Faro Lodge

Updated 12 August 2021

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

This inspection was completed by one inspector.

Service and service type

Faro Lodge is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to speak with us.

What we did before the inspection

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections.

During the inspection-

We spoke with five relatives of people who use the service about the experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff, including the registered manager and operations manager.

We reviewed a range of records. This included care records for five people and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with one professional involved with the service.

Updated 12 August 2021

About the service

Faro Lodge is a care home providing respite care for up to six people who have a learning disability. On the day of our inspection, one person was at the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

Risk assessments were not always in place. One person’s care plan described risks of leaving the service without staff knowing. No detailed risk assessments had been created to mitigate risk. This person had left the service unsupported during their stay. This placed them in danger.

The provider supported many people who used the service for short stays, periodically throughout the year. The provider had not assessed the mental capacity of any person using the service and had instead completed a Best Interest Decision and Deprivation of Liberty authorisation request. This is not in line with the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

People were not supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff did not support them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service did not support this practice.

Communication between the staff and the person supported on the day of the inspection was positive and the person appeared well engaged. Care plans lacked sufficient detail on how to communicate with people, causing a risk that the support may not be consistent.

At this inspection we found the same areas we had highlighted in our previous inspection, evidencing a lack of progress had been made following our last inspection. In addition, other areas appear to of now deteriorated and additional breaches of regulation have now been identified.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 13 March 2020).

The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection enough improvement had not been made and the provider was still in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about a person leaving the service unsupported. A decision was made for us to complete a comprehensive inspection following this.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

Enforcement

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to discharge our regulatory enforcement functions required to keep people safe and to hold providers to account where it is necessary for us to do so.

We have identified breaches in relation to people being kept safe when being supported, people’s mental capacity being assessed and the provider’s response to previous inspections that have not enabled lessons to be learnt within the service.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

Full information about CQC’s regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.