Lakenheath

Updated 15 January 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.

Service and service type

Lakenheath 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

We gave a short period of notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. 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 three people who used the service and four people’s relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the registered manager.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three 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. We looked at training data, safe recruitment records and quality assurance records. We spoke over the telephone with four people’s relatives about their experience of the care provided.

Updated 15 January 2022

About the service

Lakenheath is a care home providing accommodation and personal care to adults who are autistic and / or have a learning disability. The home is set out over two self-contained domestic semidetached properties within a residential area of Warrington. The service can support up to four people, at the time of our inspection four people were living in the home.

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

People living at the home were treated with respect and dignity. People showed us by their actions that they liked the staff members caring for them, were very comfortable in their company and enjoyed interacting with them. Staff were creative in involving people, dignifying them and promoting their independence. People enjoyed using the home to relax and we saw people choosing how they spend their time in the home and being empowered to make choices and take the lead. People’s relatives told us that staff had a culture of listening to people at the home.

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 homes environment was safe, the administration of people’s medication was safe, and people were safeguarded from the risk of abuse. People were provided with information and support to help keep themselves as safe as possible. When needed staff effectively used the systems in place to help them identify and reduce risks in people’s lives. Staff enabled people to take positive risks and have new experiences as safely as possible.

The service took action to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. People’s family members told us that they were happy with the support provided during this time. One person’s family member told us, “They have worked so hard during COVID.” Another person’s relative told us, “They really care about them. We have all been well supported through this.”

We have made a recommendation about testing for COVID-19.

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.

Right support:

• The model of care and the accommodation maximised people’s choice and control, independence and promoted opportunities for inclusion. Lakenheath care home was set out across two semidetached houses that operated as two separate households. Each person’s accommodation was thoughtfully designed and adapted in partnership with them and their family to ensure it met their needs and preferences.

The model and style of accommodation promoted people having an ordinary lifestyle within their community and having control over their environment. The home provided support and accommodation close to people’s families who lived in the local area.

Right care:

• Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human Rights. People were supported to make their own decisions and take the lead in their lives, staff respected people’s decisions and promoted people making as many choices as possible. Each person had a detailed personalised care plan that focused on their needs, preferences and what was important to them. Care plans were written in partnership with people and those that are important to them, such as their family members.

Right culture:

• There was a positive, person centred culture amongst the staff team. It was clear that this approach had helped people to have positive outcomes even during difficult times. The provider worked collaboratively and in partnership with people using the service and a range of stakeholders. Amongst staff there was a culture of trying new things and trailing new ways of working based upon their learning about people, along with their communication and feedback.

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 11 April 2019 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection following the registration with CQC.

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.