Archived: The Larches

Updated 18 August 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 13 July 2016 and was carried out by one inspector. The inspection was unannounced.

We reviewed information we held about the home including statutory notifications which had been sent to us. Statutory notifications include information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law. We also checked information which had been sent to us by other agencies. We requested information about the homes from the local authority and Healthwatch. The local authority has responsibility for funding people who used the service and monitoring its quality. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion, which promotes the views and experiences of people who use health and social care.

During our inspection we spent time with people in the communal areas of the home and spoke with four people. We spoke with the provider's representative, two senior staff members and two care workers. We also spoke with a visiting health professional employed by the provider. The registered manger was not available during our visit so we spoke to them on the telephone. We also spoke with two people’s relatives on the telephone.

We looked at a range of documents and written information including five people's care records, records about the administration of medicines, and how staff cared for people so they stayed safe and well. We looked at records of staff training and two staff member’s recruitment files. We also looked at information about how the manager monitored the quality of the service, minutes of meetings with people living at the home, minutes of staff meetings and complaint records.

Updated 18 August 2016

The inspection took place on 13 July 2016 and was unannounced. The Larches provides accommodation for up to six people. People living at the home had a wide range of complex well-being and physical needs. There were six people living at the home at the time of our inspection. People had their own rooms and the use of a number of communal areas including lounges and dining areas and a garden.

We spent time with people who lived at the home and spoke with five people about the care and support they received. The examples we have given are therefore brief because we respect people’s right to confidentiality.

A registered manager was in post at the time of our inspection. 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.

Risks to people's safety were understood by staff and people benefited from receiving care which took into account their safety needs. There were enough staff to care for people and staff knew what actions to take if they had any concerns for people's wellbeing or safety. People were supported to take their medicines so they would remain well.

People were supported by staff who knew them well and who used their skills and knowledge so people’s health and well-being would be promoted. People received help from staff to enjoy a range of food and drinks and to obtain help form health professionals so they would remain well. Staff worked with other organisations so people's rights to make decisions and their freedoms were protected.

People enjoyed spending time with the registered manager and had built caring relationships with staff. People were given encouragement to make their own decisions about their day to day care when they needed it. People's rights to dignity and privacy was understood and acted upon by staff.

People’s care was planned in ways which took into account how they liked their care to be given. Staff took action when people's needs changed. People and their relatives had not needed to raise any complaints about the service, but were confident action would be taken if complaints were made.

Staff understood what was expected of them and were supported by the registered manager and senior staff to care for people. People were supported by staff to make any suggestions they had about the care provided. Regular checks were made on the quality of the care by the provider’s representative and registered manager. Actions were taken to further improve people’s experience of living at the home.