Lonnen Grove

Updated 7 August 2021

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.

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

This inspection was conducted by one inspector.

Service and service type

Lonnen Grove is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service short notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure the inspection could be inspected safely during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

What we did before the inspection

Before the inspection, we reviewed all the information we held about the service including information about important events which the service is required to tell us about by law. We also looked at any concerns people using the service or staff had raised with CQC prior to the inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report.

We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

Inspection activity commenced on 26 May and finished on 4 June. We visited the service on 27 May 2021.

We spoke with two people using the service and one person’s relative. We also spoke with four members of staff.

We observed infection control arrangements within the home, and conducted an inspection of the premises.

We looked at care records for three people using the service We looked at training and recruitment records for staff. We also reviewed various policies and procedures and the quality assurance and monitoring systems of the service.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 7 August 2021

About the service

Lonnen Grove is an eight-bed nursing home, providing care to adults with learning disabilities and other support needs. There is a core home that accommodates six people and a separate house that accommodates two people. The home is in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. It is in its own grounds in a quiet, residential area, but close to public transport links and the town centre. At the time of the inspection there were six people living at the home.

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

We were assured people were being cared for safely. The provider had demonstrated a high regard to the risks presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Risk assessments had been undertaken, and there was a testing programme in place for staff and people using the service.

Medicines were managed safely, and the provider had an effective system in place for auditing medicines and ensuring they were administered safely.

The provider had taken appropriate action in relation to safeguarding, and most people using the service and their relatives told us they felt safe when receiving care. One person told us another person’s actions made them feel unsafe, although was saw the provider was taking actions to address this.

Staff we spoke with told us they felt supported by management within the home, although some staff had contacted CQC anonymously prior to the inspection to raise concerns about how incidents were managed.

Recruitment was undertaken safely, with appropriate background checks before staff started work.

Governance arrangements were robust, and identified and addressed any areas for improvement or shortfalls. There were clear, accurate audit trails of this process.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

This service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. People’s choice and independence were upheld; care was person-centred and the culture of the home was empowering and inclusive.

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 March 2020)

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted due to concerns received about how the provider was ensuring incidents were managed safely within the home. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks. As this was a focussed inspection, we reviewed the key questions of safe and well led only. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for other key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection. The overall rating for the service remains good.