CQC report explained · a residential care home, run by SUSASH Blackpool
Carlin Lodge
40 Carlin Gate, Blackpool, FY2 9QT
Rated Requires improvement: inspectors found the service was not performing as well as it should and told it what to change.
- Safe?
- Requires improvement
- Medicines were not always stored securely, and some care records lacked important guidance about equipment and risks. Staffing, recruitment checks, infection control and safeguarding arrangements were otherwise described positively.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward when the overall rating was calculated.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward when the overall rating was calculated.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this focused visit. Its previous rating was carried forward when the overall rating was calculated.
- Well-led?
- Requires improvement
- Audits did not consistently identify problems or drive improvement. The manager had only recently started, although people, relatives and staff said they could raise concerns and felt supported.
What inspectors found, December 2023
Requires Improvement; inspectors found people felt safe and well supported, but medicines, care records and checks needed urgent improvement.
This was an unannounced focused inspection on 8 November 2023. One inspector spoke with people, relatives and staff, and reviewed recruitment records and other documents. The inspection looked only at Safe and Well-led.
Medicines were not always stored securely. Some care records did not give staff enough information about equipment and risks. Audits had not found these problems. These issues meant the home was in breach of regulations.
People told inspectors they felt safe and staff helped them quickly. The home was clean and homely, staffing levels were considered sufficient, and staff understood people's needs. The overall rating remains Requires Improvement, as does Safe and Well-led.
The home took immediate action after the inspection, including repairing the medicines cupboard lock, updating records and improving audits. However, it had also been rated Requires Improvement at the previous inspection in 2021 and remains in breach of regulations.
Clean and homely environment
Inspectors found the home clean and homely. Staff knew people's needs and wishes.
“People were cared for in a clean and homely environment by staff who knew people's needs and wishes.” from the report
Enough staff
People and staff said there were enough staff, and inspectors saw people receive help quickly.
“People and staff told us there were enough staff to meet people's needs.” from the report
Safe recruitment
The home had improved its recruitment checks since the last inspection. The previous breach about recruitment was no longer present.
“Enough improvement had been made at this inspection and the provider was no longer in breach of regulation 19.” from the report
People felt listened to
People and relatives said they could raise concerns and be involved in decisions about care.
“Documentation showed people and relatives were involved in decision making about the care provided.” from the report
Medicines were not secure
seriousThe medicines room was not locked because a cupboard lock had broken. This created a risk that unauthorised people could access medicines.
“Medicines were not always stored safely and securely. This posed the risk that people who were not authorised to access medicines could do so.” from the report
Care records lacked guidance
seriousSome records did not explain how staff should use equipment to protect skin or manage falls. This could lead to care that did not meet people's needs.
“Documentation did not contain sufficient information for staff on how to minimise risks.” from the report
Checks had not found problems
seriousThe home's audits did not identify the medicines storage problem or gaps in care records. This meant the management system was not reliably finding and correcting risks.
“Audits did not consistently drive improvement.” from the report
- 01Has the medicines cupboard lock been repaired, and how do you now check that all medicines remain securely stored?
- 02What changes have you made to care records about skin integrity equipment and falls management equipment?
- 03How often are audits carried out, and how do you make sure they identify and correct problems?
- 04What progress has been made with the manager's application to register with the CQC?
- 05What action has been taken since the inspection, and what evidence can you show that the changes are working?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; ratings for Effective, Caring and Responsive were carried forward from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 December 2023 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of Carlin Lodge
2 rated inspections over 2 years: the service has held its Requires improvement rating throughout.
- December 2023Requires improvementcurrent ratingstayed Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
- October 2021Requires improvementSafe: Requires improvementWell-led: Requires improvement
- April 2021Inspected but not ratedSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- October 2020Inspected but not ratedSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- May 2019
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 1 May 2019.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission. A service can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections, not every contact the CQC has had with the service.
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