• Care Home
  • Care home

Archived: Long Lane

Overall: Requires improvement read more about inspection ratings

130 Long Lane, Grays, Essex, RM16 2PR (01375) 394649

Provided and run by:
South Essex Special Needs Housing Association Limited

All Inspections

4 March 2021

During an inspection looking at part of the service

About the service

Long Lane is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. Long Lane cares for up to two people with learning difficulties. At the time of inspection two people were using the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the guidance CQC follows to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. People received person centred care that was inclusive and promoted their independence and choices.

Staff followed infection prevention control guidance. However, there was limited training in this area and no infection prevention control policy or audits in place. Some issues in the environment needed addressing such as having a lockable cupboard for cleaning chemicals.

Staff supported people as individuals. Medication was administered safely, and staff knew how to raise safeguarding concerns. The registered manager recruited new staff safely to the service.

Systems needed to be developed to provide governance and oversight of the service.

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 13 February 2018).

Why we inspected

We received concerns in relation to infection prevention and control. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.

We reviewed the information we held about the service. No areas of concern were identified in the other key questions. We therefore did not inspect them. Ratings from previous comprehensive inspections for those key questions were used in calculating the overall rating at this inspection.

The overall rating for the service has changed from Good to Requires Improvement. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the Safe and Well Led sections of this full report.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

The provider has taken steps to address the areas of concern identified.

Enforcement

We are mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our regulatory function. This meant we took account of the exceptional circumstances arising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic when considering what enforcement action was necessary and proportionate to keep people safe as a result of this inspection. We will continue to discharge our regulatory enforcement functions required to keep people safe and to hold providers to account where it is necessary for us to do so.

Follow up

We will request an action plan for the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.

20 November 2017

During a routine inspection

This inspection took place on the 20 November 2017 and was unannounced. The inspection team consisted of one inspector. The previous inspection to the service was in November 2015 and the service was rated ‘Good’ overall. This service was inspected at the same time as the sister service which is very similar to this service. Both service are with five minutes’ drive from each other and managed by the same registered manager. Some areas of the report will contain many similarities as we spoke to the same staff during our inspections of both services.

Long Lane is a residential home registered to provide personal care and accommodation for two people with learning disabilities and who may have an autistic spectrum disorder. The service is located in Grays, Essex. Each person has a single room and there is a communal bathroom, shower room, kitchen, dining room and lounge. There is a rear-enclosed garden at the back of the house with level access. At the time of our inspection there were two people using the service.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the ‘Registering the Right Support’ and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.

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 service was safe. The service’s recruitment process ensured that appropriate checks were carried out before staff commenced employment. There were sufficient staff on duty to meet the needs of people and keep them safe from potential harm or abuse. People’s health and wellbeing needs were assessed and reviewed to minimise risk to health. People’s medication was managed well and records of administration were kept up to date.

The service was effective. People were cared for and supported by staff who had received training to support people and to meet their needs. The registered manager had a good understanding of their responsibilities in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. People were supported to eat and drink enough to ensure they maintained a balanced diet and referrals to health and social care services was made when required.

The service was caring. Staff cared for people in a empathetic and kind manner. Staff had a good understanding of people’s preferences of care. Staff always worked hard to promote people’s independence through encouraging and supporting people to make informed decisions.

The service was responsive. Records we viewed showed people and their relatives were involved in the planning and review of their care. Care plans were reviewed on a regular basis and also when there was a change in care needs. People were supported to follow their interests and participate in social activities. The service responded to complaints in a timely manner.

The service was well-led. Staff and people spoke very highly of the registered manager and the provider who they informed to be very supportive and worked hard to provide an exceptional service. The service had systems in place to monitor and provide good care and these were reviewed on a regular basis.

10 November 2015

During a routine inspection

The unannounced inspection took place on the 10 November 2015.

Long Lane provides accommodation and support for up to two people living with a learning disability.

The service is required to and did have a registered manager. 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.

Staff delivered support effectively and care was provided in a way that intended to promote people’s independence and wellbeing, whilst people’s safety was ensured. Staff were recruited and employed upon completion of appropriate checks as part of a robust recruitment process. Sufficient members of staff enabled people’s individual needs to be met adequately. Qualified staff dispensed medications and monitored people’s health satisfactorily.

Staff understood their responsibilities and how to keep people safe. People’s rights were also protected because management and staff understood the legal framework of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

People were given support and advice regarding purchasing and cooking food, which allowed an informed choice to be made by each individual. Staff and manager ensured access to healthcare services were readily available to people and worked with a range of health professionals, such as social workers, community mental health nurses and GPs; to implement care and support plans.

Staff were respectful and compassionate towards people ensuring privacy and dignity was valued. People were supported in a person centred way by staff who understood their roles in relation to encouraging independence whilst mitigating potential risks. People were supported to identify their own interests and pursue them with the assistance of staff. Person centred social activities took place within the service as well as in the community.

Systems were in place to make sure that people’s views were gathered. These included regular meetings, direct interactions with people and questionnaires being distributed to people, relatives and healthcare professionals. The service was assisted to run effectively by the use of quality monitoring audits the manager carried out, which identified any improvements needed. A complaints procedure was in place and had been implemented appropriately by the management team.

23 July 2013

During a routine inspection

When we visited this service there was only one person living there. They told us that they were happy, safe and well cared for at Long Lane.

We saw that their care and treatment was planned and reviewed with their involvement and consent. Risks to the health, welfare and safety of the person were identified and managed.

Staff were well trained and supported to care for people properly and to keep them safe. Our visit showed us that the service was safe, responsive and caring.

The service was effective and well led. There were systems in place for monitoring and improving the quality and safety of the service, taking into account the views of the person living there and other interested parties.

17 May 2012

During a routine inspection

People we spoke with told us that they were very satisfied with the staff, the food and their activities. They told us that they knew what was in their support plan and were involved in deciding daily routines and the way their rooms were furnished and decorated. People told us that staff supported them in accessing the local and wider community, so that they could take part in their chosen interests and activities. People also told us that they liked the way the home was run and with staff attitudes towards them.