CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Lifestyles
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found that risks, safeguarding, staffing, medicines and infection control were managed safely. They found no evidence that the concern about restrictions had put people at risk of harm.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused inspection. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused inspection. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not inspected during this focused inspection. Its previous rating was used when calculating the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found positive leadership, good working relationships and systems that supported quality and safety. People, relatives, staff and professionals were involved in improving the service.
What inspectors found, September 2022
Lifestyles rated Good; inspectors found people were safe, supported to be independent and cared for by a well-led home.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 29 July and 2 August 2022. One inspector spoke with people, relatives, staff and health and social care professionals. They looked at care records, medicines records, recruitment files, the home and management records.
The home was rated Good for Safe and Well-led. Inspectors found that risks were managed, medicines were given safely, staffing was safe, infection controls were effective and people were protected from abuse. People were supported to make choices, take positive risks and use the local community.
The inspection followed a concern about restrictions on people. Inspectors found no evidence that people were at risk of harm from this concern. The overall Good rating remained the same, but the other three areas were not inspected and kept their previous ratings from 2018.
Independence and community life
People were supported to make choices, achieve personal goals and take part in jobs, hobbies and activities in the local community.
“Positive risk-taking included people accessing jobs, hobbies and the local community independently or with the appropriate amount of support which kept people safe but maximised their independence.” from the report
Safety and medicines
Inspectors found that risks were recorded and monitored, staff were safely recruited and medicines were stored and given safely.
“People's medicines were administered safely. Staff were trained in administering medicines and their competency had been assessed to ensure they had the required skills and knowledge.” from the report
Positive leadership
The home worked with health and social care professionals and used feedback to improve the environment, care plans and medicines records.
“The registered manager made positive improvements to the environment, care plans and medicines records following feedback during the inspection.” from the report
Involvement in the service
People and staff could give feedback through regular meetings, and relatives were asked for their views through yearly questionnaires.
“People and staff were included in the development of the service.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How do you review restrictions on people's choices and make sure they remain necessary and lawful?
- 02What personal goals does my relative have, and how will staff support them to achieve those goals?
- 03How are risks recorded and reviewed when someone takes positive risks in the community?
- 04How will you keep medicines records accurate after the improvements made during this inspection?
- 05How will you keep families involved in decisions and use their feedback to improve the home?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other ratings carried over from the previous inspection published on 17 July 2018. This explanation was written from the published report of 15 September 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.
What inspectors found, February 2022
Lifestyles: a targeted inspection found good infection control and visiting arrangements, but the home was inspected and not rated.
Inspectors visited on 20 January 2022. This was an announced, targeted inspection during the COVID-19 pandemic. They looked at infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and staffing pressures.
The home was clean and fresh. Inspectors were assured that it was using PPE safely, arranging testing, managing visits and preventing or managing infection outbreaks. Visitors had to follow safety checks, including testing, vaccination evidence, hand sanitising and PPE.
The manager understood the effects of the pandemic on people and made adjustments to support them. The home also had a refurbishment plan for maintenance work that was needed.
The home was inspected but not rated. This means the report does not give an overall quality rating or a full rating for all five areas of care.
Infection control
The home was clean and fresh, with extra cleaning of frequently touched surfaces and regular infection control checks.
“The service was clean and fresh, staff carried out a number of additional tasks, such as cleaning of any high touchpoint surfaces.” from the report
Safe visiting
The home had several checks for professionals visiting, including testing, vaccination evidence, hand hygiene and PPE.
“Safe arrangements were in place for professionals visiting the service.” from the report
Support during the pandemic
The manager and staff focused on maintaining continuity of care and made adjustments in response to the pandemic.
“The registered manager had a good understanding about the impact of the pandemic on the people they supported.” from the report
Visiting arrangements
The home was facilitating visits in line with the guidance that applied at the time.
“The provider was facilitating visits for people living in the home in accordance with the current guidance.” from the report
Maintenance work
minorSome maintenance work was still needed. A refurbishment plan was in place, but the report does not say when all the work would be finished.
“The registered manager had a refurbishment plan in place to address maintenance work required at the service.” from the report
- 01What maintenance work is still outstanding, and when is each part of the refurbishment plan expected to be completed?
- 02How are staffing pressures being managed now, and have they affected people's care or support?
- 03What infection control, testing and PPE arrangements are currently used for visitors and staff?
- 04How can relatives visit, and what rules apply if there is an infection outbreak?
- 05When was the home last assessed in the other areas of care that this targeted inspection did not cover?
This was an announced, targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, visiting arrangements and staffing pressures; the home was inspected but not rated and the other care areas were not assessed. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 February 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.
Every inspection of Lifestyles
3 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- September 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- September 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- July 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- April 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- December 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- September 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- June 2011
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2011
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 25 January 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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37 live-in carers within about an hour of York
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 £1,270 a week. 32 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
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“She was always 'just present enough': attentive, available, kind and engaging, but without ever over-stepping any boundary”
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