We carried out a review of the data available to us about Lorne House 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 Lorne House, you can give feedback on this service.
Lorne House is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to eight people who have learning disabilities, at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to nine people.
The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
The service was a large home split between two linked semi-detached houses. It was registered for the support of up to nine people. Eight people were using the service. This is larger than current best practice guidance. However. the size of the service having a negative impact on people was mitigated by the building design fitting into the residential area and the other large domestic homes of a similar size. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.
Lorne House applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
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 supported this practice.
People felt safe living at the home and safeguarding procedures were in place to protect them. Staff were
recruited safely, and enough staff were on duty to provide safe care during our visit. Staff had the training and skills they needed to support people effectively.
Risks associated with people's care and support were assessed. Detailed risk management plans helped
staff to manage and reduce risks. People were involved in planning and reviewing their care and support.
Care plans contained detailed information and clearly reflected people's individual preferences for how they
wished their care and support to be delivered.
People made every day decisions for themselves and took part in a range of social activities to maintain their own personal interests. People received responsive and personalised care from staff who knew them well. Individuality and diversity were recognised. People's feedback was sought so any improvements or suggestions could be acted upon.
The provider and registered manager checked the quality of care provided and developed action plans to improve people's 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 Good (published 22 February 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Lorne House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
There was a registered manager in post. 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.
People told us they felt safe around the staff who they knew and felt comfortable with. People were familiar with the staff who had supported them for a number of years. Staff understood people’s health and the risks to their health. Staff understood how to keep people safe and protect them from harm. The registered manager also understood her responsibility in ensuring people were protected from harm. People received the support they needed by staff who had gone through recruitment processes so that it was safe for them to work at the home. People were supported by staff to take their medicines regularly.
People were supported by staff that had access to training and supervision. Staff understood the importance of obtaining a person’s consent. People are supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice. People had access to choices in the meals and drinks they were offered and had access to a number of healthcare professionals.
People liked and valued the care staff who they regarded as their friends. Staff understood how to care and support people in a way that was individual to them. Staff understood people’s methods of communication and what it meant to maintain each person’s independence.
People’s care was reviewed and updated regularly and reflected people’s changing care needs and preferences. People were offered the opportunity to participate in activities and told us they liked and looked forward to doing different things. People understood how to complain but instead preferred to speak with the registered manager and talk about issues affecting their care.
The registered manager was well liked within the home by people and staff. People felt the registered manager was accessible and willing to listen to them. Staff described an open team environment where staff were involved in reviewing and updating people’s care. The registered manager was supported by the registered provider in ensuring people received the care they expected.
Further information is in the detailed findings below
The inspection took place on 30 December 2014 and was unannounced.
The home provides accommodation for a maximum of 9 people requiring support with Dementia, physical disabilities and sensory impairments. There were 9 people living at the home when we visited and there was a registered manager in post. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The Provider of this home was also the registered manager.
People were positive about the care they received and about the staff who looked after them.
People told us that they felt that felt safe. Staff were able to tell us about how they kept people safe. During our inspection we observed that staff were available to meet people’s care and social needs. People received their medicines as prescribed and at the correct time and medications were safely administered and stored.
We saw that privacy and dignity were respected.
The provider acted in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act (2005) (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The provisions of the MCA are used to protect people who might not be able to make informed decisions on their own about the care or treatment they receive.
We found that people’s health care needs were assessed, and care planned and delivered to meet those needs. People had access to other healthcare professionals that provided treatment, advice and guidance to support their health needs and families told us that they felt that further help was sought when needed.
People were supported to eat and drink enough to keep them healthy. People had access to a range of snacks and drinks during the day and had choices at mealtimes. Where people had special dietary requirements we saw that these were provided for.
Staff were provided with training that was continually updated. The registered manager told us that all staff training was regularly reviewed and regular checks were made to ensure that everyone received the right training.
People and staff told us that they would raise concerns with senior staff, the registered manager or the provider and were confident that any concerns would be dealt with. The provider was regularly met with the manager to discuss the service and ways to improve it.
The manager and care staff received regular training which helped them look after the people they cared for. The manager undertook regular checks to ensure that the quality of the care could be monitored and improvements made where required.