Lakeside Residential Care Home

This inspection report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) provides an overview of Lakeside Residential Care Home, assessing its performance across key areas of care. The report details the findings of an unannounced visit, focusing on how the service operates and the experiences of those living there and their families. It aims to give a clear picture of the quality and safety of the care provided.

In terms of safety, residents generally felt protected from harm, with staff demonstrating a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and robust recruitment practices in place. Medicines were administered safely, and infection control measures were robust. However, there were some instances where call monitoring systems experienced temporary issues, which the manager agreed to investigate.

Regarding effectiveness, the care provided consistently led to good outcomes for residents. Staff were trained and skilled, though the training records for the home needed more accurate updating. While residents generally received care that met their needs and respected their choices, some feedback suggested mixed experiences with the quality and quantity of food.

The service was found to be caring, with residents and their relatives speaking highly of the staff's kindness, compassion, and respect. Staff were adept at promoting privacy, dignity, and independence, and residents felt comfortable asking for support when needed. The home also actively involved residents in decisions about their care and daily life.

In its responsiveness, the home ensured residents' needs were met through good organisation. Care plans were generally personalised, though some did not fully reflect current needs due to gaps in the auditing process. The service also supported residents in maintaining relationships and participating in activities tailored to their interests, and feedback indicated a positive approach to handling complaints.

However, the service's leadership and management required improvement. While the registered manager possessed a good understanding of residents' needs, this was not always consistently reflected in up-to-date care documentation. Auditing processes needed to be more robust to identify gaps in records, and there was a recommendation for the provider to review these processes to ensure accuracy and currency of all care records.