Lobswood House

Updated 24 May 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

One inspector and an expert by experience undertook this inspection. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

Lobswood House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Lobswood House is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. 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. At the time of our inspection there was no registered manager in post. Lobswood House had been without a registered manager since October 2021. A new manager commenced in October 2021. The new manager had submitted an application to become the registered manager at the time of our visit.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with seven people living at the service, two care staff, the chef, deputy manager and manager. To help us assess and understand how people's care needs were being met, we reviewed four people's care records. This included multiple medication records and multiple health care records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, staff recruitment and training records, including policies and procedures were reviewed. We observed how people were being cared for and looked around areas of the home, which included some people's bedrooms and communal areas. Following the inspection, we continued to seek clarification from the manager to validate evidence found. These included records associated with the provider's quality assurance systems. We sought feedback from five relatives.

Updated 24 May 2022

About the service

Lobswood House is a residential care home that provides accommodation and personal care for up to 26 people living with dementia or mental health needs. At the time of our inspection, 20 people were living at the home.

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

Since the last inspection the management team and the staff have made improvements which has raised the standard of care people received and the overall governance of the home. The manager was reviewing and updating care plans, to ensure they accurately described how each person should be supported. Staff were knowledgeable about people's needs and people's safety had not been impacted.

People were protected from avoidable harm as risks to people's health and safety were identified and assessed. People were protected from the risk of abuse and staff were aware of their safeguarding duties and how to report concerns. People and their relatives told us they felt safe and were cared for by staff who knew them well. A relative said, “I can’t tell you how pleased I’ve been. [Person] is absolutely safe.” Medicines were managed safely, and people received their medicines as prescribed. People and their relatives told us there were enough staff with the appropriate skills and training to meet their needs. A relative said, “There is enough staff and I see the same faces when I visit, they have managed it so well (the transition from moving from their own home to a residential home.”

People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Staff interactions with people were warm and caring. A person said, “They (staff) are kind. Which is really important because I'd love to stay in my own house, not a care home. But I’d struggle. I know this. I have to be in a care home and what makes it bearable is having nice, kind staff.” A relative said, “[Person] is happy and quite pleased (with the quality of care). Staff look after [person] well and understands [person].” Another relative said, “[Person] is cared for really well. Staff are so supportive, the change in [person] is amazing.” The service provided a homely environment and people were supported to drink enough and maintain a balanced diet.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 11 June 2019) and there were breaches of regulation. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations. The service remains rated requires improvement. This service has been rated requires improvement for the last two consecutive inspections.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service. We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.