CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Lakes
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough staff, safe recruitment, suitable risk assessments and safe medicines management. Infection prevention and visiting arrangements were also found to be effective.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused inspection, so the report gives no current rating for it.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused inspection, so the report gives no current rating for it. People and relatives described staff as kind and caring.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Care plans were detailed and personalised. Staff supported communication, activities, relationships, complaints and people's individual preferences.
- Well-led?
- Good
- The manager had effective audits and oversight of the home. Feedback was collected, action plans were used and the previous breach about quality monitoring had been resolved.
What inspectors found, March 2023
Rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and personalised care, with improvements since the previous rated inspection but some end-of-life details still to record.
The inspection was unannounced and took place on 24 February 2023. One inspector spoke with people, relatives and staff, and reviewed care plans, medicines records, recruitment files and management records.
The home was rated Good overall. Safe, Responsive and Well-led were rated Good. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicines management, personalised care plans, welcomed visitors and effective checks on the quality of care.
The inspection was focused on Safe, Responsive and Well-led. The previous rated inspection had found Requires Improvement and breaches of regulation. Inspectors found improvements had been made and the home was no longer in breach.
Safe staffing and medicines
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's needs, with safe recruitment checks. Medicines records showed that people received their medicines as prescribed and on time.
“Medicine administration records (MAR) evidenced people were supported to take their medicines as prescribed.” from the report
Personalised care
Care plans recorded people's choices, routines, communication needs, relationships and interests. Staff were observed communicating appropriately and people said staff knew them well.
“Care plans held person-centred information to support staff in understanding people's needs, wishes and wants.” from the report
Improved management
The home had introduced effective audits and reviews. Inspectors found enough improvement to remove the previous breach about monitoring and improving quality.
“Systems and processes were in place and effective in assessing, monitoring and improving the service.” from the report
Support for relationships
People were supported to take part in activities and to maintain contact with friends and relatives through visits, calls and video calls.
“People were supported to stay in contact with their friends and relatives, through visits, phone calls and video calls.” from the report
End-of-life wishes
minorNot everyone had their wishes and needs for end-of-life care recorded. The manager was still discussing this with people and relatives when appropriate.
“However, not all people had details of their wishes and needs at the end of their life recorded.” from the report
- 01How will you make sure my relative's end-of-life wishes and needs are discussed and recorded?
- 02What audits and checks do you now use to monitor the quality and safety of care?
- 03How do you make sure there are enough staff for people's individual and one-to-one support needs?
- 04How will staff explain medicines to my relative and record that they were given on time?
- 05How will you support my relative's communication needs, including large print, easy read or other formats if needed?
This was a focused inspection of Safe, Responsive and Well-led; Effective and Caring were not inspected and the overall rating used the findings from this visit alongside the previous ratings. This explanation was written from the published report of 9 March 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, February 2022
Inspected but not rated; inspectors found good infection-control practice and support for safe visiting.
Inspectors visited the home without notice on 25 January 2022. This was a targeted inspection of infection prevention and control, including the effect of COVID-19 staffing pressures.
They found the home clean, with regular cleaning of equipment and frequently touched areas. Staff used protective equipment correctly, received infection-control training, and people and staff were tested and vaccinated against COVID-19.
Relatives were kept updated. Essential care givers were supported, and visiting arrangements followed government guidance. The provider said it had measures to manage COVID-19-related staffing pressures.
The service was inspected but not rated. This report does not give an overall rating or ratings for the other four areas.
Clean surroundings
Inspectors found the home clean and without unpleasant smells. Cleaning schedules were in place, with regular cleaning of equipment and high-touch areas.
“The Lakes appeared clean and had no odours.” from the report
Protective equipment and training
Staff used protective equipment correctly and received training in infection control and putting on and removing protective equipment.
“All staff received IPC training including how to take their PPE on and off.” from the report
Communication with relatives
The registered manager kept relatives informed about changes. Essential care givers and regular visitors were supported.
“The registered manager maintained contact with relatives and kept them updated on any changes.” from the report
Inspectors raised no specific concerns in this report.
- 01What measures are currently in place to manage COVID-19-related staffing pressures?
- 02How are staff trained and checked on putting on and removing protective equipment?
- 03How often are cleaning schedules and infection-control audits reviewed?
- 04What testing and vaccination arrangements currently apply to people and staff?
- 05How can essential care givers and other regular visitors visit my relative?
This was an unannounced targeted inspection of infection prevention and control and COVID-19 staffing pressures; it did not rate the other areas of the service. This explanation was written from the published report of 15 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 The Lakes
6 rated inspections over 5 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- March 2023Goodcurrent ratingSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- February 2022Inspected but not ratedSafe: Inspected but not rated
- June 2021Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- December 2020Requires improvementstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- February 2020Requires improvementup from InadequateSafe: Requires improvementResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- June 2019Inadequatedown from GoodSafe: InadequateEffective: Requires improvementCaring: Requires improvementResponsive: InadequateWell-led: Inadequate
- January 2018GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: Requires improvementWell-led: Good
- December 2016
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 13 December 2016.
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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What to check when you visit
At least 100 live-in carers within about an hour of West Northamptonshire
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 £1,280 a week. 87 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“We can all fully relax around Nyarai and she feels like part of our family, which is no mean feat!”
“If you bump into her in the night on her way to the bathroom she will still inquire how you are and if everything is alright.”
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.