CQC report explained · a nursing home
What the CQC found at Lindisfarne Newton Aycliffe
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
What inspectors found, November 2022
Rated Requires Improvement; inspectors found kind care, but concerns about eating and drinking risks, fire drills and quality checks.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 5, 11 and 14 October 2022. The inspection team spoke with people, relatives and staff, and reviewed care records, medicines records and other documents.
The home provided kind and respectful care. Staff knew people well, supported their choices and helped them stay in contact with relatives. Medicines, staffing, recruitment and infection control were managed safely.
However, records did not always explain the support people needed with eating and drinking. Changes were not always added promptly to care plans. Fire drills had not been carried out as required by the provider's policy, and quality checks had not identified these problems.
The overall rating changed from Good to Requires Improvement. Caring and Responsive remained Good, while Safe, Effective and Well-led were rated Requires Improvement. The report also says there was no registered manager in post, although a manager was working at the home.
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors saw caring interactions and found that people were treated with dignity. Relatives and people spoke positively about the support.
“Throughout the inspection we saw lots of kind and caring interactions.” from the report
Safe medicines arrangements
Medicines were stored securely, records were clear and staff had training and checks of their competence.
“Medicines were managed safely. Clear records were kept of the medicines people needed and when these were given.” from the report
Staffing and recruitment
The home had enough staff to meet people's needs, monitored staffing levels and used recruitment checks to reduce the risk of unsuitable staff being employed.
“There were enough staff in place to meet people's needs. Staffing levels were monitored to ensure people received safe support.” from the report
Choice and activities
People were supported to make decisions, maintain relationships and take part in activities they enjoyed.
“A range of activities were available at the service.” from the report
Eating and drinking risks
seriousRecords did not consistently show the support people needed with eating and drinking. When needs changed, care plans were not always updated quickly, creating a risk that staff might not have the right information.
“Records did not consistently record the support people needed with eating and drinking.” from the report
Fire drills
needs fixingFire drills had not been completed in line with the provider's own policy. The manager said action would be taken.
“However, fire drills had not been carried out in line with the provider's policy.” from the report
Quality monitoring
seriousThe home's audits had not found or corrected the problems with eating and drinking support. This contributed to the breach of Regulation 17.
“However, these had not identified or rectified issued with eating and drinking support.” from the report
Registered manager
needs fixingA manager was in post but had not applied for registration when inspectors visited, despite a registration condition requiring a registered manager. The report says this was being dealt with outside the inspection process.
“At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post.” from the report
Care plan updates
needs fixingCare plan reviews did not always result in updates when people's needs changed. The manager said the review process would be examined.
“However, reviews did not always lead to plans being updated where people's needs had changed.” from the report
- 01What has changed in the records and care plans for people who need help with eating and drinking?
- 02How do you check that changes in a person's eating and drinking needs are added to their care plan promptly?
- 03When were the most recent fire drills completed, and how often will they now be carried out?
- 04What checks are now in place to make sure audits identify and correct problems with eating and drinking support?
- 05Has the manager applied to become registered with CQC, and what is the current position?
This was an unannounced inspection covering all five key questions and prompted partly by concerns about eating and drinking risks; it did not examine the circumstances of the incident involving a person's death. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 November 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, January 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found safe support, kind care, good infection control and effective help with eating and drinking.
This was an unannounced targeted inspection on 14 December 2021. Two inspectors checked specific concerns about care, staff support, specialist diets and infection control. They spoke with six people, 11 staff and reviewed care records.
People told inspectors they were happy and felt safe. Staff met people's assessed needs, although the home had staffing pressures linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspectors found people were protected from abuse and that infection prevention measures were effective.
People received support with eating and drinking, including specialist diets. They had choices at mealtimes and spoke positively about the food. Inspectors also saw kind and respectful care.
The home was not given a new rating because this inspection did not cover the full key questions. The previous overall rating was Good, published in March 2019, and the report says that rating remains unchanged.
People felt safe
People were protected from abuse and staff knew how to report concerns. People appeared comfortable around staff.
“People were safeguarded from abuse.” from the report
Infection control
Inspectors were assured about the home's arrangements for preventing and managing infections, including PPE, testing, visits and outbreaks.
“We were assured that the provider was making sure infection outbreaks can be effectively prevented or managed.” from the report
Support with food and drink
People received support with ordinary and specialist dietary needs. They had choices at mealtimes and spoke positively about the food.
“People received effective support with eating and drinking, including with any specialist dietary requirements.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
People described staff positively, and inspectors saw many kind and caring interactions. Staff appeared to know people well.
“People were treated with kindness and respect.” from the report
Staffing pressures
needs fixingThe home had experienced staffing pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic and was still recruiting. Staff said they were busy, although inspectors found that people's assessed needs were being met.
“Staffing is the biggest challenge, but they do what they can and it has improved.” from the report
- 01What has changed with staffing levels and recruitment since the inspection?
- 02How do you make sure specialist diets and people's food and drink are monitored every day?
- 03What arrangements are currently in place for infection control, visits and managing any outbreak?
- 04Has the manager now registered with the CQC, and who is legally responsible for running the home?
- 05When was the last comprehensive inspection, and what were its findings?
This was a targeted inspection of specific concerns about Safe, Effective and Caring, plus infection control; it did not assess the full key questions, and the previous Good ratings carried over. This explanation was written from the published report of 5 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.
Every inspection of Lindisfarne Newton Aycliffe
4 rated inspections over 7 years: the service has slipped, from Good to Requires improvement.
- November 2022Requires improvementcurrent ratingSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- January 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not ratedEffective: Inspected but not ratedCaring: Inspected but not rated
- March 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- March 2019Goodup from Requires improvementSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2018Requires improvementdown from GoodSafe: Requires improvementEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- January 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- October 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
- April 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
- January 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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47 live-in carers within about an hour of County Durham
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 £960 to £1,210 a week. 42 can care for a couple. 10 years' experience on average.
“Petty introduced herself to Mum every time she was caring for her and responded very quickly to Mum if she was distressed in the night.”
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.