Archived: Coniston Lodge

Coniston Lodge is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to seven older adults at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 10 people and provides care to some people living with dementia. Accommodation is provided in one two storey building.

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

Records relating to risks to people had not always been completed or reviewed. Examples included risks associated with falls and trip hazards on the landing. We found no evidence that people had been harmed. Audits had not been regularly completed and therefore not identified areas requiring improvement found at our inspection.

People and their families described the care as safe and told us there were enough staff to meet their needs. Staff had been recruited safely, which included employment and criminal record checks. Staff had completed safeguarding training and understood their role in recognising and reporting any suspected abuse or poor practice. People had their medicine administered safely by trained staff. People were protected from preventable infections as staff followed safe infection control practices.

Pre-admission assessments had been completed which captured people’s care needs and lifestyle choices. Staff had completed an induction and received on-going training and support that enabled them to meet people’s care needs. Coniston Lodge worked with other professionals such as district nurses to enable effective outcomes for people. People had access to healthcare for both planned and emergency events. People had a well balanced diet; meals were home cooked and varied. The building and decoration enabled people independent access to private and social spaces inside and around the garden.

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

People and their families consistently spoke positively about their care. Staff were described as kind, caring, patient and thoughtful. Staff were knowledgeable about people and their past histories. People felt involved in decisions about their care. We observed people having their privacy, dignity and independence respected.

People received person centred care that reflected their wishes and lifestyle choices. Staff understood people’s individual communication skills. No complaints had been received since our last inspection, but people were aware of the complaints process and felt able to use it if needed. People had an opportunity to be involved in end of life planning which reflected any cultural or spiritual wishes.

The culture of Coniston Lodge was open and honest with visible leadership. People, families and the staff team felt involved and able to express their views. Legal reporting requirements to CQC and other statutory bodies was met.

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 (report published 25 February 2017).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

We have found evidence the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe and well led sections of this full report.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

This unannounced comprehensive inspection took place on 3 February 2017.

Coniston Lodge is registered to provide accommodation, care and support for up to 10 people. At the time of the inspection there were seven people living at the home. There was a registered manager employed at the service. 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.’

Our previous inspection of the home, completed in February 2014 found the provider was compliant with the regulations.

People were being well cared for and told us they felt safe living at the home. Staff were aware of what constituted abuse and the actions they should take if they suspected abuse. Relevant checks were undertaken before new staff started working at the service which ensured they were safe to work with vulnerable adults.

Staff had the right skills and training to support people appropriately. People told us they felt there were enough staff available on each shift to care for them well. Staff felt well supported by the management team and received regular supervision sessions and appraisals.

Pre-admission assessments were completed prior to people moving into the home. People’s risks were assessed and plans developed to ensure care was provided safely. Accidents and incidents were monitored to ensure any trends were identified to enable action to be taken to safeguard people.

Medicines were handled appropriately and stored securely. Medicine Administration Records (MAR) were signed to indicate people’s prescribed medicine had been given.

People were referred to health care professionals as required. If people needed additional equipment to help them mobilise and keep them safe and comfortable this was readily available.

The manager was aware of their responsibilities in regard to the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). These safeguards aim to protect people living in care homes and hospitals from being inappropriately deprived of their liberty. These safeguards can only be used when there is no other way of supporting a person safely.

Staff had an understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (2005) and how it applied to their work. Records showed appropriate mental capacity assessments had been carried out. Staff were able to explain to us how they provided people with choices and how they encouraged people to make their own decisions.

Staff ensured people’s privacy and dignity was protected. People received personalised care from staff who were responsive to their needs and knew them well. Staff created a relaxed atmosphere which resulted in a calm and happy culture in the home.

People knew how to make a complaint and felt confident they would be listened to if they needed to raise concerns or queries. The provider sought feedback from people and changes were made if required.

People told us they felt the service was well led, with a clear management structure in place. Relatives told us they were always made to feel welcome at any time.

There were systems in place to drive the improvement of the safety and quality of the service.