Okehampton care home faces scrutiny after inspectors uncover safety concerns
Lakeside Care Home has received a new rating from the Care Quality Commission after an assessment uncovered problems with several aspects of its care and management
A care home near Okehampton has been rated ‘Requires improvement’ after inspectors found problems with care planning, medicines management and leadership.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) published its latest assessment of Lakeside Care Home, in Lower Maddaford, Southcott, on October 22.
The assessment, carried out between September 9 and 30, was prompted by concerns about unsafe care.
Inspectors found three breaches of regulations relating to consent, safe care and treatment, and governance.
Some residents’ care plans lacked sufficient detail or contained contradictory information, putting people at risk of not receiving the care they needed.
The CQC also identified one case where shortcomings had adversely affected a resident’s quality of life.
Records did not consistently demonstrate that risks were being identified and managed effectively, while medicines were not always managed safely.
The assessment found that residents’ rights under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 were not fully upheld.
In some cases involving restrictive practices, mental capacity assessments and best-interest decisions had not been completed.
Inspectors also found weaknesses in the home’s management and oversight, including no recorded governance process or effective service improvement plan.
Management had failed to adequately monitor staff training, meaning not all employees had completed legally required training.
The CQC’s website states that it served two warning notices on the provider, Maddaford Care Services Limited, on September 30. These related to safe care and treatment and good governance.
Despite the concerns, feedback from residents and relatives about staff was generally positive.
The CQC spoke to eight residents and two relatives.
Residents described staff as kind and approachable and said they felt safe at the home.
One resident told inspectors: “The staff are helpful and kind and are good with the residents.”
A relative said: “It’s out of this world here, the best care I have ever seen. It’s so much better than her previous care home. I can’t find fault.”
Inspectors also observed positive relationships between residents and staff, noting that people were treated with kindness and dignity and supported to make their own choices.
Lakeside Care Home provides personal care for adults aged over 65. It had 36 residents at the time of the assessment and is registered to accommodate up to 40 people.
The CQC rated the home ‘Requires improvement’ for safety, effectiveness and being well-led, while its caring and responsiveness ratings were ‘Good’.
The regulator says a ‘Requires improvement’ rating means a service is not performing as well as it should and has been told what it must do to improve.