CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Harrowby Lodge Nursing Home
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People were protected from avoidable harm, risks were reviewed and there were enough experienced and qualified staff. Medicines and infection control were generally managed safely, although some missing PRN protocols and unsecured food thickeners were found and corrected.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward, although inspectors observed kind and caring interactions.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward, although inspectors found personalised care and activities for different interests.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- Management and leadership were sometimes inconsistent. Audits did not routinely identify shortfalls, and the falls and medicines policies were not always robust or followed.
What inspectors found, July 2021
Rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind care but management checks needed improvement.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 25 May 2021. Inspectors looked at Safe and Well-led because of concerns about safe care. They spoke with people, relatives and staff, and reviewed care, medicines, recruitment and management records.
The home was rated Good for Safe. Inspectors found enough experienced staff, safe medicines administration, suitable infection control and personalised care. People and relatives said they felt safe, and staff were described as kind and considerate.
The home was rated Requires Improvement for Well-led. Audits did not always find problems, and some policies were not followed or were not strong enough. The provider and registered manager accepted the findings and took prompt action after the inspection.
The overall rating stayed Good, the same as at the previous inspection on 1 November 2019. The other three areas were not inspected during this visit, so their previous ratings were used.
Personalised care
Care plans reflected people's choices and involved people and relatives. Staff knew people's routines and preferences.
“People received personalised care and their needs and risks were assessed and monitored.” from the report
Staffing and kindness
Inspectors found enough experienced and qualified staff. People were supported promptly and staff were kind and considerate.
“There were enough experienced and qualified staff to safely meet people's needs.” from the report
Safe care
Risks were reviewed, medicines were generally administered safely and infection prevention arrangements were in place.
“People were protected from avoidable harm and abuse.” from the report
Activities and community
People had activities suited to different interests and the home had links with the local community.
“There was a range of activities for people with different interests.” from the report
Management checks
needs fixingAudits were not carried out consistently, so some problems were missed. This led to the Requires Improvement rating for Well-led.
“Audits were not routinely undertaken which meant opportunities to identify shortfalls were missed.” from the report
Medicines procedures
needs fixingSix people did not have written protocols for medicines prescribed to be given when needed. The registered manager put the missing protocols in place straight away.
“When people were prescribed medicines 'as and when required' (PRN), six people did not have protocols in place.” from the report
Falls policy
needs fixingThe falls policy was not always followed. The provider and registered manager accepted this and committed to improvements.
“The provider had policies and procedures in place however, their falls policy was not always followed, and the medication policy was not robust.” from the report
- 01What audits are now being completed, and how do they make sure shortfalls are found and corrected?
- 02Does every person who has PRN medicine now have a clear protocol explaining when it should be given and what effect to record?
- 03How do you make sure the falls policy is followed after every fall?
- 04What checks are in place to keep food thickeners and other potentially harmful items secure?
- 05What were the previous ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive, and when were those areas last fully inspected?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other ratings carried over from the previous comprehensive inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 29 July 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.
What inspectors found, November 2019
Harrowby Lodge Nursing Home was rated Good in all five areas; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care.
This was an unannounced inspection on 10 September 2019. One inspector spoke with people, a relative and staff, observed activities, and reviewed care, medicines, recruitment and management records.
The inspectors found that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Risks and medicines were managed safely, staffing was sufficient, and the home was well maintained. People received care planned around their needs, choices and preferences.
People described staff as kind, compassionate and respectful. The home supported activities, hobbies, community access and communication needs. Inspectors also found strong leadership and systems for checking quality.
The overall rating was Good, with Good ratings for Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. The previous inspection, published in February 2017, also rated the service Good.
Safety systems
Risks were assessed and monitored, and staff had the information needed to provide safe care. The home also had processes for learning from accidents and incidents.
“There were clear processes in place to monitor safety and lessons were learnt from accidents and incidents.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
People and relatives gave positive feedback about staff's compassion, dignity and respect.
“Staff looked after people well. They treated people with genuine kindness and compassion.” from the report
Activities and interests
People were supported to take part in group and individual activities, pursue hobbies and access the community.
“Staff supported people to access the community, take part in activities they enjoyed and to pursue hobbies and interests.” from the report
Strong leadership
The provider and manager were visible and approachable. Inspectors found an open culture and regular checks on care quality.
“The service benefitted from strong, consistent leadership which achieved good outcomes for people.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you assess and update my relative's care plan if their needs or mobility changed?
- 02How many staff would usually be working on the shift, and how do you adjust staffing when people's needs change?
- 03How would you support my relative's hobbies, activities, community access and communication needs?
- 04How do you involve families in decisions about care, including medicines and end of life wishes?
- 05How can I raise a concern, and how would you keep me informed about the response?
This was a planned, unannounced inspection covering all five CQC questions, including the premises and care provided; the previous rating from 2017 was reviewed and remained Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 1 November 2019 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 Harrowby Lodge Nursing Home
4 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- July 2021Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- November 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2017Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 9 December 2010.
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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9 live-in carers within about an hour of Lincolnshire
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.
8 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Martin was more than a carer, he managed the home and became my uncle's best friend, enriching his life during his last few years.”
“Magda was always positive and proactive about trying new things to keep dad busy. She also introduced new ideas for keeping dad healthy.”
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.