CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Carlin Lodge
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the home was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
- Safe?
- Requires improvement
- Medicines were not always stored securely, and some care records lacked important guidance about equipment and risks. Staffing, recruitment checks, infection control and safeguarding arrangements were otherwise described positively.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward when the overall rating was calculated.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward when the overall rating was calculated.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward when the overall rating was calculated.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- Audits did not consistently identify problems or drive improvement. The manager had only recently started, although people, relatives and staff said they could raise concerns and felt supported.
What inspectors found, December 2023
Requires Improvement; inspectors found people felt safe and well supported, but medicines, care records and checks needed urgent improvement.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 8 November 2023. One inspector spoke with people, relatives and staff, and reviewed recruitment records and other documents. The inspection looked only at Safe and Well-led.
Medicines were not always stored securely. Some care records did not give staff enough information about equipment and risks. Audits had not found these problems. These issues meant the home was in breach of regulations.
People told inspectors they felt safe and staff helped them quickly. The home was clean and homely, staffing levels were considered sufficient, and staff understood people's needs. The overall rating remains Requires Improvement, as does Safe and Well-led.
The home took immediate action after the inspection, including repairing the medicines cupboard lock, updating records and improving audits. However, it had also been rated Requires Improvement at the previous inspection in 2021 and remains in breach of regulations.
Clean and homely environment
Inspectors found the home clean and homely. Staff knew people's needs and wishes.
“People were cared for in a clean and homely environment by staff who knew people's needs and wishes.” from the report
Enough staff
People and staff said there were enough staff, and inspectors saw people receive help quickly.
“People and staff told us there were enough staff to meet people's needs.” from the report
Safe recruitment
The home had improved its recruitment checks since the last inspection. The previous breach about recruitment was no longer present.
“Enough improvement had been made at this inspection and the provider was no longer in breach of regulation 19.” from the report
People felt listened to
People and relatives said they could raise concerns and be involved in decisions about care.
“Documentation showed people and relatives were involved in decision making about the care provided.” from the report
Medicines were not secure
seriousThe medicines room was not locked because a cupboard lock had broken. This created a risk that unauthorised people could access medicines.
“Medicines were not always stored safely and securely. This posed the risk that people who were not authorised to access medicines could do so.” from the report
Care records lacked guidance
seriousSome records did not explain how staff should use equipment to protect skin or manage falls. This could lead to care that did not meet people's needs.
“Documentation did not contain sufficient information for staff on how to minimise risks.” from the report
Checks had not found problems
seriousThe home's audits did not identify the medicines storage problem or gaps in care records. This meant the management system was not reliably finding and correcting risks.
“Audits did not consistently drive improvement.” from the report
- 01Has the medicines cupboard lock been repaired, and how do you now check that all medicines remain securely stored?
- 02What changes have you made to care records about skin integrity equipment and falls management equipment?
- 03How often are audits carried out, and how do you make sure they identify and correct problems?
- 04What progress has been made with the manager's application to register with the CQC?
- 05What action has been taken since the inspection, and what evidence can you show that the changes are working?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive were carried forward from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 December 2023 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
What inspectors found, October 2021
Rated Requires Improvement; care was kind and effective, but recruitment checks and management oversight were not always reliable.
Inspectors visited over two days on 25 and 26 August 2021. The first day was unannounced and the second was announced. They spoke with people living at the home, staff and relatives, and reviewed care, medicines, recruitment and management records.
People said they felt safe, cared for and listened to. Inspectors found good standards in effective, caring and responsive care. Staff supported people's choices, dignity, health needs, meals, activities and relationships.
The home did not always complete required recruitment checks before staff started work. Medicines records also needed some improvement. The provider acted quickly on the recruitment issue, but the breach meant the overall rating was Requires Improvement.
Kind and respectful care
People described staff as caring. Inspectors saw staff treating people gently, respectfully and with attention to privacy and dignity.
“Staff supported people with dignity and respect and had a caring approach.” from the report
Personalised support
Care records included people's preferences and wishes. People were supported to choose their routines, meals, activities and where to spend their time.
“People's individual needs were assessed, and care records reflected people's preferences and wishes.” from the report
Good staff support and training
Staff completed induction and shadowing before working alone. They said they received training, supervision and guidance from management.
“The provider ensured staff undertook sufficient training to help them deliver person centred and effective care.” from the report
People felt safe and listened to
People said they felt safe and trusted staff. They believed concerns would be heard, and relatives said they could speak openly with management.
“People told us they felt safe and they trusted staff.” from the report
Recruitment checks
seriousA required DBS check was not completed before a staff member from another location started working at the home. This was a breach of Regulation 19.
“This was a breach of Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 (Fit and proper persons employed)” from the report
Medicines records
needs fixingSome records for applying creams did not give enough detail. The medicine refrigerator thermometer also did not record maximum and minimum temperatures.
“We noted some records relating to the application of creams required more detail to support staff to administer them in accordance with people's needs.” from the report
Staffing at busy times
needs fixingStaff generally felt there were enough workers, but said an extra staff member would sometimes help them respond quickly during busy periods. The provider said it would review staffing.
“Staff told us they felt there were sufficient staff to support people, but there were times when an extra member of staff would be beneficial.” from the report
- 01Have all current staff, including staff working temporarily from another location, had the required recruitment and DBS checks before starting at the home?
- 02What changes have been made to records for applying creams and to monitoring the maximum and minimum medicine storage temperatures?
- 03What did the review of staffing arrangements find, and how is cover provided during busy times?
- 04What new audits and checks have been introduced since the inspection, and what improvements have they identified?
- 05How can residents and relatives raise safeguarding concerns if they do not want to speak directly to staff or management?
This was the first comprehensive inspection giving ratings for all five key questions; a focused inspection on safe and well-led took place on 22 February 2021 but did not provide an overall rating, and the report did not examine the circumstances of a specific incident subject to a criminal investigation. This explanation was written from the published report of 2 October 2021 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of Carlin Lodge
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Requires improvement rating throughout.
- December 2023Requires improvementcurrent ratingstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- October 2021Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2020Inspected but not ratedSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2019
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 1 May 2019.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
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32 live-in carers within about an hour of Blackpool
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £980 to £1,250 a week. 31 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Thanks to Tracy, Dad was always immaculately dressed and clean, his meals were all home cooked and nutritionally well balanced and his home was always kept really clean and tidy.”
“He developed a close affinity with Terence, spending time talking with him before he retired to bed and looking after his needs during the night.”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.