Archived: Freckleton Lodge

Updated 4 February 2017

We carried out this comprehensive 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, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This comprehensive inspection was carried out on the 04 and 13 January 2017 by one adult social care inspector. The first day of the inspection was unannounced and an expert by experience accompanied the inspector. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. At the time of the inspection Freckleton Lodge provided care and support to twenty people.

Prior to the inspection we reviewed information the Care Quality Commission (CQC) holds about Freckleton Lodge. This included any statutory notifications, adult safeguarding information and comments and concerns. In addition we contacted the local commissioning authority to gain their views of the service provided. This helped us plan the inspection effectively.

As part of the inspection visit we spoke with eleven people who received care and support from Freckleton Lodge and five relatives. In addition we spoke with two relatives by phone. We spoke with the registered manager of Freckleton Lodge, the registered provider, the housekeeper and three care staff. We also spoke with an external trainer who was delivering training at the home. We walked around Freckleton Lodge and spent time in the communal areas. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us

We looked at a range of documentation which included five care records and two staff files. We also looked at staff rotas and health and safety documentation. As part of the inspection we viewed a sample of medication and administration records.

Updated 4 February 2017

This comprehensive inspection was carried out on the 04 and 13 January 2017. The first day was unannounced.

Freckleton Lodge is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 28 people who require assistance with personal care. Bedrooms are of single occupancy with ensuite facilities. Bathrooms are located throughout the home. A variety of sitting rooms are accessible and a separate dining room is provided. Freckleton Lodge is close to public transport links and car parking space is available at the home. There are gardens and a patio area at the rear of the home. At the time of the inspection Freckleton Lodge provided care and support to twenty people.

There was a manager in place who was registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

We last inspected Freckleton Lodge on the 09 March 2016. We identified several breaches of regulation. We found care and treatment was not always provided in a safe way and the registered provider did not have suitable arrangements to ensure people were effectively safeguarded. We also identified that people were not always involved in the planning of their care and systems to assess and quality assure the service were ineffective. In addition we found the registered provider did not comply with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and notifications were not made as required, to the Care Quality Commission.

At the last inspection on the 09 March 2016 we asked the registered provider to take action to make improvements. We were provided with an action plan which detailed how the registered provider intended to ensure improvements were made. The action plan recorded improvements would be made by June 2016.

We undertook this comprehensive inspection to check they had followed their plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the 'all reports' link for Freckleton Lodge on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

During this inspection carried out in January 2017 we found improvements had been made. We found the registered provider was working in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Appropriate applications to deprive people of their liberty were made to the local authorities as required. We observed care and support being provided in a safe way and documentation recorded the care and support people required to maintain their safety.

We looked at the systems to identify shortfalls at the home and drive improvement. We found that when accidents or incidents occurred, the registered manager reviewed these. We spoke with staff who were able to explain the steps taken to minimise the risk of reoccurrence. The registered manager carried out checks of medicines, care records and the environment. We were informed these were not formally recorded. We have made a recommendation regarding this

Documentation we viewed evidenced people were involved in the planning of their care and people we spoke with confirmed this. People told us they were supported to see health professionals if the need arose and we found this was recorded in care documentation.

Staff were able to explain the actions to take if they were concerned someone was at risk of harm or abuse. People who lived at the home told us they felt safe. One person told us, “I can honestly say I feel safer here than if I was living at home.” We found the registered provider had notified the Care Quality Commission of any reportable incidents as required by regulation.

We found medicines were managed safely. We saw documentation that evidenced staff competence was assessed to ensure they were knowledgeable of their role and how to manage medicines safely.

We reviewed staff files and found there were processes that ensured staff were suitably recruited. Staff we spoke with confirmed checks had been carried out on their suitability for employment prior to starting work at the home.

Staff told us they met with the registered manager on an individual basis to discuss their performance. Staff with were complimentary of the training provided and told us they received a variety of training to enable them to work at Freckleton Lodge.

We discussed staffing with people who lived at the home, the manager and relatives. We received mixed feedback. Three people told us they felt staff were busy. Two people told us they considered there were sufficient staff available to meet people’s needs. None of the relatives or staff we spoke with raised any concerns regarding the staffing arrangements at the home.

People who lived at Freckleton Lodge told us they considered staff were caring. One person told us, “Staff are marvellous. They let you take your time.” We observed people being supported with kindness and compassion.

During the inspection we saw a range of activities being provided. We observed people joining in a choir activity and some ‘armchair exercises.' We also saw people were supported to access the local community if they wished to do so. The activities were seen to be enjoyed by people who lived at Freckleton Lodge.

There was a complaints policy available at the home. People told us they would talk to staff if they had any concerns.

People told us they had no concerns with the food at the home. We observed the lunchtime meal and saw this was a positive experience for people who lived at Freckleton Lodge. Staff gently encouraged people to eat and we saw people enjoyed their meal.

People who lived at Freckleton Lodge told us they could speak with the registered manager if they wished to do so. Staff we spoke with also gave positive feedback. They told us they found the registered manager to be approachable and supportive. Relatives we spoke with also told us they found the registered manager to be approachable.