We carried out a review of the data available to us about Burrow Down Shortbreaks 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 Burrow Down Shortbreaks, you can give feedback on this 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.
We found the following examples of good practice.
Systems were in place to help manage the risks and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
There was a clear system in place for visitors to ensure they followed the current guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and social distancing.
Visitors were asked to consent to a rapid COVID-19 test, have their temperature checked, wash their hands and were screened for any symptoms of COVID-19, before they would be allowed to enter the building. The service had separate entrances and exits to the building to ensure infection risk was kept to a minimum.
The service had sufficient stocks of PPE available and staff were observed to use PPE within national guidance. Staff had received training in infection control, handwashing, PPE and the COVID-19 pandemic. Training was reviewed and updated regularly.
Staff took part in regular COVID-19 'whole home' testing and staff knew that if they tested positive, to follow national guidance and self-isolate for the required amount of time. Due to people’s complex care needs most people were not taking part in a regular COVID-19 testing programme at the time of the inspection.
People were being regularly health screened to ensure they remained well and action could be taken quickly to reduce the risk and prevent the spread of COVID-19, if they became unwell.
The provider had developed specific COVID-19 policies and procedures, which had been reviewed and updated where necessary in line with the latest guidance.