Scarborough’s Ravensworth Lodge care home rated as ‘Requires Improvement’ by CQC

The CQC inspected after they received concerns in relation to the management of the home, provider oversight, management of risks and staffing.

As a result, they undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well led only.

Ravensworth Lodge is a residential care home providing regulated activity of personal care to up to 24 people.

The CQC found that people did not always receive care and support to meet their assessed needs in a timely manner.

Staff were working without sufficient support and guidance due to a lack of appropriate management support.

Processes to ensure enough suitably trained staff were always on duty were not effective.

Due to a lack of appropriate management of the service, staff did not receive appropriate checks, support and supervision to carry out their roles effectively.

The provider did not have oversight to ensure staff and health professionals had access to complete care records and up to date policies and procedures.

There was no manager oversight to ensure new electronic care recording processes in place for staff to use remained effective, putting people at risk from harm.

Information used to manage the risks was not robustly completed. For example, checks to keep people safe during a fire were not completed as required.

There was no clear process for staff to follow to ensure accidents, incidents and safeguarding concerns were recorded and reported as required to keep people safe.

Processes in place to ensure people lived in a clean environment and were protected from the risks of air born viruses were not robust.

Where people were incontinent, insufficient numbers of staff meant people were not always assisted in a timely way as required.

Deep cleaning of people's carpeted rooms failed to ensure they remained free from the smell of urine and there was no plan in place to implement remedial actions for improvement.

People said they received their medicines safely. However, checks were not completed that ensured the safe management of medicines followed best practice guidance.

People said they felt safe and were happy with their care.

Staff were knowledgeable and skilled. People received support from a range of health professionals when required.

Observations and feedback confirmed the failings found had a low impact on people at the time of the inspection, but people were at risk if continued.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Christine Abbott, Chair of Yorkshire Friends Housing Society which runs Ravensworth Lodge said: “CQC highlighted some of the failures of the management team in the home for which we are grateful and took immediate action.

“We are very happy to have appointed a new management and leadership team in the home, from a new Home Manager, deputies and senior carers who are working closely with the team from North Yorkshire County Council to ensure that we meet the expectations we all have, for excellent standards of care and management in the home.”