The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found the quality of care provided by St John of God Care Services Lindisfarne, Darlington to be Outstanding following an inspection in March 2018. The service is known locally as Lindisfarne Court.
The service provides care to people with learning disabilities, acquired brain injury and physical disabilities. At the time of the inspection there were 12 people living at the home.
The service was rated Good for safety, effectiveness and responsiveness and Outstanding for caring and well-led. A copy of the latest report can be found on our website.
At a previous inspection in February 2016 the service was rated Good.
Some of the features of this inspection included:
Staff were exceptional in their caring approach to people and relatives and people inspectors spoke with told them the staff team were dedicated and wanted the best for people they were caring for. Residents who had no verbal communication and limited understanding were very well looked after - inspectors witnessed staff asking permission and talking with people all the time about what they were assisting them with.
Medicines were managed safely and given to people in a safe and caring way. Inspectors saw that people received their medicines at the correct times. There were sufficient staff to provide people's care in a timely manner. Recruitment checks were carried out to ensure that staff were suitable to work with vulnerable people.
Debbie Westhead, Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care in the North, said:
“This is a service that provides excellent care; when they were last inspected in February 2016 they were rated as Good. It is encouraging to report that Lindisfarne Court had built on their Good rating and had driven their performance to achieve the Outstanding rating. They are to be congratulated.
“Before people came to live at Lindisfarne, people’s needs were assessed. Personalised care plans were then developed and regularly reviewed to support staff in caring for people the way they preferred. The service had developed activities and worked with external organisations to provide people with access to social clubs and to access therapies to improve their well-being.
“Throughout the visit, inspectors saw how the service made visitors and relatives feel comfortable and welcomed. Families told us they felt comfortable with the staff and service and every relative we spoke with told us of the 'family' environment created by the service.
“Many of the people living at Lindisfarne Court had very complex support needs that meant staff had to provide extensive personal care. My inspectors commented on how committed the home was to help preserve the privacy and dignity of people who lived in the home.
“Lindisfarne is very well-led. Everyone we spoke with praised the passion and commitment of the registered manager - she had worked at the service for over 10 years. The registered manager and staff team demonstrated strong person centred values and were committed to providing a first class service.
“The service encouraged staff to develop personal and professional skills. Indeed one member of staff had recently gone on to complete their nurse training. Lindisfarne Court is providing excellent care and thoroughly deserve their Outstanding rating. Through exceptional leadership and a real commitment to person-centred care they have not only maintained their already good standards, they are delivering first class care.”
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This is a service that provides excellent care...they are to be congratulated
Debbie Westhead, Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care in the North