CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Lynnwood
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough suitably skilled staff, safe recruitment, good risk management and safe infection control. They noted that the outcome of administering some 'as required' medicines was not always recorded.
- Effective?
- Good
- Assessments and support plans were detailed and focused on people's needs, independence and longer-term goals. Staff had relevant training and followed the Mental Capacity Act principles.
- Caring?
- Good
- People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Staff understood people's sensory and communication needs and involved them and their families in care planning.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care was personalised and people were supported to communicate, develop interests, maintain relationships and work towards goals. End-of-life wishes had not been documented, although no one needed end-of-life care at the time.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found approachable leadership, effective governance and a culture of learning and improvement. Managers had good oversight and staff understood their responsibilities.
What inspectors found, August 2022
Lynnwood was rated Good; inspectors found kind, personalised care, with some medicines records and end-of-life planning to improve.
This was the first inspection since the home was registered. One inspector visited on three dates and spoke with all four people living there, four relatives, seven staff members and two other professionals. Records about care, medicines, staff recruitment and management were also checked.
The home was rated Good in all five areas: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe care, good communication and respectful relationships. People were supported to make choices, stay independent, follow their interests and work towards personal goals.
There were two areas to improve. The outcome of some 'as required' medicines was not always recorded. End-of-life wishes had not been documented, although no one was receiving end-of-life care during the inspection.
Choice and independence
Staff focused on what people could do and supported them to have control over their lives. People were helped to pursue aspirations and develop everyday skills.
“People were supported and encouraged to be independent and they had control over their own lives.” from the report
Kind and respectful care
Inspectors observed warm relationships and found that staff protected people's privacy and dignity. Staff adapted their approach when people became overstimulated.
“People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people's privacy and dignity.” from the report
Understanding communication needs
Staff used tools such as social stories and visual timetables. They understood how each person communicated and helped people understand information.
“Staff had good awareness, skills and understanding of individual communication needs” from the report
Strong management oversight
The management team encouraged openness, reflection and learning. Inspectors found governance systems that supported safety, people's rights and good-quality care.
“Governance processes were effective and helped to hold staff to account, keep people safe, protect people's rights and provide good quality care and support.” from the report
Incomplete medicines records
needs fixingThe outcome after giving some 'as required' medicines, such as pain relief, was not always recorded. Ask how this is now checked and kept up to date.
“The outcome of the administration of 'as required' medicines was not always recorded.” from the report
End-of-life wishes
minorPeople's end-of-life care wishes had not been recorded. Inspectors raised this with the registered manager, who accepted it was an area to develop.
“End of life care wishes were not documented.” from the report
- 01How do you record and review the outcome of 'as required' medicines, including pain relief?
- 02Have each person's end-of-life wishes now been discussed and documented?
- 03How will you support my relative to make choices, develop independence and work towards their personal goals?
- 04How will you meet my relative's individual communication and sensory needs?
- 05How are families involved in reviewing care plans and giving feedback about the service?
This was the first inspection of the newly registered home and covered all five CQC areas, including infection prevention and control. This explanation was written from the published report of 4 August 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 Lynnwood
Each visit the CQC has published, newest first, back to the day the home was registered.
- August 2022Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2021
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 27 May 2021.
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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Fees, photos and reviews from families
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What to check when you visit
36 live-in carers within about an hour of Newcastle upon Tyne
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 £1,160 a week. 30 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.