Background to this inspection
Updated
22 January 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
This inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
Loveys 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
This inspection was unannounced. We contacted the service one hour before the inspection visit. This was because we needed to know the Covid-19 status in the home and discuss the infection, prevention and control measures in place.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection, which included notifications. A notification is information about events that the registered persons are required, by law, to tell us about. 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 used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with one person who used the service, and two staff members, including the registered manager. We spent time observing interactions between people and staff, and how people spent their time.
After the inspection
We spoke with three staff members and two relatives by telephone. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at risk assessments, care records, medicine records, staff recruitment information and quality assurance information.
Updated
22 January 2021
About the service
Loveys Lodge is a residential care home providing personal care to up to four younger people who live with a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder. The service was supporting four people at the time of our visit.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Action had been taken to comply with government guidelines in relation to COVID-19; staff used personal protective equipment, such as masks, gloves and aprons. Checks to reduce the transmission of infection from staff and visitors had been introduced. This action had been taken following an infection prevention and control thematic inspection by the Care Quality Commission.
Actions to reduce risks in the event of a fire had not been fully explored and this put people at increased risk.
Systems to monitor how well the service was running were not carried out well enough to assess the quality provided. Changes were made where issues had been identified, but this was in isolation and lessons were not identified for other systems in the service. Relatives and staff were asked their view of the service, but no critical analysis resulted from this.
People and relatives were happy with the service and the staff that provided their care.
Relatives felt their family members were safe living at the service and staff knew how to report possible harm.
The provider obtained key recruitment checks before new staff started work. There were not always enough staff to cover all contingencies. We have made a recommendation about how to decide staffing levels.
People received their medicines and staff knew how these should be given. Medicine records were completed accurately and with enough detail.
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 (report published 06/07/2018).
Why we inspected
The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns identified during an Infection Prevention and Control thematic review of the service. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks and we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led.
The overall rating for the service has changed from good to requires improvement. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Loveys Lodge on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Enforcement
We have identified breaches in relation to monitoring and assessing the quality of the service at this inspection. Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.
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.