• Care Home
  • Care home

The Laurels

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Sheridan Close, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN2 4JX (01522) 532596

Provided and run by:
Hunters Moor 929

Latest inspection summary

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Background to this inspection

Updated 16 December 2023

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

This inspection was carried out by 1 inspector and 2 Experts by Experience. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.

Service and service type

The Laurels is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. The Laurels is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

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, Healthwatch England and professionals who work with the service. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England.

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 8 people and 9 of their relatives. We spoke with 9 staff members including the registered manager, a senior manager and other members of the staff team. We spoke with 6 professionals who knew the service.

We reviewed 3 people’s care records and 4 people’s medicines records. We looked at recruitment records for 2 staff members and 2 agency staff members. We reviewed policies and numerous audits and quality assurance records.

We are improving how we hear people’s experience and views on services, when they have limited verbal communication. We have trained some CQC team members to use a symbol-based communication tool. We checked this was a suitable communication method, and people were happy to use it with us. We did this by reading their care and communication plans and speaking to staff or relatives and the person themselves. In this report, we used this communication tool with 1 person to tell us their experience of the care.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 16 December 2023

About the service

The Laurels is a specialist rehabilitation service. It provides care and support for up to 12 people who have an acquired brain injury and complex neurological conditions. The service supports people to access a range of rehabilitation programs. These are designed individually with the aim to support people to return to life in the community. There were 11 people living at the service at the time of this inspection.

The Laurels is split over 2 floors with ensuite bedrooms and a variety of shared spaces such as a training kitchen, laundry, areas for exercise and therapy, a lounge, a dining area and garden.

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

People told us they felt safe and were supported by a staff team who understood how to recognise abuse and were confident to report concerns. The registered manager ensured the relevant authorities were notified of all reportable events.

People had their needs fully assessed and risks to their health and well-being assessed and staff understood how to meet their needs.

People were supported to receive their medicines safely and medicines were regularly reviewed. Staff received training on safe administration of medicines and had their knowledge and practice assessed.

People were supported to access food and drink that met their needs and preferences. Health professionals monitored the needs and support of anyone who had difficulty eating or drinking.

People who required adaptations to their environment or to access specific equipment to support their mobility and improve their level of independence were supported to access or adapt what they needed.

People and those important to them were supported to be involved in reviews of their care and had regular opportunities to speak up. People told us they were happy to approach the registered manager if they had concerns or wanted to change their care and support. People felt listened to.

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.

The registered manager and senior staff team conducted regular audits of the service and used this information to drive improvement.

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 under the previous provider was outstanding (31 August 2017)

Why we inspected

This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service. We undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe, effective, caring and well-led only. For the key question not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating.

We did not find any concerns at The Laurels but the overall rating for the service has changed from outstanding to good based on the findings of this inspection. You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for The Laurels on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.