The Lakes

Updated 9 March 2023

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 completed by 1 inspector.

Service and service type

The Lakes 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. The Lakes 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 provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

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 sought feedback from the local authority 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 4 people who used the service and 7 relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with 6 members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager and care staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included 6 people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at 4 staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed

Updated 9 March 2023

About the service

The Lakes is a care home providing residential care for up to 47 younger and older people, including people living with dementia in one building. There were 44 people receiving care at the time of the inspection

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

People were supported by staff who had been safely recruited and who had received sufficient training to understand their roles and responsibilities and to meet people’s individual needs.

People were protected from potential abuse. Staff understood the policies and procedures for reporting any concerns. Risks to people were safely managed. Risk assessments were in place and contained relevant strategies to mitigate known risks.

People received their medicines as prescribed. Records were kept up to date and evidenced medicines were given on time. People were informed of what medicines they were taking.

Care plans were detailed and person centred. Information on people’s communication, wants and needs, skills and significant relationships was recorded. People’s needs in relation to protected characteristics was recorded and staff understood how to support people to meet these needs.

The registered manager had a good oversight of the service. Regular audits and reviews were completed on records and staff received spot checks to observe their interactions with people to ensure good quality care was delivered.

People, relatives and staff were asked to feedback on the service to support improvements. Action plans were implemented when any issues were raised or found. Staff felt supported within their roles.

People told us they felt safe at The lakes and the staff were kind and caring. Visitors were welcomed into the home. People’s healthcare needs were met, staff referred people to external professionals as needed.

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 inspected but not rated (published 15 February 2022) as this inspection was completed to look at infection prevention control only.

The inspection before this was rated requires improvement (published 2 June 2021) 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.

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, responsive and well-led only.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good based on the findings of this inspection.

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.