CQC report explained · a residential care home, run by Lifeways Community Care

The Cottage

Heath Farm, Heath Road, Ashby De La Launde, Lincoln, LN4 3JD

Goodpublished 18 January 2024, 2 years ago

Rated Good: inspectors found the service performing well and meeting their expectations.

The five questions inspectors ask

Safe?: Good; People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm. Inspectors found enough suitable staff, safe medicines practice, effective risk management and good infection control.
Effective?: Good; This question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was carried forward when calculating the overall rating.
Caring?: Good; This question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was carried forward when calculating the overall rating.
Responsive?: Good; This question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous rating was carried forward when calculating the overall rating.
Well-led?: Requires improvement; The home had a positive and open culture, and managers used audits and staff learning to improve support. However, the provider had not resolved identified environmental repairs and refurbishment in a timely way.

The latest report, explained

What inspectors found, January 2024

Rated Good overall, but inspectors found leadership Requires Improvement because environmental repairs were not dealt with promptly.

This was an unannounced focused inspection on 29 November and 5 December 2023. One inspector observed care, spoke with family members, managers and staff, and checked care, medicines, recruitment and management records.

The home was rated Good for Safe. Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicine arrangements, suitable risk assessments and good safeguarding practice. People were supported in a way that protected their choices and independence.

Well-led was rated Requires Improvement, as it was at the previous inspection. Repairs and refurbishment had been reported but were still waiting for dates, including holes, damaged decoration and mould. This was a breach of Regulation 17 on good governance.

The overall rating stayed Good. The inspection only assessed Safe and Well-led. The other question ratings were carried forward from the previous inspection.

What inspectors praised

Safe staffing
Inspectors found enough staff to meet people's assessed needs. Recruitment checks and training were in place.
“The provider ensured there were sufficient numbers of suitable staff.” from the report
Personalised support
Support plans reflected people's goals, communication needs and preferences. Staff helped people retain control over their daily lives.
“Support was person-centred and promoted people's individuality, well-being and dignity.” from the report
Safe medicines
Staff were trained and assessed as competent to give medicines. Records showed medicines were given as prescribed.
“Medicines records showed people received their medicines as prescribed.” from the report
Open culture
People, families and staff were involved in the home. Inspectors found positive relationships and good communication with relatives and outside professionals.
“There was a positive and open culture at the service.” from the report

What inspectors were concerned about

Unresolved repairs
serious
The provider had not acted quickly enough on environmental problems reported as early as January 2023. Inspectors found holes, damaged decoration and mould in parts of the home.
“The provider's systems remained ineffective in responding to and resolving identified issues within the environment in timely manner.” from the report

Questions to ask them, based on this report

01Have all the reported repairs and refurbishment work now been completed, including the bathroom holes, damaged toilet sealing, dining room decoration and mould?
02What dates and checks are now in place to make sure environmental problems are dealt with promptly?
03What action have you taken in response to the Regulation 17 breach, and what evidence can you show that the action plan is complete?
04How do you maintain the current full complement of permanent staff?
05How do you involve families in reviewing support plans and people's goals?

This was an unannounced focused inspection of Safe and Well-led only; the other question ratings were carried over from the previous inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 18 January 2024 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.

The story over the years

Every inspection of The Cottage

3 rated inspections over 8 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.

January 2024Goodcurrent ratingstayed Good
Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
Read what inspectors found at The Cottage →
August 2018Goodstayed Good
Safe: GoodWell-led: Requires improvement
We are reading this report · the original is on cqc.org.uk
November 2015Good
Safe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
Read this report on cqc.org.uk
September 2014
Report published without a new overall rating.
Read this report on cqc.org.uk
November 2013
Report published without a new overall rating.
Read this report on cqc.org.uk
October 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
Read this report on cqc.org.uk
April 2012
Report published without a new overall rating.
Read this report on cqc.org.uk
December 2010
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 23 December 2010.

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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Lincoln, LN4

Good

Residential

Lincoln, LN4 · 4.2 km

Requires improvement

Residential

Rated 20 months agocare home

What inspectors found, January 2024

Safe staffing

Personalised support

Safe medicines

Open culture

Unresolved repairs

Every inspection of The Cottage

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