Lowdell Close

Updated 5 October 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

The inspection was carried out by one inspector and an Expert by Experience. 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

Lowdell Close is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and we looked at both during this inspection.

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 not a registered manager in post. The service manager was also in the process of applying to become registered.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. 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 contacted the local Healthwatch branch to ask if they had received any information about the service; they had not. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

Inspection activity started on 13 July 2022 and ended on 8 August 2022. We visited the home on 21 and 22 July 2022. We spoke with three members of staff including the service leader and regional manager and the relative of a person who lived at the home. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us. We reviewed a range of records relating to the management of the service, including procedures, checks and audits and medicines support records for two people.

After our visit we spoke with three relatives of people who use the service and two professionals who have worked with the service recently. We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at two people’s support plans, training and quality assurance records, and recruitment information for two staff.

Updated 5 October 2022

About the service

Lowdell Close is a residential care home providing personal care for up to four people. The service provides support and care to adults with a learning disability. At the time of the inspection there were four people using the service.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people and providers must have regard to it.

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

The service was not able to demonstrate how they were meeting some of the underpinning principles of right support, right care, right culture.

Right culture

The provider's monitoring processes were not always effective because records of people's care and the management of the service were not always accurate and complete.

Staff knew and understood people and were responsive to their needs.

People and those important to them, including advocates, were involved in their care.

The provider had a clear vision for the service based on a culture of improvement to enhance people's quality of life.

Right support

The service gave people care and support to meet their sensory and physical needs, but the environment was not always well-maintained.

People were able to personalise their rooms.

Staff communicated with people in ways that met their needs.

Staff supported people with their medicines safely.

Staff supported people to meet their health needs and worked with other agencies to do so.

Staff aimed to help people have a meaningful everyday life by supporting them to take part in activities at home, in the community and online.

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.

Right care

People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity. They understood and responded to people’s individual needs. We have made a recommendation about end of life care planning.

People could take part in activities and pursue interests that were tailored to them. Staff worked to give people opportunities to try new activities that might enrich their lives.

The service had enough staff to keep people safe. Staff had training on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it. The service worked with other agencies to do so.

Staff received training and an induction to help them support people.

For more information, please read the detailed findings section of this report. If you are reading this as a separate summary, the full report can be found on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) website at www.cqc.org.uk

Last rating and update

This service was registered with us on 21 June 2021 and this is the first inspection. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was requires improvement, published on 12 September 2020.

Why we inspected

We undertook this inspection to assess that the service is applying the principles of Right support right care right culture. 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 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 continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.