Background to this inspection
Updated
11 March 2021
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
As part of CQC’s response to care homes with outbreaks of coronavirus, we are conducting reviews to ensure that the Infection Prevention and Control practice was safe and the service was compliant with IPC measures. This was a targeted inspection looking at the IPC practices the provider has in place.
This inspection took place on 11 February 2021 unannounced.
Updated
11 March 2021
About the service: Lychgate House provides accommodation and personal care for up to 15 people who have mental health needs. At the time of inspection 14 people were living at the service.
People’s experience of using this service:
People living at Lychgate house at the time of inspection received care that was safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.
The service had made a number of improvements following previous inspections in 2018 and 2017 where the service had been rated as requiring improvement.
People’s individual risks and associated needs were assessed and reviewed by a care team that incorporated the persons views and wishes, with expert advice from local mental health teams and other health and social care professionals.
Staff were recruited safely, had good understanding of safeguarding vulnerable adults, and had received training on specific areas of need and risk for the people living at the service.
Medicines were managed safely and given to people in a way that supported their dignity and encouraged compliance to manage their mental and physical health needs.
People were supported to maintain their mental and physical health with access to health appointments and reviews, including annual recommended health checks.
Staff had a good understanding of mental capacity and deprivation of liberties. People who lacked capacity had appropriate assessments in place that were revisited regularly and when needed. People were given information to help them make decisions about their care and treatment.
People living at the service and visiting professionals told us that staff were caring. We observed caring responses to people throughout the day, and the provider and registered manager role modelled a caring approach.
However, we did find peoples expressed desire for meaningful romantic relationship had not been appropriately discussed and explored and we have made a recommendation about this.
Care plans had improved and were person centred and interventions supported people to take steps to maintain their mental and physical health and achieve their ideal goals. However, access to the local community was infrequent for those who could not leave the home independently and we have made a recommendation about this.
People could express their views about the service, felt able to raise a complaint and were confident it would be resolved.
The registered manager had a positive approach to improving the service following previous inspections. They were constantly adapting, seeking advice and additional training and opportunities for staff from external professionals.
The registered persons had improved the systems in place to monitor the quality of the environment and the care people received. We observed these were being used effectivity.
Staff felt supported by the management team and people told us the registered manager and registered provider was a constant positive presence at the service.
Rating at last inspection: This service achieved a repeat rating of Requires Improvement at the last inspection. Report published on the 2 March 2018.
Why we inspected: This was a scheduled inspection based on previous rating.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor this service in line with the current rating.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk