Lark View Care Home

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people feel well-supported, cared for or treated with dignity and respect.

This service scored 65 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. We observed staff treating people with respect and speaking to them kindly, addressing them by their preferred name. Staff knocked on people’s doors and waited for them to answer before entering.

A person told us, “They are all lovely. I have my book here, and I write down how all the staff are. We have the person in charge; they are very helpful. Everybody talks to me, and I talk to everyone as well. I feel at home here, and I don't feel lonely.” Relatives told us, “They are all generally very good. They will always knock on the door before coming in, and we have only heard them talking nicely to her. They always say hello to us as well.”

The provider treated people as individuals or ensure that their care, support, and treatment met their needs and preferences. They took into account people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture, unique backgrounds, and protected characteristics. People told us the permanent staff are good and know them well; however, they were often supported by agency staff. The registered manager told us they were recruiting permanent staff and there were some starting shortly after the assessment.

People told us they had control over their day-to-day routine, “I have control. They are very flexible. I can get up and go to bed when I want. I like to go to the dining area for breakfast, lunch, supper and some activities. They know this and they will help me into my wheelchair and take me there.”

People and relatives told us permanent staff knew them well and understood how to keep them safe, but they did not always feel as confident when agency staff were supporting them. However, during our observations, both permanent and agency staff supported people to move around the service safely and used equipment correctly.

The provider did not always promote people’s independence, so people did not always know their rights and have choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. People who were living with dementia lived in an environment which did not always support their independence. There was some clear signage but this was not through out the unit to assist people in finding their way to the communal areas. People’s room doors were all the same colour and did not have clear identifying features to help people find their rooms, such as photos they recognised or memory boxes.

Relatives told us, “(Relative) likes to go to bed at 7.30 which clashes with the changeover. Some staff are very good and make sure this is done before they go. They are short staffed which is not their fault.”

People had the opportunity to take part in activities they enjoyed. People told us, “They do activities. I have a planner. I like to go out. Staff do take you out, we went to another care home to write Christmas cards. We have entertainers. They have a garden here where you can go but you need a member of staff, think it is for your safety.” And “We get a programme at the beginning of the week. They have a variety of activities. I will just ask what's happening and staff will come around and say what they are doing and ask if I would like to go. They have some things I enjoy.”

Staff did not always respond to people’s needs in the moment or take steps to minimise discomfort, concern, or distress. People expressed concerns about the wait time when using the call bell. A person told us, “I have a call bell but usually wait an average of 20minutes. Of a morning if they start washing people you can be waiting. I have had a few near misses with the toilet.” Another person told us, “They are not always quick. They don't come particularly quickly. I must wait a while, or they will come they will be there in about 5 minutes as they are busy doing something.”

Staff had contacted emergency teams when people became emotionally distressed. Relatives told us, staff had called the GP or ambulance when their family member had become unwell or had a fall. We observed staff responding to changes in people’s behaviour and anticipating their needs to help them feel calmer.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff told us they were supported by the registered manager, who listened to them and involved them. Staff told us they were happy the registered manager had listened and had tried to do as much as possible to support them.

Staff told us they were supported by the registered manager to increase their skills and make career plans. Staff described how they were supported to complete recognised care qualifications such as diplomas. During supervision, staff discussed promotion options, and senior staff were given budgets and responsibility for the management of their department. Staff told us they felt empowered by the trust and responsibility.