The Laurels

Updated 2 October 2019

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

The Laurels 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.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided. The registered manager was on pre-arranged holiday leave and was not present for the inspection. The deputy manager was present for the inspection.

Notice of inspection

We gave the provider 24 hours’ notice of our intention to undertake an inspection. This was because the organisation was a small service and we needed to ensure that the people living at the home would be available.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection-

We spoke with four people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with three members of staff including the deputy manager and two senior care workers.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at a variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the deputy manager to validate evidence found in respect of changes to auditing processes to ensure they were effective and the service remained clean and safe.

Updated 2 October 2019

The Laurels is a residential care home providing personal care to up to six people with mental health needs, acquired brain injury or learning disabilities.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection, five people lived at the home and four people received personal care.

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

People told us they felt safe living at The Laurels. However, we found management checks were not consistent to ensure the environment was always safe or clean; shortfalls we found were addressed during our inspection. However, audits and quality assurance processes had not identified or acted on these issues as was their intended purpose.

Medicines were stored and managed safely. There were policies and procedures in place for safe administration of medicines. People received their medicines when they needed them from staff who had been trained and competency checked.

Staff were knowledgeable about the Mental Capacity Act 2005. They knew to seek consent for care and knew the process to help those who lacked capacity to make decisions. People’s needs were met by the adaptation and design of the service.

People were protected from abuse. When potential safeguarding incidents occurred, staff followed correct processes and reporting procedures. Staff had received regular safeguarding training. Managers acted to investigate concerns and informed the Local Authority safeguarding team and the Care Quality Commission as required.

Managers understood and complied with their regulatory responsibilities. Care plans were up to date and contained the level of detail needed. Risks associated with people’s care had been identified and full risk assessments were in place.

People’s care was based on their needs and preferences. People were supported to do things they enjoyed. People were independent and chose how to spend their time. An appropriate complaints system was in place.

People were involved in their assessment to ensure the service could meet their needs. Staff had received the training and support required to enable them to fulfil their roles. 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.

People told us they were happy living at The Laurels and liked the staff team who supported them. People were supported to express their opinions about their care. People and staff had positive relationships based on mutual trust. Staff understood people’s conditions and needs well and were responsive to these.

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 29 November 2016).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

Full information about CQC’s regulatory response to the more serious concerns found during inspections is added to reports after any representations and appeals have been concluded.

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.