Burrow Down Shortbreaks

Updated 28 October 2021

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 Care Act 2014. 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 one inspector 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

Burrow Down Shortbreaks, known as Lynwood Lodge, is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection

We gave a short period notice of the inspection. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure that the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed records that the provider had sent us in advance of this inspection, including records relating to quality assurance, training and maintenance. We contacted three health professionals for feedback. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We reviewed information we had received about the service. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people using the service and observed people eating lunch and interacting with care staff. We spoke with the providers representative, the registered manager, the deputy manager, the administrator and a member of care staff. We reviewed a range of records including records relating to recruitment, training, supervision, safety management and incidents. We reviewed one person’s care plan.

After the inspection

We continued to review records and sought feedback from a further three health professionals. We reviewed two people's care plans. We spoke with ten people’s family members and 3 members of staff. On the second day of inspection we provided final written feedback.

Updated 28 October 2021

About the service

Burrow Down Shortbreaks, known as Lynwood Lodge, provides short breaks for up to six people who have a learning disability, autistic people, and people with additional associated needs such as physical disability, sensory impairment and complex behaviours. At the time of the inspection there were five people using the service. Lynwood Lodge is a large, spacious dormer bungalow situated in a residential area of Torquay. Some bedrooms are en-suite, and people have use of large communal spaces including a lounge, kitchen diner, a large activity/dining space with kitchen facilities and pleasant and secure outdoor space. The service was well established and had previously operated for a number of years from a different property. The provider, Burrow Down Support Services Limited, also provides residential, day and outreach services.

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

Encouraging independence was at the heart of the culture at Lynwood Lodge. People were treated with dignity and respect and were supported by staff who knew them well. People’s care plans clearly identified their individual goals and detailed how staff could support them to achieve them. Staff aimed to anticipate people’s needs and to recognise people’s distress at the earliest opportunity. People’s families told us their loved ones were supported to be as independent as possible. A health professional told us how much Lynwood Lodge is “needed in the Bay” and is a “good steppingstone for younger people” who were transitioning from either their home or from one service to another. One family member told us their loved one “couldn’t get dressed before, they encourage her to do things for herself”. A third family member told us, “His independence has improved, and his speech is so much better, he laughs like he did when he was a child and is smiling.” People and their families were involved in decisions about their care and people were supported to receive care in a way which suited them. Staff used different and individual methods to communicate with people and to help them express their views.

People’s families spoke highly of Lynwood Lodge and the staff that worked there. Comments included, “It’s like a second home, I can leave him with them and I know he’s in good hands, I don’t have to worry.” “They’ve done so much for my family, they’ve got him out of his shell and he is confident there.” “They go above and beyond for him.” And “we’ve tried lots of places that weren’t so good, but he loves it there.”

Staff understood people’s different and complex needs. Care was planned and delivered in a way which included supporting people to work with health professionals during a period of change to identify the best type of care for their next placement. One person’s family member told us, “He’s changed in every way, 150% in a positive way.” People’s care plans were extremely detailed, and people were involved in developing them. Care plans focused on people’s strengths, personal choices and how they needed to be supported. Health professionals and people’s families told us that Lynwood Lodge achieved good outcomes for people. One health professional told us that “Prior to going to Lynwood Lodge, our client had been self-neglecting, isolating herself and being hostile to her housemates and support staff. Our client quickly settled into the placement and she was engaging, sociable, and accepting of support.”

People’s families valued the service highly. One told us that if their loved one was unable to stay at Lynwood Lodge, “It would be devastating.” Another said, “I cannot speak highly enough about Lynwood Lodge because it’s our lifeline.” People took part in a range of activities which they not only enjoyed but that supported them in developing new skills. Staff understood people’s communication needs and people’s care plans provided clear information to ensure people were supported to communicate, express themselves and to be understood.

The physical environment met people’s needs well and there were spacious communal areas. Staff had the training, skills and experience to meet people’s needs. New staff completed a comprehensive induction programme before working with people and experienced staff completed shadow shifts before supporting somebody they had not worked with before. Staff had completed training courses relevant to people’s needs and more training had been arranged. Care records showed people were supported to access health services such as their doctor, dentist and hospital specialists and people’s families felt their loved one’s health needs were well supported.

Risks to people were assessed, monitored and mitigated. Positive behaviour plans were used to reduce the risk of people harming themselves or others and staff worked pro-actively with people to manage their risks. A health professional told us they had recently recommended Lynwood Lodge for a person with complex behavioural issues because they “feel they are safe with them”. People were supported to take their medicines safely and people were protected from the risk of abuse. Infection control was well managed.

There were enough staff to meet people’s needs and staff were recruited safely, most people had one to one support. One person’s family member told us, “There’s loads of staff.” Another said, “It seems like there’s a lot of staff, no one’s ever left out.”

The culture of Lynwood Lodge was open, inclusive and people and staff were being empowered to fulfil their potential. Systems were in place to monitor quality and were operated effectively by the registered manager and provider. The service worked openly and honestly in partnership with health professionals and people’s families. One health professional told us, “They are honest and transparent and share information well.” Another said, “I had a positive experience of working with Lynwood Lodge. Communication was always good so I had no difficulty obtaining regular updates and they would contact me promptly if anything needed to be addressed.”

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.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. Lynwood Lodge is located in a residential area with local shops and facilities nearby. People are supported to be as independent as possible, to access the local community and were treated with dignity and respect.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 07/02/2020 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned 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.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.