Background to this inspection
Updated
6 May 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 carried out by 3 inspectors 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
Farm Lane 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. Farm Lane is a care home with 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 held about the service. This included records of serious incidents the provider is required to tell us about. We spoke with a safeguarding lead and 2 contracts managers with the local authority.
The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
Inspection activity started on 20 February and ended on 24 February 2023. We visited the service on 20 February and returned for an unannounced out of hours visit on 24 February.
We spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager, business manager, regional director, the clinical lead, 2 nurses, a healthcare assistant and 3 team leaders. We spoke with 12 people and 1 relative and made phone calls to a further 6 relatives after the inspection.
We reviewed records relating to the management of the service, including audits, clinical meetings and records of engagement with people and their families.
Updated
6 May 2023
About the service
Farm Lane is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to up to 66 people. The service provides support to older people and people living with dementia. At the time of our inspection there were 55 people using the service.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People and their families felt this was a safe service. Relatives told us the provider was good at keeping them updated. The service engaged effectively with people and their relatives to identify how the service could improve and to address any concerns that people may have.
The service operated effective systems for auditing care and ensuring robust governance. However, we identified a serious record system as night staff were completing important records such as welfare checks in advance, which meant that we could not be sure that these had actually taken place. The provider advised us of the steps they were taking to address this issue.
The service had appropriate measures to safeguard people from abuse and ill treatment. Staff understood their responsibilities to report safeguarding concerns and managers took appropriate steps to ensure these were acted on. However, we identified that people sometimes received support from care workers of the opposite gender without robust procedures for ensuring that this was what people wanted. We made a recommendation to the provider to review their procedures to ensure people were consenting to care from male carers.
Staff reported feeling well supported by managers and processes worked effectively to ensure information was shared with staff.
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection:
The last rating for this service was good (published 5 October 2022).
Why we inspected
We received concerns in relation to how the provider managed safeguarding concerns. As a result, we undertook a targeted inspection to assess these concerns. As a result of our findings, we decided to widen the inspection to review the key question of well-led.
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. This is based on the findings at this inspection.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Farm Lane on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Enforcement
We have found a breach of regulation in relation to good governance. We served a warning notice to the provider.
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.