21 Lucerne Road

Updated 10 February 2023

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by 1 inspector.

Service and service type

21 Lucerne Road is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. 21 Lucerne Road is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

A registered manager was in post who was also a director.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was announced to ensure the registered manager and people would be present as they are often out on activities.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. The provider was not asked to complete a PIR. This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 1 person using the service, the registered manager and deputy manager who were providing care during the day. We observed interactions between people and staff to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We reviewed a range of records. This included 2 people's care records and records relating to medicines management, staff files, staff training and supervision information and other records relating to the management of the service. After the inspection we spoke with one relative.

Updated 10 February 2023

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

About the service

21 Lucerne Road is a residential care home providing personal care to 3 people with a learning disability and/or autism at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 3 people.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Right Support:

People did not always receive care in an environment which was safe as risks relating to radiator burns and falls from height had not always been fully assessed. Risks relating to each person’s care had not always been fully assessed. This meant the service may not have been doing everything possible to keep people safe.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service at the time of this inspection supported this practice.

The service gave people care and support in a clean and hygienic home and a plan to renovate the service was in place. People received care in a person-centred way, to meet their needs. People were encouraged to do as much as they wanted, to build and maintain their independent living skills. People were supported to see the healthcare professionals they needed to remain healthy. Staff supported people to make day to decisions about their care and support and people were asked for consent and for their preferences. Staff understood the best ways to communicate with people.

Right Care:

People’s care plans were not always sufficiently detailed nor recently reviewed to remain reliable for guiding staff. The provider told us this was an oversight due to switching to an electronic system and they would rectify this immediately.

Staff promoted equality and diversity and respected people’s cultural needs. People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity. The registered manager and staff understood how to protect people from poor care and abuse. The service had enough staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe. Staff understood the best ways to communicate with people. People could take part in activities they were interested in.

Right Culture:

The provider’s oversight of the service could be improved because they had not always identified and rectified the issues we found. Despite the issues we found, people received good care and support and had a good quality of life. Staff understood people well and had worked with them for many years. People and those important to them, were involved in planning their care.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 17 April 2020).

Why we inspected

This inspection was carried out to follow up on action we told the provider to take at the last inspection.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the full report for further details.

Enforcement

We have identified 2 breaches in relation to safe care and treatment and good governance at this inspection. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.