We carried out a review of the data available to us about Lantern Care Services on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Lantern Care Services, you can give feedback on this service.
Lantern Care Services is a domiciliary care agency providing personal care to 32 people in their homes aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were kept safe by trained staff who had been safely recruited. Staff knew how to identify, report and investigate any safeguarding concerns.
People were supported with their medicines by staff who were subject to regular competency checks. People were supported with the preparation of their food by staff who had been trained in food hygiene as and when required.
Risks to people’s safety were identified and managed. Both risk assessments and care plans were person-centred and reviewed regularly to ensure all needs were met. People were involved in the reviews of their care and made choices in relation to how they received their care. People were also encouraged to follow hobbies and interests by staff.
People were supported by caring staff that respected their equality, diversity and privacy. Staff also supported people to be independent and achieve goals. People were supported by staff to have access to health and social care professionals and staff followed guidance to ensure people received effective and timely care.
Staff were responsive to people’s needs and there was a complaints procedure in place for staff to investigate any concerns thoroughly and implement measures to prevent any future incidents.
Staff and people spoke highly of the management and the support they receive from the registered manager. Staff received regular supervision and took part in staff meetings and people were asked for regular feedback. Any ideas were implemented to make improvements to the service.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
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 02 August 2017).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
People who receive a service in their own homes include those living with physical frailty or memory loss due to the progression of age or illness. The agency also provides services to people living with dementia and people with mental health needs. At the time of our inspection 11 people received care and support in accordance with the regulated activity of personal care.
The inspection took place on 06 July 2017. The provider was given forty eight hours’ notice of the inspection.
The provider was the manager, and as such a registered manager was not required. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
The provider had a clear vision about providing a high quality and caring service. He was achieving this by having a clear plan to keep the service small so they could really focus on giving individualised care and support in a way people wanted it. The service was also focussed on a geographical area and only took on care packages, and recruited staff from this area. The feedback we received during the inspection showed that this vision had been achieved, and the service was well led.
Staff had a positive and caring attitude about their jobs. People told us that they were happy with the care and support they received. A relative said, “They do everything really well, they are always on time and their attitude to their job is excellent.” All the staff we spoke with were extremely happy in their work and proud of the job they do.
People received a safe service from the Lantern Care Services. There were sufficient numbers of staff who were appropriately trained to meet the needs of the people who used the service. Staff understood their duty should they suspect abuse was taking place, including the agencies that needed to be notified, such as the local authority safeguarding board or the police.
Staff recruitment procedures were safe. The provider had undertaken appropriate safety checks to ensure that only suitable staff were employed to support people in their own home. Staff said they felt supported to undertake their roles. Staff received a comprehensive induction and ongoing training, tailored to the needs of the people they supported.
Staff managed the medicines in a safe way and were trained in the safe administration of medicines.
Where people did not have the capacity to understand or consent to a decision the provider had followed the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005). Staff understood that they had to gain people’s consent before they provided care, and that they could not make decisions for people.
People were supported to have enough to eat and drink. They received support from staff where a need had been identified.
People were supported to maintain good health. When people’s health deteriorated staff responded quickly and made sure they contacted the appropriate professionals to ensure people received effective treatment.
People told us that the staff were kind and caring and treated them with dignity and respect. The staff knew the people they cared for as individuals, and had a good rapport with relatives. People described staff as being like ‘friends’ and how they came to feel like part of the family.
People received the care and support as detailed in their care plans. Care plans were based around the individual preferences of people as well as their medical, psychological and emotional needs. They gave a good level of detail for staff to reference if they needed to know what support was required.
People knew how to make a complaint. No complaints had been received since the service registered with the Care Quality Commission. Staff knew how to respond to a complaint should one be received, and welcomed them as an opportunity to improve the service.
The provider had effective systems in place to monitor the quality of care and support that people received. The provider had ensured that accurate records relating to the care and treatment of people and the overall management of the service were maintained.
The provider regularly visited people in their homes, or telephoned them to give people and staff an opportunity to talk, and to ensure a good standard of care was being provided to people.
Records for checks on health and safety, and medicines audits were all up to date. Accident and incident records were kept, and were analysed and used to improve the care provided to people.
People received a good standard of care and support by a caring and well led service. A relative said, “It has really taken a weight off my shoulders, knowing they are there for us. I’d tell anyone to have them if they needed care in the home.”