Background to this inspection
Updated
21 June 2022
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.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and an Expert by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service
Service and service type
Lincoln House is a ‘care home’ with nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
Inspection activity started on 26 April 2022 and ended on 04 May 2022 when final inspection feedback was provided. We visited the service on 26 April 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed the information we had received about the service since the last inspection, including notifications the service is required to send us by law. We also reviewed the most recent local authority audit. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
During the inspection we spoke with three staff, including the regional manager. We also spoke to two people using the service and two family members of people receiving support. We reviewed five care records, five medicine administration records (MAR) and two staff files. We also reviewed other records, including policies and procedures, relating to the safety and quality of the service. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the regional manager after the inspection visit to validate evidence found. We looked at training data, rotas and quality assurance records. Our Expert by Experience completed telephone calls to four relatives and four people who using the service. We spoke with six care staff to gain their feedback.
Updated
21 June 2022
About the service
Lincoln House Care Home is a residential care home which provides nursing and personal care for older people some who may be living with dementia. The service can support up to 60 people. At the time of the inspection 40 people were being supported.
The service is split into a nursing unit and a residential unit in one purpose-built building.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Care plans detailed how to support people in their daily lives; ensuring risks were assessed to keep people safe.
Improvements to people’s living environment have been undertaken since our last inspection. These improvements include removing trip hazards from the courtyard area and improving signage where flooring levels change.
People’s medicines were stored securely for the safety of the people supported. Medicines were well audited to ensure people received their medicines as prescribed.
People spoke positively about the support they received and the staff team who cared for them.
Families felt their loved ones were safe and gave feedback about the positive improvements made at this service, since our last inspection.
People were involved in planning and reviewing their support needs. Care plans were shaped around people's preferences.
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.
Governance at the service had improved. Robust audits were now in place to monitor care records, medicines and people’s wellbeing.
At this inspection we identified damaged surfaces in communal areas which were an infection control risk to people. The provider confirmed that works would be completed to rectify these areas and new handrails sourced.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection and update
The last rating for this service was inadequate (published 06 September 2021) and there were multiple breaches of registrations identified. These related to not notifying relevant bodies of serious incidents, inexperienced and insufficient numbers of staff, a lack of assessments detailing peoples needs and preferences, peoples consent not being sought, risks not being assessed or mitigated, failing to protect people from abuse and a failure to ensure premises were secure and maintained.
The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations, their overall rating had improved.
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.
Exiting special measures
This service has been in Special Measures since 06 September 2021. During this inspection the provider demonstrated that improvements have been made. The service is no longer rated as inadequate overall or in any of the key questions. Therefore, this service is no longer in Special Measures.