Archived: Lincolns Care Ltd

Updated 21 October 2015

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection was undertaken by one inspector and took place on 21 and 22 September 2015 and was unannounced.

Before the inspection we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The provider completed and returned the PIR form to us and we used this information as part of our inspection planning.

During the inspection we telephoned three people who received a service and spoke with one relative. We spoke with the registered manager, deputy manager and three care staff.

As part of this inspection we looked at four people’s care records and records in relation to the management of the service.

We looked at other information that we held about the service including notifications, which provide information about events that happen in the service that the provider is required to inform us about by law.

Updated 21 October 2015

Lincolns Care Ltd is registered to provide personal care to people who live in their own homes through the domiciliary care service and supported living service. At the time of our inspection four people were receiving personal care from the domiciliary care.

We last inspected Lincolns Care Ltd in June 2014. At that inspection we found the service was meeting all the essential standards that we assessed. This unannounced inspection took place on the 21 and 22 September 2015.

The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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 scheme is run.

Audits of daily notes and medication administration record charts had not always identified issues. Where issues had been identified the required action had not always been taken or recorded.

People had their needs assessed and reviewed so that staff knew how to support them to maintain their independence. The care plans contained good, person focussed information.

The CQC is required by law to monitor the operation of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and to report on what we find. We found that people who used the service had their capacity to make day-to-day decisions assessed.

The risk of harm for people was reduced because staff knew how to recognise and report abuse. People were supported to be as safe as possible and risk assessments had been written to give staff the information they needed to reduce risks.

The recruitment process ensured that only suitable staff were employed to provide care to people using the service. There were sufficient staff to meet the needs of people receiving a service.

People’s privacy and dignity was respected by all staff. People and their relatives were aware that there was a complaints procedure in place and who they would contact.

Staff felt supported by the managers and they were able to raise any concerns or discuss any ideas they had.

Although systems were not in place to monitor and review the safety and quality of people’s care and support, people and their relatives had individual contact with the registered manager on a regular basis.