Eastlake

Updated 24 January 2024

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 team consisted of 2 inspectors, 2 regulatory coordinators and an Expert by Experience who spoke with people's relatives by telephone. 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

Eastlake 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. Eastlake 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 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 8 people who used the service and 10 relatives about their experience of the care.

provided. We spent time observing how staff interacted with people and we spoke with 15 staff. This

included service director, the registered manager, deputy manager, team leaders, senior care staff member and care staff. We reviewed a range of records at the inspection visit. This included 13 people's care records, multiple medicines records, staffing, operational policies, quality assurance and management records. Following the inspection, we continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 24 January 2024

About the service

Eastlake is a residential home providing accommodation and personal care for up to 53 people aged 65 and over. Some people living at the service are living with dementia, others are elderly and frail or have medical conditions that require them to live in this type of service. At the time of our inspection, there were 53 people living at Eastlake.

The service is divided into four units. Each unit has its own lounge and dining area. There is a level communal garden for everyone to use.

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

Whilst people spoke positively of the level of care and support, we found shortfalls in governance arrangements. Systems and processes were not fully aligned towards clearly formulated goals. For example, smooth and seamless transition of care was a goal for when people left hospital, but there were no clearly defined systems and processes to facilitate this. This also applied to other fundamental goals including person-centred care, risk management, and partnership work. Robust, reliable, and sustainable systems must be established to deliver these goals.

There was a framework for risk management and control. However, this was inconsistently applied. Audits did not consistently identify shortfalls. There was an accident/incident reporting system, but this was not fully utilised. Underlying causes of incidents and accidents were not fully considered.

We identified some strengths in partnership working, particularly with visiting professionals, including GPs. On the other hand, there were weaknesses in communication so that care was more joined up. The provider had begun some work to make improvements.

People were supported to engage in home life and maintain contacts with family and friends. Local schools, and other members of the community were invited to chat and sing with people. People remarked on this, clearly appreciating the connection with different generations and their local community.

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.

People told us they felt safe living at the home. Relatives of people living at the home told us they felt their loved ones were safe.

Staff were recruited safely, and the relevant checks had been carried out on staff before they started work.

Staff we spoke with understood what constituted abuse and knew what actions to take if they felt someone at the home was being abused. There was a safeguarding policy in place for the staff to refer to.

We observed the home as clean and well kept. We were assured that the provider was supporting people living at the service to minimise the spread of infection.

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was good (published 04 February 2020).

Why we inspected

We received concerns in relation to the provider’s risk management framework, including management of medicines, incidents, falls, leadership, and the general governance. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe 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 good to requires improvement based on the findings of this inspection.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe and well-led sections of this full report.

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

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Eastlake on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

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