CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Lancaster and Morecambe Short Breaks Service
Rated Outstanding: inspectors found the home performing exceptionally well.
- Safe?
- Good
- People and relatives said they felt safe. Inspectors found suitable arrangements for managing risks, safeguarding, staffing, cleanliness, accidents and medicines.
- Effective?
- Outstanding
- The home worked closely with families, hospitals and other professionals to meet complex health needs. Staff received regular training and understood mental capacity and liberty protection requirements.
- Caring?
- Outstanding
- Staff were respectful, compassionate and sensitive to people's needs. Communication tools were used when people could not communicate verbally, and privacy and dignity were built into everyday care.
- Responsive?
- Outstanding
- Care plans were individually designed. People were supported to choose activities, maintain community links, build confidence and develop independence.
- Well-led?
- Outstanding
- Inspectors found strong leadership, open communication and a clear focus on improvement. Staff had champion roles to develop skills and share good practice.
What inspectors found, November 2018
Rated Outstanding overall; inspectors found exceptionally caring, effective, responsive and well-led support, with safety rated Good.
This was a comprehensive inspection covering the whole home. Visits took place between 27 September and 11 October 2018. The inspection was announced, with 48 hours' notice.
Inspectors spoke with people using the service, relatives, professionals, managers and staff. They observed care, reviewed records and checked the building, medicines, recruitment, safety systems and quality monitoring.
The home was rated Outstanding overall. Safe was rated Good. Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led were all rated Outstanding. Inspectors said the provider had continued to improve since the previous inspection in December 2016, when the home was rated Good overall.
Individual care
Care was planned around each person rather than using standard plans. People and families were involved in planning and communication needs were carefully recorded.
“Care plans were not standardised but were developed around the individual needs of the person.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
Inspectors found staff consistently treated people with dignity and responded sensitively, including during difficult situations.
“We found, without exception, staff went the extra mile to ensure people were safe and happy whilst using the service.” from the report
Activities and independence
People were supported to take part in activities they enjoyed, use community facilities and develop their confidence and independence.
“There was an emphasis on empowering people, developing independence and enabling people to have positive outcomes within their life.” from the report
Strong improvement culture
Managers used feedback, training and specialist champion roles to improve the service and share good practice.
“There was a strong emphasis on continuous improvement based around best practice guidance.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How will you learn and record my relative's communication style if they cannot communicate verbally?
- 02What information do you need from us about medicines and health needs before the first stay?
- 03How will you support my relative to take part in their preferred activities and maintain community links?
- 04How will you involve our family in care planning and review what worked after each stay?
- 05What staffing levels and staff skills would be available for my relative's specific needs?
This was a comprehensive inspection of the whole home and all five CQC questions, including care, records, staffing, medicines, the building and quality monitoring. This explanation was written from the published report of 21 November 2018 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 Lancaster and Morecambe Short Breaks Service
2 rated inspections over 3 years: the service has improved, from Good to Outstanding.
- November 2018Outstandingcurrent ratingup from GoodSafe: GoodEffective: OutstandingCaring: OutstandingResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Outstanding
Read what inspectors found at Lancaster and Morecambe Short Breaks Service →
- March 2016GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- March 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- February 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 2 February 2011.
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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85 live-in carers within about an hour of Lancashire
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 £1,260 a week. 78 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“She understands the needs of an elderly person in the early stages of dementia and has treated my mother with great kindness and skill.”
“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.”
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.