Background to this inspection
Updated
7 February 2020
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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team:
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type:
Laurel House 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.
Notice of inspection:
We phoned the service the evening before arriving to make sure staff and people living at the service would be in.
What we did before the inspection:
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. This information helps support our inspections.
During the inspection:
We spoke with three people who lived at the service, although one person was not fully able to engage with us.
In addition to talking with people, we spent time observing the daily activities at the service including lunch and we looked around the building to check the service was safe and clean.
On the day of the inspection we spoke with two care staff and the registered manager.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records, two medicine administration records (MAR) and checked stocks of two medicines match records. We looked at two staff recruitment files and supervision records. We also checked documentation related to quality audits, building and fire safety maintenance checks. There had been no complaints in the last 12 months; we checked incident records related to people’s behaviours and the actions taken following these.
After the inspection:
We asked for training records for the staff team. We also spoke with two family members and received feedback from one health and social care professional.
Updated
7 February 2020
About the service:
Laurel House is a residential care home providing personal care and accommodation to up to five people with a learning disability and/or autism. At the time of the inspection there were five people living at the service. The home is on a residential street in a community setting and designed to promote people's inclusion and independence.
The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.
People’s experience of using this service:
People and their relatives told us the staff were kind and caring to them, and the registered manager and staff understood, and could meet their needs.
There was a person-centred culture at the service. 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 enjoyed personalised activities in the local community.
Care records were up to date and risk assessments provided staff with enough information to manage identified risks. Staff understood people’s needs and preferences and were able to work safely with the range of risks presented. Staff recruitment was safe and there were enough staff to meet people’s needs and provide flexible, responsive care.
People were supported to access external health professionals to help promote good health and wellbeing. We received positive feedback from health professionals who worked in partnership with the service.
People were safeguarded against the risks of abuse and harm by the systems and by the staff.
Relatives and professionals spoke highly of the registered manager, and staff told us they were supported effectively in their role through supervision and training.
Quality audits took place to ensure medicines were safely managed and the service provided was of a good standard.
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 the service was good (published 2 August 2017).
Why we inspected:
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up:
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.