Lindisfarne House

Updated 3 February 2022

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 a specialist advisor with a background in nursing. An Expert by Experience made calls to relatives on 15 December 2021. 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

Lindisfarne House 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 registered manager. This means the registered manager 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

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with seven relatives about their experience of the care provided. We observed interactions between staff and people in communal areas. We spoke with seven members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager and care staff. We reviewed a range of records. This included five people's care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 3 February 2022

About the service

Lindisfarne House is a care home providing personal and nursing care to 54 people at the time of inspection, aged from 65 and over, some of whom were living with a dementia. The service can support up to 60 people in one large adapted building.

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

Risks to people's health and safety were assessed and monitored to ensure they were kept safe. The provider had safeguarding systems, policies and procedures in place to keep people safe.

Staff understood their safeguarding responsibilities. People and relatives spoke positively of the staff and how they felt safe in their company.

The environment was clean, safe and well maintained. There was a refurbishment plan in place.

Staff were recruited safely. They received ongoing supervision and competence checks to monitor their performance.

People received their medicines when they needed them. Medicines were managed safely by suitably trained staff.

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.

The registered manager had positive working relationships with external healthcare professionals. They worked openly with them when people’s needs changed.

Staff felt they could talk to the management team, and that concerns would be acted on if needed.

Activities co-ordinators worked hard to keep people engaged with regular activities and to facilitate visits from relatives.

Monitoring systems were in place to identify trends and patterns after specific incidents. Not all auditing systems had identified areas where improvements could be made. We have made a recommendation about this.

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 (published 11 December 2019).

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding to test the reliability of our new monitoring approach.

Follow up

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