Lindisfarne Care Home Limited

People’s experience of using this service:

People and their relatives praised the standard of care in the home. They said staff were exceptionally caring and responsive. They praised the warm and homely atmosphere of the home. They also complimented the quality of meals and the cleanliness of the home. A wide range of diverse activity and entertainment opportunities were available to people.

People’s care needs were assessed, and they received good quality person-centred care from staff who understood their needs well. Some care plans would have benefitted from more detailed person-centred information. Medicines were managed safely, and people’s health needs were met. Positive links were maintained with local health services.

Some improvements were needed to the provider's recruitment procedures of the home.

Staff were caring, compassionate and supportive of people who lived at the service. They were knowledgeable and received training and supervision to ensure they carried out their roles well. Staff communicated very well with people and each other to ensure continuity of support.

The registered manager provided people with leadership and promoted an open and supportive team culture. Systems were in place to assess, monitor and improve the service. People’s views were welcomed on the running of the service. People told us there was an inclusive and relaxed atmosphere in the home. One staff member described Lindisfarne as, “homely, friendly, warm and welcoming. We have a lot of fun.”

More information is in the full report.

Rating at last inspection:

At the last inspection on 1 September 2016 the service was rated good.

Why we inspected:

The inspection was part of our scheduled plan of visits.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor the service to ensure that people receive safe, high quality care. Further inspections will be planned for future dates.

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

Lindisfarne Care Home Limited provides accommodation and personal care for up to 35 people, including people living with dementia. There were 34 people accommodated there at the time of our inspection.

The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the service is run. The registered manager was present and assisted us during this inspection.

People told us they felt safe and were well cared for. Staff took steps to safeguard vulnerable adults from harm and promoted their human rights. Incidents were dealt with appropriately, which helped to keep people safe.

The building was generally safe and well maintained. A small number of hazards were addressed during or shortly after the inspection. The property was adapted, and steps had been taken to make the building suitable for the people living there. Additional signage and control measures were used to highlight and minimise potential hazards. Other risks associated with the building and working practices were assessed and steps taken to reduce the likelihood of harm occurring. The home was clean throughout.

We observed staff acted in a courteous, professional and safe manner when supporting people. Staffing levels were sufficient to safely meet people’s needs. The provider had a robust system to ensure new staff were subject to thorough recruitment checks. Medicines were safely managed.

As Lindisfarne Care Home Limited is registered as a care home, CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. We found appropriate policies and procedures were in place and the registered manager was familiar with the processes involved in the application for DoLS. Arrangements were in place to assess people’s mental capacity and to identify if decisions needed to be taken on behalf of a person in their best interests. Where necessary, DoLS had been applied for. Staff obtained people’s consent before providing care.

Staff had completed safety and care related training relevant to their role and the needs of people using the service. Further training was planned on a regular cycle to ensure their skills and knowledge were up to date. Staff told us they were well supported by the registered manager and other senior staff. Formal supervision meetings were not frequently conducted, although staff told us they could seek guidance and advice from the registered manager. Staff performance was assessed and targets set for their on-going development.

People’s nutritional status was assessed and plans of care put in place. People’s health needs were identified and external professionals involved if necessary. This ensured people’s general medical needs were met promptly. People were provided with assistance to access healthcare services.

Staff displayed an attentive, caring and supportive attitude. We observed staff interacted positively with people. We saw that staff treated people with respect and explained clearly to us how people’s privacy, dignity and confidentiality were maintained.

Activities were offered within the home on a group and one to one basis. Visitors were able to come and go freely. The home had a variety of communal rooms and quiet spaces which enabled people to sit in company or enjoy a quiet atmosphere. Staff understood the needs of people and we saw care plans and associated documentation were clear, concise and person centred.

People using the service and staff spoke well of the registered manager and they felt the service had good leadership. All said they would recommend the home to family or friends. We found there were effective systems to assess and monitor the quality of the service, which included feedback from people receiving care and others.

We spent time sitting with people in the communal areas of the home and with people individually in their rooms. We found care and support was offered appropriately to people and staff were skilled, in recognising the diversity, values and human rights of people who used the service.

People who used the service told us they were happy living at the home. Their comments included, 'it's brilliant here, I couldn't possibly grumble about anything,' 'it's all good. Staff take care in what they do' and 'you hear a lot of stories about these places but this is the best." There were various activities on offer for people living at the home.

We found appropriate arrangements were in place in relation to obtaining medicines.

Our observations evidenced that there were enough staff on duty and staff working in the home were appropriately qualified to do their jobs.

We found records were held securely and retained for an appropriate period of time.

The relatives we spoke with told us they had no concerns about the way people were cared for or about any aspect of the service. One said the home had 'a lovely atmosphere'. Another said the staff were 'lovely', they had no concerns about the care their relative had received and told us they were kept fully informed.

People told us they would not hesitate to speak to the manager or a member of staff if they had any concerns and they were confident their concerns would be addressed.