Longcliffe Care Home

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• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

The provider had updated their policies and procedures about identifying and managing risk and protecting people from abuse. Some further work was required to ensure care plans and risk assessments were effective in identifying individual risks and instructing staff how to manage and reduce the risks. The environment and premises were being updated, redecorated and refurbished. There were no staff working at the service at the time of this assessment, however 10 existing staff were employed and intending to return to the service. Policies and procedures were in place for the safe management of people’s medicines and all existing staff were to receive refresher training and competency assessments. We could not assess people's experience because there was no one using the service at the time of this assessment.

This service scored 53 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We did not look at Learning culture during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We did not look at Safe systems, pathways and transitions during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We could not assess people's experience because there was no one using the service at the time of this assessment.

We spoke with the nominated individual (The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider) and the registered manager. Both demonstrated a good understanding of safeguarding including how to recognise abuse and how to report it. We could not assess feedback from staff because people's because there were no staff working at service at the time of this assessment. We could not assess feedback from staff because there were no staff working at service at the time of this assessment.

We could not use observation for this quality statement because there was no one using the service or any staff working at the service at the time of this assessment.

Care plans risk assessment templates we saw required further work to ensure they were personalised and effective. The provider had policies and procedures for accidents and incidents. However, more detail was required regarding staff response and escalation processes including when to seek medical attention. A post falls assessment tool was in place which required staff to carry out frequent observations for 24 hours following a fall. All care staff were to receive basic first aid training. Policies and procedures were in place for high risk medication such as anticoagulant medicine (blood thinning medicines). There was a policy and training package for staff regarding moving and handling and use of equipment. There was a business continuity plan but this required further development so staff would know what action to take in response to any incident or emergency.

We could not assess people's experience because there was no one using the service at the time of this assessment.

The Nominated Individual (NI) told us they would follow the local authority care planning guidance. People and or their relatives would be involved in developing and reviewing their individual care plan and risk assessment. Following the registered manager leaving the service, the NI told us they were actively recruiting for an experienced manager to be responsible for the risk assessment process, involving health care professionals as required and ensuring staff knew about all identified risks and how to manage them. The manager would have sight of all accident and incident records completed by staff so analyses could be carried out and changes made to reduce further risk. We could not assess feedback from staff because there were no staff working at service at the time of this assessment.

We could not use observation for this quality statement because there was no one using the service or any staff working at the service at the time of this assessment.

Care plans risk assessment templates we saw required further work to ensure they were personalised and effective. The provider had policies and procedures for accidents and incidents. However, more detail was required regarding staff response and escalation processes including when to seek medical attention. A post falls assessment tool was in place which required staff to carry out frequent observations for 24 hours following a fall. All care staff were to receive basic first aid training. Policies and procedures were in place for high risk medication such as anticoagulant medicine (blood thinning medicines). There was a policy and training package for staff regarding moving and handling and use of equipment. There was a business continuity plan but this required further development so staff would know what action to take in response to any incident or emergency.

We could not assess people's experience because there was no one using the service at the time of this assessment.

The nominated individual showed us the redecoration and refurbishment work carried out since out last inspection. The majority of areas had been re decorated and new furniture supplied. Work had been carried out to ensure the main shaft lift would no longer be affected by any flooding in the basement. The nurse call system had been upgraded and electrical wiring updated with a 5 year safety certificate supplied. Fire doors had been updated and replaced, further fire protection work was planned in the loft to ensure safe partitioning to prevent the spread of fire. Work had been carried out to repair the roof. We could not assess feedback from staff because there were no staff working at service at the time of this assessment.

We saw the first floor fire exit opened out onto steep metal stairs and there were no clear processes to prevent a person with cognitive impairment or sensory impairment accessing the stairs by mistake and falling. The fire escape stairs were not clearly marked. Equipment for supporting people with moving and handling did not have an in-date service and safety certificate. The provider sent us confirmation they had arranged for all moving and handling equipment to be checked and serviced shortly after our visit.

The fire risk assessment completed in June 2024 identified deficiencies the provider must address and work was ongoing. The fire risk assessment required updating with work completed and any outstanding actions remaining, The provider sent us a risk assessment for the first floor fire exit but this did not sufficiently explain how people with cognitive or sensory impairment would be protected from accessing this door and falling.

We could not assess people's experience because there was no one using the service at the time of this assessment.

There were no staff working at the service at the time of our site visit. The provider told us 10 existing staff were still employed and would return to work at the service once they had been re interviewed and had their training refreshed. A new agency contract was in place with increased safeguards regarding the training and checks carried out for each member of staff supplied and with ongoing support from the agency manager should the provider require this. Recruitment was ongoing for care staff and supporting staff such as maintenance. We could not assess feedback from staff because there were no staff working at service at the time of this assessment.

We could not use observation for this quality statement because there was no one using the service or any staff working at the service at the time of this assessment.

The provider sent us their staff induction checklist and mandatory training matrix. Training consisted of a mixture of online and face to face training. Further work was required to the staff induction training package to ensure sufficient detail or information around the support and guidance they would receive to enable them to meet their roles and responsibilities. A dependency tool was in place to support staffing deployment, however it was not clear how this tool would be used to calculate the numbers and skill mix required to meet people’s needs. At least one senior staff member would be on duty at all times. Staff supervisions would take place so staff could discuss their professional development needs or any concerns they may have with their line manager.

We did not look at Infection prevention and control during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Safe.

We could not assess people's experience because there was no one using the service at the time of this assessment.

An electronic system for recording and managing people’s medicines was in place. This system supported audit and oversight by prompting staff members where medicines had not been given or were not due to be given and recording a running count. This meant managers could check people received the right medicine at the right time. We could not assess feedback from staff because there were no staff working at service at the time of this assessment.

There were no people living at the service at the time of our site visit and therefore no medicines so we could not check storage or administration records. Policies and procedures were in place for staff to follow and these included protocols for diabetic medicine management. Further work was required to develop policy and procedure for the management of transdermal patches (pain patch medicines) this is to ensure the person’s skin is protected and the patch site rotated so the medicine remains effective and managed in a safe way. All staff responsible for managing people’s medicines would receive training and have their competency assessed.