We carried out a review of the data available to us about Lancaster and Morecambe Short Breaks Service on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Lancaster and Morecambe Short Breaks Service, you can give feedback on this service.
Lancaster and Morecambe Short Breaks Service is a 'care home' which specialises in temporary short stays. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
Lancaster and Morecambe Short Breaks Service is registered to provide short term respite care and accommodation for people with a learning disability and autism. The home is registered to support up to six people at any one time. The accommodation is all based on ground level and is accessible to all people who use the service. The home shares some grounds with a local authority day centre and staff have established links with the day centre. There were six people staying at the home at the time of inspection.
The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.
There was a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
We last carried out a comprehensive inspection at Lancaster and Morecambe Short Breaks Service in December 2016 and the home was rated good overall.
At this inspection visit carried out between 27 September and 11 October 2018, we found the registered provider had continued to make improvements within the home and now exceeded expectations set out within the fundamental standards.
The registered provider took a holistic approach to meet health needs of people who used the service which had resulted in positive outcomes for people.
Staff enabled people to use their gifts and talents to develop their self-esteem and independence. Relatives praised the ways in which people’s quality of life had improved since their family members had used the service. We were repeatedly told staff made a difference and promoted positive outcomes for people who used the service.
Good practice guidance was considered and used to develop, support and nurture relationships. People were encouraged to live active lives and participate as valued members of their community.
Relatives of people who used the service and professionals consistently described the service as outstanding. They told us it was an invaluable resource for people with a learning disability. Relatives and professionals commended staff dedication, patience, knowledge and competence.
Managers had looked at ways to strengthen leadership within the home, appointing champions to learn new skills, and share good practice throughout the home. This included reviewing dignity, equality and diversity within the home to ensure these principles were embedded across the workforce and within everyday practice. We found the principles of the Human Rights Act were embedded throughout service delivery.
Managers and staff had a clear vision of what was required of a quality service and excelled in providing this throughout the service. Feedback was continuously gained from all parties to develop and improve the service.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
Care was provided in a person-centred way. People were routinely involved in their own care planning and the development of their service. When people could not verbally communicate, communication tools and technology were used to promote communication so the person could be heard and understood.
Staff told us morale at the home was exceptional and said all staff were committed to promoting a person centred, positive culture. There was a vibrant, open and transparent culture within the home.
The registered manager understood the importance of ensuring a smooth transition for young people moving from children’s services into adult services. They had worked innovatively to engage with children who were going through the transition process to ensure their experience into the adult short break service was positive and successful for them and their family.
The registered manager understood the importance of continuous learning. They proactively networked with other organisations and key stakeholders sharing good practice and ideas in pursuit of excellence.
There was ongoing refurbishment works within the home to make it more accessible for all people who used the service. Improvement works considered ways in which dignity and privacy could be improved for people who used the service.
People told us they felt safe when staying at Lancaster and Morecambe Short Breaks Service. Relatives praised the way in which people’s individual safety was managed and monitored. Staff could identify types of abuse and the associated responsibilities they had in reporting abuse.
This unannounced inspection took place on 16 and 21 December 2015.
Lancashire and Morecambe Short Breaks Service is part of Lancashire County Council Adult and Community Services Directorate. It provides residential short breaks to adults who have a disability. Short breaks range from overnight stays to two weeks. The home is located in Torrisholme, Morecambe and is near to local shops and is situated on a regular bus route.
There was a registered manager in place. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
The service was last inspected 19 February 2014. We identified no concerns at this inspection and found the found the provider was meeting all standards that we assessed.
At this inspection in December 2015, we found processes were established to ensure people who used the service were kept safe. Relatives told us they were comforted knowing their relation was safe whilst staying at Lancashire and Morecambe Short Breaks Service. People who used the service also confirmed they felt safe.
The registered provider had systems in place to ensure all staff were aware of their safeguarding responsibilities. Staff were able to identify types of abuse and were confident in reporting any concerns.
Systems were in place to ensure staff employed were of good character and had suitable experience for the role. Staff were supported with on-going personal development throughout their employment. Training was provided to meet the needs of the people who used the service.
People who used the service and relatives told us they were happy with the staffing levels provided. Staff told us they could ask for additional support to meet people’s needs and the registered manager openly considered any suggestions to improve staffing levels and staff mix. We observed people having their needs met in a timely manner.
Robust systems were in place to ensure medicines were managed and administered correctly to each person. However we found processes for administering medicines were not consistently applied. We have made a recommendation about this.
Systems were in place to ensure risk to people who used the service was suitably managed. Staff were aware of individual risks and how to manage them appropriately. Accidents and incidents were documented and audited frequently. Risk assessments were reviewed and updated following significant events.
During their stay at Lancaster and Morecambe short breaks service, people’s healthcare needs were monitored by the registered provider. Any concerns were relayed back to the family or the person’s doctor was consulted with to ensure health needs were met.
The registered provider kept up to date comprehensive records for each person and any changes in people’s needs were communicated to relevant people so care needs could be addressed in a timely manner.
Feedback regarding the provision of meals was positive. People told us the food was good and said there was always a choice of what to eat. Regular snacks and drinks were available to people between meals.
The registered provider understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) This meant they were working within the law to support people who may lack capacity to make their own decisions.
Staff were observed during the inspection process and were seen to be caring. People were treated with compassion. Privacy and dignity was promoted at all times.
Care was provided in a person centred way. People were routinely involved in their own care planning and the development of their service. The registered provider worked proactively to ensure care provided exceeded the person’s expectations.
The organisation placed an emphasis upon citizenship, relationships and community participation. People were encouraged to live active lives and participate as valued members of their community. People were supported to attend various community groups according to their preferred wishes and hobbies. Staff enabled people to use their gifts and talents to develop their self-esteem and independence. The registered provider worked towards promoting and maintaining independence wherever possible.
The registered provider worked innovatively to ensure the people’s voice was heard and listened to. Complaints were acted upon appropriately and were used by the registered provider to improve the quality of service provision. Staff were aware of the importance of advocacy services for those who needed support being heard and were aware of how to make referrals.
Feedback in regards to the management of the home was positive. Staff, people who used the service and relatives spoke highly of the registered manager and deputy manager. Staff described communication as good and praised the standard of team work. The registered manager ensured effective care was delivered by auditing the standards of care provided and implementing improvements where necessary.
The registered provider was committed to ensuring the home was adequately maintained. We noted the environment was clean and free from odours.
At this follow up inspection in February 2014, we met with a Community Support Worker and a Business Support Officer.
We asked to see a sample of records of people who used the service (the term preferred is guest) and to see the information given to guests about how they might complain, if necessary. We saw that records had been reviewed since our last inspection, and inaccurate information removed. Care plans were up to date. We saw that easy to read information about how to complain was contained in the Welcome Packs in each guest room. There had been two complaints since our last inspection, both of which had been resolved satisfactorily by the provider.
The service was responsive to comments made during three annual surveys to find out what guests thought of the service. Many improvements had followed as result. We saw that medication was stored and administered safely by competent staff. We saw that management oversight was good and there was a culture of improvement. Following our last inspection the safeguarding systems had been improved by better staff training and improved codes of conduct. We found that the complaints system was not explained well to guests and contained some misleading information. We found one person's care plan was out of date and contained inaccurate information which, if used could have put them at risk of harm