CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Lindisfarne Hartlepool
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found effective safeguarding, safe recruitment, clear risk assessments, safe medicines management and suitable infection control arrangements. They also found that the environment and equipment were safe and well maintained.
- Effective?
- Good
- This area was not assessed during this inspection. Its rating was carried forward from the previous inspection.
- Caring?
- Good
- This area was not assessed during this inspection. Inspectors did observe kind and compassionate care, but no separate rating was given here.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This area was not assessed during this inspection. Its rating was carried forward from the previous inspection.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- Inspectors found inconsistent management over the previous year, with several manager changes. The current manager had begun identifying improvements, but the service had not yet demonstrated stable leadership.
What inspectors found, February 2023
Rated Good overall; inspectors found safe, kind care, but management and leadership required improvement.
The inspection took place on four dates between 23 December 2022 and 16 January 2023. It was unannounced. The inspector spoke with people using the home, relatives, staff and professionals, and reviewed care, medicine, recruitment and management records.
The home was rated Good for Safe. Inspectors found that people were protected from abuse, risks were assessed, medicines were managed safely and infection control arrangements were effective. Staff were described and observed as kind and compassionate.
The home was rated Requires Improvement for Well-led. There had been several manager changes in the previous year, and the new manager had only started in November 2022. Staffing levels and records were being improved, but the service had not yet shown enough stability.
The overall rating remained Good. This inspection only assessed Safe and Well-led. The ratings for the other areas were carried forward from the previous comprehensive inspection.
Kind and compassionate care
Inspectors saw staff provide care in a kind and compassionate way. People said they felt safe and described staff as kind.
“We observed staff deliver care and support in a kind and compassionate manner.” from the report
Clear risk management
Risk assessments gave staff clear guidance about how to reduce risks. Staff knew people's needs and the actions they should take.
“Risk assessments were clear and readily identified how to mitigate them.” from the report
Safe medicines and infection control
Inspectors found that medicines were managed safely and that the home had effective infection prevention arrangements.
“Medicine management was effective. Staff adhered to COVID regulations and procedures.” from the report
Learning from incidents
The home reviewed accidents and incidents for patterns and used them to identify learning and improvements.
“Records were analysed for patterns or trends and incidents were used as a learning opportunity.” from the report
Frequent management changes
needs fixingThere had been several changes of manager in the previous year. People and staff were concerned that this pattern might continue and that the service might not become stable.
“Over the last year there has been an inconsistency in management of the service.” from the report
Staffing pressures
needs fixingThe home had experienced recruitment difficulties and relied on bank and agency staff. Although staffing levels were being increased, staff had sometimes felt stretched.
“It was reported at times staff had been extremely stretched and felt optimum care was not being provided.” from the report
Records being updated
minorThe manager had identified duplicate and out-of-date documents in care records and was working to remove them. Families should ask whether this work has been completed.
“They had identified staffing levels needed to be improved, use of bank and agency staff reduced and duplicate documents alongside the out of date ones needed to be removed from care records.” from the report
- 01How many permanent care staff vacancies are there now, and how often is bank or agency staff used?
- 02What has been done to make management stable since the inspection, and is there now a registered manager in post?
- 03Have the duplicate and out-of-date documents been removed from people's care records?
- 04What changes have been made to prevent staff becoming stretched during busy periods?
- 05What improvements were made after the medicine review identified deficits in practice?
This inspection covered Safe and Well-led only; the ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive were carried forward from the previous comprehensive inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 7 February 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, December 2020
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found strong infection control and support for people's wellbeing during the pandemic.
The CQC visited the home on 10 November 2020. The visit was announced and formed part of a coronavirus infection control review in care homes.
Inspectors found systems to reduce the spread of infection. These included staff training, enough personal protective equipment, screening visitors, social distancing measures, infection control checks and plans for managing outbreaks.
The home also supported people's emotional wellbeing. Staff arranged socially distanced activities and one-to-one support, and helped people keep in touch with relatives using technology, newsletters and photographs.
This inspection did not give an overall quality rating. The safe question was marked 'Inspected but not rated', so the report does not provide a full judgement on the home's care.
Infection control training
Staff had training in PPE, hand hygiene and other coronavirus procedures. A Covid Champion on each shift checked that procedures were followed.
“Staff had undertaken training in putting on and taking off personal protective equipment (PPE), hand hygiene and other Covid-19 related training.” from the report
Practical safety measures
The home used screens, visitor screening, social distancing and infection control audits. Inspectors also found that PPE supplies and contingency plans were suitable.
“Clear perspex screens in place in the lounge and dining rooms to help keep people safe.” from the report
Support for wellbeing
Staff arranged socially distanced group activities and extra one-to-one activities. The home helped people stay in contact with relatives through technology, newsletters and photographs.
“People and their relatives were supported to keep in contact using a range of technology and regular newsletters and photographs.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What infection prevention and control arrangements are in place now?
- 02How are visitors currently screened and how are visits managed?
- 03How do you support residents to keep in touch with relatives and take part in activities?
- 04What arrangements are in place if a resident moves into the home, including isolation and testing?
- 05What is the home's most recent full CQC rating, as this inspection was not rated?
This was an announced thematic inspection of infection prevention and control during the coronavirus pandemic; it did not provide a full rating for the home or assess all five CQC questions. This explanation was written from the published report of 11 December 2020 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 Lindisfarne Hartlepool
6 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has improved, from Requires improvement to Good.
- February 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- December 2020Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- April 2020Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2017Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2016Requires improvementup from InadequateSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2016Inadequatedown from Requires improvementSafe: InadequateEffective: InadequateCaring: InadequateResponsive: InadequateWell-led: Inadequate
- September 2015Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- March 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- August 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- March 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- July 2011
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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43 live-in carers within about an hour of Hartlepool
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 £970 to £1,120 a week. 40 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
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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.