CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Lonsdale House
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People told inspectors they felt safe. The home had detailed risk assessments, enough staff, safe recruitment checks and systems for managing medicines and safeguarding concerns.
- Effective?
- Good
- People had care plans that were reviewed as their needs changed. Staff received training, supervision and support, and people were helped with food preparation, healthcare and independent living skills.
- Caring?
- Good
- Staff were kind, calm and respectful. People were involved in their care, supported to express their views and encouraged to make their own decisions.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's individual needs, preferences and goals. People could access the community, take part in activities and receive support to move towards more independent living.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The home had quality monitoring systems and action plans for improvement. The manager was approachable, involved in the service and used incidents, feedback and concerns to make changes.
What inspectors found, June 2019
Rated Good in every area; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care at the home.
This was an unannounced scheduled inspection on 20 May 2019. One inspector spoke with three people living at the home, staff and the registered manager. They reviewed care records, medicines, staff files and management records.
The inspectors found that people were safe and supported by enough staff. Medicines were managed safely. People had detailed care plans and risk assessments, and staff understood their needs, choices and goals.
People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. They were supported to be independent, access the community, take part in activities and prepare their own food. The home had systems to monitor quality and learn from mistakes.
The home was rated Good for Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This was the first inspection, so there was no previous rating to compare it with.
Personalised support
People had detailed plans covering their needs, goals, preferences and risks. Staff knew people well and used this information to provide individual support.
“People had support plans and risk assessments in place, which gave staff guidance to effectively support them.” from the report
Respect and independence
People were treated with dignity and encouraged to manage everyday activities for themselves. They could move around the home freely and access the community.
“People were encouraged to be as independent as possible.” from the report
Safe medicines support
Medicines were administered, stored and recorded safely. Staff were trained and supported people to become more able to manage their own medicines.
“Medicines were administered, stored and managed safely.” from the report
Learning from mistakes
The manager investigated a recent medicine error and changed systems to reduce the chance of it happening again.
“We saw appropriate action had been taken and systems were changed to reduce the risk of it happening again.” from the report
Good links with other services
The home worked with health professionals and other services, including step-down accommodation, to support continuity of care.
“The service worked well with other professionals, which ensured people received effective and consistent care and support.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01How would you tailor the support plan and risk assessments to my relative's needs, goals and preferences?
- 02How do you help people become able to manage their own medicines, and what checks are in place while they learn?
- 03How would you support my relative to access the community, pursue interests and build independent living skills?
- 04How does the home work with health professionals and the step-down service if my relative's needs change?
- 05How can my relative or family raise a concern, and how would the home respond to it?
This was an unannounced scheduled inspection covering the overall quality of the home, including care and premises, and all five key questions; it was the home's first inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 19 June 2019 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 Lonsdale House
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- June 2019Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2017
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 31 March 2017.
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.
Weigh the report against the rest
Fees, photos and reviews from families
How to read CQC ratings and reports
What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of Walsall
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 £950 to £1,200 a week. 85 can care for a couple. 9 years' experience on average.
“I have never met a person who is so kind and thinks about others before himself to such an extent as Chris Malagala.”
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.