Background to this inspection
Updated
22 January 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. 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
Larks Leas 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
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
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 also contacted commissioners and a local authority safeguarding team for information. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with three people who used the service and four relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with eight members of staff including the registered manager, senior health care assistants, health care assistants, activities coordinator, domestic assistant, maintenance worker and head chef. We walked around the home and observed care practice and interactions between support staff and people.
We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records, daily monitoring charts and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment, training and supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service including safeguarding records, incident forms and audits were reviewed.
After the inspection
We spoke with one professional who regularly visits the service and used their feedback when considering the judgements made in this report.
Updated
22 January 2020
About the service
Larks Leas is a residential care home providing personal and nursing care to 21 people aged 65 and over at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to 22 people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People felt safe living at Larks Leas and their relatives expressed confidence in the quality of care their family members received. People had personalised risk assessments to help reduce risks in their lives and general risk assessments were undertaken to help ensure the safety of people and visitors. There were enough staff on shift to meet people’s needs in a timely way. People received their medicines on time and as prescribed from staff with the relevant training and ongoing competency checks.
People were supported to access healthcare services when required. A health professional told us staff made appropriate referrals and followed their guidance. This helped to maintain people’s overall health and well-being. People’s dietary needs and preferences were known and met. Where there were concerns about people’s dietary intake this was closely monitored and support sought from GPs and dieticians. People told us they enjoyed the food with relatives encouraged to join family members at meal times.
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. Staff consistently sought people’s consent before offering and providing support.
Staff had time to get to know people well which contributed to personalised care. Care was responsive to people’s changing needs. People and, where appropriate, relatives and advocates were involved in care review meetings. This helped ensure people could make decisions and influence the care they received.
People and relatives spoke positively about the approach taken by staff; conveying their view that staff were always kind and caring. Our observations confirmed staff engaged with people with patience and were attentive to their individual needs. People were encouraged to live their lives as they chose and to be as independent as possible.
People had the opportunity to take part in a range of group and one to one activities which recognised their abilities and interests. Relatives, friends and pets were actively encouraged to visit the home. Relatives told us they were always made to feel welcome and involved.
People were supported by staff who enjoyed their jobs and working at the home. Staff were encouraged to develop professionally and given the necessary support to achieve this. The registered manager was seen as supportive, approachable and a good listener. Staff were valued and recognised by the registered manager and directors.
The home had recognised the benefits to people of being an active part of the local community. The management had established and maintained links with a local college, pre-school and dementia alliance. This demonstrated the home’s recognition of the part it could play in supporting access to the care industry, inter-generational understanding and creating dementia friendly communities.
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 6 July 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.