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What the CQC found at Lakeview Lodge Care Home

Goodpublished 4 October 2022, 4 years ago

Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.

The five questions inspectors ask
Safe?
Good
Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, medicines systems and risk assessments. The home was clean and had arrangements for infection control and visiting during outbreaks.
Effective?
Good
Staff had suitable training and supported people’s health, nutrition and hydration. Inspectors found good links with health professionals and that people were encouraged to remain independent.
Caring?
Good
People and relatives described staff as kind, compassionate and respectful. Staff supported people to make choices and maintain independence, although one person felt restrictions on walking were limiting.
Responsive?
Good
Care plans reflected people’s needs, preferences and communication requirements. Activities, support with relationships and a complaints process were available.
Well-led?
Good
Inspectors found effective management oversight, regular feedback and audits. Leaders used incidents, complaints and other information to plan improvements.
The latest report, explained

What inspectors found, October 2022

Lakeview Lodge Care Home was rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with some records needing more detail.

Inspectors made an unannounced visit on 12 September 2022. They spoke with seven people living in the home, three relatives and staff. They also checked care plans, medicines records, recruitment files and management records.

The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicines systems, clean premises and suitable infection controls. People’s health, food, drink and personal care needs were being supported.

People and relatives described staff as kind and respectful. Care plans included people’s preferences, activities were available and complaints were investigated. The rating means inspectors found consistently good care, although the manager said records showing how mental capacity had been assessed would be improved.

What inspectors praised
  • Enough trained staff

    Inspectors saw staff respond promptly and spend time talking with people. Recruitment checks and training supported safe care.

    “There were sufficient staff with the necessary training, skills and competence to promote people's safety and wellbeing.” from the report
  • Kind and respectful care

    People and relatives consistently praised staff for their kindness, compassion and respect. Staff supported people to do as much as possible for themselves.

    “People spoke consistently of the kindness and respect of staff.” from the report
  • Personalised support

    Care plans recorded people’s needs, preferences and important personal information. People and relatives were involved in planning care.

    “People had care plans recording their needs and preferences and how they preferred to receive care and support.” from the report
What inspectors were concerned about
  • Balancing safety and independence

    minor

    One person felt restricted because staff discouraged longer walks outside the home. Ask how the home makes individual decisions about safe independence.

    “I do feel safe, however it would be better if I could take some walks by myself, but staff say it isn't safe for me, I feel a bit constricted.” from the report
Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01How will you improve records showing how each person’s mental capacity has been assessed?
  2. 02How do you balance safety risks with a person’s wish to walk independently or leave the home?
  3. 03How will you support my relative to manage their own medicines if they want to?
  4. 04How will you keep our family involved in care planning and decisions?
  5. 05What arrangements are in place for visits if there is an outbreak of COVID-19 or another infection?

This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions, including infection prevention and control under Safe; it was the first inspection since registration under the new legal entity. This explanation was written from the published report of 4 October 2022 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.

An earlier report, explained

What inspectors found, January 2022

Inspected but not rated; inspectors found infection-control arrangements and staffing measures were in place.

This was an announced, targeted inspection on 18 January 2022. Inspectors looked at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and whether COVID-19 staffing pressures affected care.

The home had measures for safe visiting, including testing, hand cleaning, sanitiser and protective equipment. Inspectors found that infection outbreaks, admissions, isolation and social distancing were being managed.

Staffing measures were in place to reduce the effect of COVID-19-related staff pressures. The inspection did not give a quality rating. The overall service and Safe question were both recorded as inspected but not rated.

What inspectors praised
  • Infection prevention

    Inspectors found that the home had suitable arrangements for protective equipment, testing, hygiene, isolation and managing outbreaks.

    “We were assured that the provider was making sure infection outbreaks can be effectively prevented or managed.” from the report
  • Staffing measures

    The home had taken steps to manage COVID-19-related staffing pressures and inspectors found staffing was sufficient to meet people's needs.

    “The registered manager had taken steps to ensure staffing was sufficient to fully meet people's needs.” from the report
  • Regular testing

    People living in the home and staff were tested regularly, allowing action to be taken after a positive result.

    “A regular programme of testing for COVID-19 was in place for people living in the home and staff.” from the report
What inspectors were concerned about

Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.

Questions to ask them, based on this report
  1. 01How are visits currently managed, and what checks or protective equipment are visitors required to use?
  2. 02How do you manage staffing levels when staff are absent because of COVID-19?
  3. 03How often are residents and staff tested, and what happens after a positive result?
  4. 04How do you use isolation, cohorting and zoning when someone may have an infection?
  5. 05How do you check vaccination or exemption evidence for staff and visiting professionals?

This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and COVID-19-related staffing pressures; it did not rate the other areas of the service. This explanation was written from the published report of 25 January 2022 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.

The story over the years

Every inspection of Lakeview Lodge Care Home

4 rated inspections over 4 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.

  1. October 2022Goodcurrent rating
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good

    Read what inspectors found at Lakeview Lodge Care Home →

  2. January 2022Inspected but not rated
    Safe: Inspected but not rated

    Read what inspectors found at Lakeview Lodge Care Home →

  3. August 2021Goodup from Requires improvement
    Safe: GoodWell-led: Good
  4. October 2020Requires improvementdown from Good
    Safe: Requires improvementResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
  5. September 2018Good
    Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
  6. July 2021

    Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 22 July 2021.

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.

Next steps

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At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Milton Keynes

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Most charge £980 to £1,260 a week. 90 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.

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