including the date of authorisation, date of expiry, date to be renewed, any conditions and details of any Relevant Person's Representative where relevant. Care plans were also found to record any advanced decisions were and appropriate documentation maintained for example DNAR and Emergency Health Care Plans.

Care plans were seen to be person centred and individual to residents to promote independence and maintain skills and abilities. Care plans were seen to detail residents' preferences. The home used appropriate assessment tools to support with risk assessment of residents needs such as Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) tools for nutrition, Braiden for skin integrity. All residents had a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP). Care plans and risk assessments are reviewed at least monthly and family members spoken to during the assessment confirmed they are involved in their family members care plans. Family member confirmed they felt they could speak to staff and management about their family members care and anything they would like to change. 

All staff confirmed they had received appropriate Safeguarding, Mental Capacity Act and DoLs training and training was refreshed regularly. 

The homes grounds were found to be well maintained, the external garden was nicely landscaped and well maintained. The home was observed to be clean and tidy with no malodour present. The décor was homely and welcoming. There are orientation points on the corridors with different murals on the walls such as shops, gardens and benches for residents to rest. Dementia friendly signage was observed on doors to different rooms and red handrails were present throughout the corridors. One part of the home was adapted with dementia in mind, with different coloured doors to help with orientation for example. The home has completed the Dementia Care Home Guide and has achieved the Dementia Accreditation.

Hand washing signage and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was seen to be fully stocked and widely available and bathrooms were found to be consistent to infection control. The home has an Infection Control champion in place, and this information was on display. 

The home last had their Food Standards Agency Inspection on 1 May 2025 and maintained a rating of 5 out of 5.

The management and administration of medicines was found to be good. Staff were observed to handle medicines safely, securely and appropriately. Medication round was carried out in person centred manner with appropriate hand hygiene being carried out in between residents. The medication room was seen to be clean, tidy and secure. The medication trolleys were seen to be attached to the wall when not in use, controlled drugs were locked in a separate controlled drugs cabinet inside a locked cupboard. Medications were seen to be organised per resident. Appropriate records are maintained around the prescribing, administration, monitoring and review of medications.

Entry to the home is restricted by double doors, which are both key coded, to prevent unauthorised entry to the home. The home was seen to be safe and secure, the kitchen, laundry, cleaning rooms had key coded doors to prevent unauthorised access. 
Staff uniforms are in use with different uniforms and colours for different staff roles. Fire escapes were seen to be free from hazards and appropriate maglock, and alarms were seen to be in place. Smoke alarms and fire extinguishers in place. Large pieces of furniture were seen to be secured to the walls and window restrictors in place. Appropriate service certification was seen to be in place and up to date,

Safer recruitment practices are in place including reference checks, Disclosure and Barring (DBS) checks and right to work checks. Staff received induction at the start of employment, are subject to probationary period and receive regular supervision and annual appraisal. The manager has appropriate checks in place for agency staff and visiting professionals.

The manager uses a range of information to be able to continually improve the home such as complaints, comments and compliments, residents, relative and staff meetings. Audits, accidents, incidents,  safeguarding monitoring and analysis and so on. There is a Safeguarding file in place with a brief monthly analysis of number of incidents, outcome and other information and evidence was seen of lessons learned in safeguarding's being discussed within staff supervision. 

The home has a range of audits in place which overall were seen to be carried at in line with the required frequency, except for the care plan audits. This has been identified as an area requiring improvements.

Plans and Actions to Address Concerns and Improve Quality and Compliance

The provider will complete a small action plan to address the three individual questions that were rated as 'Requires Improvement.' This will be monitored for compliance by the Quality Assurance & Compliance (QuAC) officer.

Level of Quality Assurance and Contract Compliance Monitoring

Level 1 - No concerns, minor concerns - standard monitoring

Level of Engagement with the Authority

The manager engages well with the QuAC officer, responding promptly to requests and submitting provider submission in a timely manner. The manager is responsive to ideas and suggestions to further improve the service.

Engagement and Support from Transformation Managers

The manager is receptive to communication from the Transformation Team and attends Provider Forums and training (Medicines Optimisation, Infection Prevention Control, and so on) and well as discussing training needs and asking for support.

The home attends activity coordinator networking and activities and events in the community with residents. The Transformation Team will continue to discuss opportunities and initiatives that support the quality within the home.

Current Care Quality Commission (CQC) Assessment - Date of Report Publication and Overall Rating

Date of inspection

30 September 2022

Overall rating

Good