Inspection on 18/02/09 for The Laurels - Congleton

This inspection was carried out on 18th February 2009.

CSCI found this care home to be providing an Good service.

The inspector made no statutory requirements on the home as a result of this inspection and there were no outstanding actions from the previous inspection report.

Other inspections for this house

The Laurels - Congleton 20/02/07

The Laurels - Congleton 19/01/06

The Laurels - Congleton 04/08/05

The Laurels - Congleton 07/02/05

The Laurels - Congleton 13/07/04

Similar services:

Chirnside House

Keer Sands Residential Home

Ruskin Lodge

Bushell House

Clover House

Langrigg House

Parkside

Dystlegh Grange

Extracts from inspection reports are licensed from CQC, this page was updated on 19/06/2009.

Inspecting for better lives Key inspection report Care homes for older people Name: Address: The Laurels - Congleton Canal Road Congleton Cheshire CW12 3AP     The quality rating for this care home is:   two star good service A quality rating is our assessment of how well a care home, agency or scheme is meeting the needs of the people who use it. We give a quality rating following a full assessment of the service. We call this a ‘key’ inspection. Lead inspector: Joan Adam     Date: 1 8 0 2 2 0 0 9 This is a report of an inspection where we looked at how well this care home is meeting the needs of people who use it. There is a summary of what we think this service does well, what they have improved on and, where it applies, what they need to do better. We use the national minimum standards to describe the outcomes that people should experience. National minimum standards are written by the Department of Health for each type of care service. After the summary there is more detail about our findings. The following table explains what you will see under each outcome area. Outcome area (for example Choice of home) These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. that people have said are important to them: They reflect the things This box tells you the outcomes that we will always inspect against when we do a key inspection. This box tells you any additional outcomes that we may inspect against when we do a key inspection. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: This box tells you our opinion of what we have looked at in this outcome area. We will say whether it is excellent, good, adequate or poor. Evidence: This box describes the information we used to come to our judgement. Copies of the National Minimum Standards – Care Homes for Older People can be found at www.dh.gov.uk or bought from The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Crispins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering from the Stationery Office is also available: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop The Commission for Social Care Inspection aims to: • • • • Put the people who use social care first Improve services and stamp out bad practice Be an expert voice on social care Practise what we preach in our own organisation Our duty to regulate social care services is set out in the Care Standards Act 2000. Care Homes for Older People Page 2 of 20 Reader Information Document Purpose Author Audience Further copies from Copyright Inspection report CSCI General public 0870 240 7535 (telephone order line) Copyright © (2009) Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, free of charge, in any format or medium provided that it is not used for commercial gain. This consent is subject to the material being reproduced accurately and on proviso that it is not used in a derogatory manner or misleading context. The material should be acknowledged as CSCI copyright, with the title and date of publication of the document specified. www.csci.org.uk Internet address Care Homes for Older People Page 3 of 20 Information about the care home Name of care home: Address: The Laurels - Congleton Canal Road Congleton Cheshire CW12 3AP 01260278710 01260299383 Telephone number: Fax number: Email address: Provider web address: Name of registered provider(s): Aegis Residential Care Homes Ltd Name of registered manager (if applicable) Mrs Heather Eunice Hillier Type of registration: Number of places registered: Conditions of registration: Category(ies) : Number of places (if applicable): Under 65 learning disability old age, not falling within any other category Additional conditions: This home is registered for a maximum of 35 service users in the category of OP (Old age not falling within any other category) for personal care only Date of last inspection Brief description of the care home The Laurels is a care home providing personal care. It is close to the town centre of Congleton, which has a wide range of shops, churches and other facilities. The Laurels was formerly a private dwelling and has been extensively renovated and extended to provide care to older service users. It is a two-storey building and service users are accommodated on both floors. Access between floors is via two passenger lifts or the stairs. The current fees for the home are #343 to #554. This information was provided by the home manager. 1 0 Over 65 0 36 care home 36 Care Homes for Older People Page 4 of 20 Summary This is an overview of what we found during the inspection. The quality rating for this care home is: Our judgement for each outcome: two star good service Choice of home Health and personal care Daily life and social activities Complaints and protection Environment Staffing Management and administration peterchart Poor Adequate Good Excellent How we did our inspection: We made an unannounced visit to The Laurels on 18th February 2009. During the visit we spoke to the manager, some staff members and some residents. before the visit the manager was asked to complete a questionare called an Annual Quality Assurrance Assessment (AQAA) to provide us with up to date information about the home. Some of the comments we received and the information is detailed in this report. Care Homes for Older People Page 5 of 20 What the care home does well: What has improved since the last inspection? What they could do better: If you want to know what action the person responsible for this care home is taking following this report, you can contact them using the details set out on page 4. The report of this inspection is available from our website www.csci.org.uk. You can get printed copies from enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk or by telephoning our order line –0870 240 7535. Care Homes for Older People Page 6 of 20 Details of our findings Contents Choice of home (standards 1 - 6) Health and personal care (standards 7 - 11) Daily life and social activities (standards 12 - 15) Complaints and protection (standards 16 - 18) Environment (standards 19 - 26) Staffing (standards 27 - 30) Management and administration (standards 31 - 38) Outstanding statutory requirements Requirements and recommendations from this inspection Care Homes for Older People Page 7 of 20 Choice of home These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People are confident that the care home can support them. This is because there is an accurate assessment of their needs that they, or people close to them, have been involved in. This tells the home all about them and the support they need. People who stay at the home only for intermediate care, have a clear assessment that includes a plan on what they hope for and want to achieve when they return home. People can decide whether the care home can meet their support and accommodation needs. This is because they, or people close to them, have been able to visit the home and have got full, clear, accurate and up to date information about the home. If they decide to stay in the home they know about their rights and responsibilities because there is an easy to understand contract or statement of terms and conditions between them and the care home that includes how much they will pay and what the home provides for the money. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. Peoples needs are assessed before they live at the Laurels so they know their needs can be met. Evidence: Care files for three people who have recently come to live at the home were looked at. Assessments of their needs had been completed by the manager before they came to live at the Laurels so that they knew their need could be met there. This information was used to write a care plan for the person to let staff know what their needs were and how they could meet them. Care Homes for Older People Page 8 of 20 Health and personal care These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People’s health, personal and social care needs are met. The home has a plan of care that the person, or someone close to them, has been involved in making. If they take medicine, they manage it themselves if they can. If they cannot manage their medicine, the care home supports them with it, in a safe way. People’s right to privacy is respected and the support they get from staff is given in a way that maintains their dignity. If people are approaching the end of their life, the care home will respect their choices and help them feel comfortable and secure. They, and people close to them, are reassured that their death will be handled with sensitivity, dignity and respect, and take account of their spiritual and cultural wishes. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. People who live at the Laurels have their health,personal and social needs met in a dignified way. Evidence: We looked at the AQAA. This showed us that people who live in the home should expect to receive care in a way that they choose. We saw that each person has a plan of care, which gives staff clear instructions on how to provide care in a way which people preferred. There was evidence that the care plans had been signed by the person or a relative. A moving and handling assessment had been completed on each resident so that staff would know how to move them safely. A nutritional assessment had been filled in so that staff would know if the residents were at risk of loosing weight. Monthly weights were recorded. Risk assessments with regard to falls or self medicating were in place. Choices were recorded such as when they liked to get up, where they spent their day and how their spiritual needs were met. Visits from other health care professionals such as G.Ps and district nurses were recorded so staff would know when these visits had taken place and why. The reviews were detailed as Care Homes for Older People Page 9 of 20 Evidence: were the daily records so staff would know what changes, if any, had been made. The atmosphere in the home was warm and welcoming and all staff were seen to be friendly and appeared to have good relationships with the people in their care. One person said there is a lot of laughter here When spoken with staff were aware of peoples needs and their likes and dislikes. People who live at the home were spoken with and said it is a lovely place to live we all get on well we are like a big family Medicines are managed well. Policies and procedures are in place for the safe management of medications and staff training has taken place so that staff are aware of their responsibilities regarding the safety of medicines in the home. The home uses a blister pack system for medication so that staff can see which medicines have been given out each day. All medication administration sheets had been completed. Medicines are audited each month so that any errors are highlighted quickly and can be dealt with. Care Homes for Older People Page 10 of 20 Daily life and social activities These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: Each person is treated as an individual and the care home is responsive to his or her race, culture, religion, age, disability, gender and sexual orientation. They are part of their local community. The care home supports people to follow personal interests and activities. People are able to keep in touch with family, friends and representatives. They are as independent as they can be, lead their chosen lifestyle and have the opportunity to make the most of their abilities. People have nutritious and attractive meals and snacks, at a time and place to suit them. There are no additional outcomes. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. People who live at the Laurels are able to take part in a range of activities and mealtimes were a positive experience. Evidence: We looked at the AQAA which told us that the provision of activities on offer is varied and takes in to account the needs and wishes of the people who live in the home. When we visited we found this to be true. We found a varied activities programme was on offer each day for people to join in if they wish. When we asked people they said they could choose to join in or not. Activities on offer are beetle drive, skittles , bowls, talking newspaper, sewing club, video afternoon, exercises to music, manicures, hairdressing, reminiscing, trips out in taxis to local garden centre for lunch, local pub lunch, trips in to town centre for coffee and cakes and shopping. daily excersises, quizzes and bingo. People said they could go out to the local shops and cafes with a staff member to get their own shopping . The gardening club is very popular and home grown vegetables have been eaten by the people who live in the home. The Laurels won a prize for best garden given by the company who owns the home and new garden furniture was given as a prize. Relatives joined in and supported the group. The staff have spoken with the people who live in the home and a personal profile Care Homes for Older People Page 11 of 20 Evidence: giving a life history of each person has been compiled. This gives the staff a good talking point and each person is encouraged to share memories of their childhood or working life. There is a varied menu on offer which was on each table so that people who live in the home know what is on offer to eat, the lunch looked good and appetising. People spoken with said the food is really good The dining room has recently been redecorated and each table was set in hotel style. Care Homes for Older People Page 12 of 20 Complaints and protection These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: If people have concerns with their care, they or people close to them know how to complain. Any concern is looked into and action taken to put things right. The care home safeguards people from abuse and neglect and takes action to follow up any allegations. People’s legal rights are protected, including being able to vote in elections. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. People who live at the Laurels are confident that their complaints are listened to and staff have received training so that they know what to do to protect people. Evidence: We looked at the AQAA which told us that no complaints had been made to the home. It also told us that staff have received training in how to protect peoples rights and the complaints procedure. It said that meetings had taken place to remind people of the complaint procedure and this had been put in the newsletter.When we visited the home we found this to be true. People spoken with said that they knew how to make a complaint. People could be confident that their complaints would be listened to. The home had policies and procedures on the prevention of abuse and whistle blowing. The safeguarding procedure is how the local council and other agencies respond to allegations of abuse against vulnerable people. Staff have received training about safeguarding people from abuse so that they know how to deal with any incident or suspicion of abuse. Care Homes for Older People Page 13 of 20 Environment These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People stay in a safe and well-maintained home that is homely, clean, pleasant and hygienic. People stay in a home that has enough space and facilities for them to lead the life they choose and to meet their needs. The home makes sure they have the right specialist equipment that encourages and promotes their independence. Their room feels like their own, it is comfortable and they feel safe when they use it. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience excellent quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. People who use the service live in a well maintained environment, which is equipped to meet their needs. Evidence: We looked at the homes AQAA which told us that refurbishments have taken place to all areas of communal lounges, all corridors and the dining room. We walked round the home and looked in all communal areas, bathrooms and some bedrooms. People who live at the home were spoken with and they said they were very pleased with the decoration. They also said that the home is always clean Relatives said The home is very clean and never smells The decor and cleanliness of the home was of a high standard and each bedroom was well personalised. Care Homes for Older People Page 14 of 20 Staffing These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People have safe and appropriate support as there are enough competent staff on duty at all times. They have confidence in the staff at the home because checks have been done to make sure that they are suitable to care for them. Their needs are met and they are cared for by staff who get the relevant training and support from their managers. There are no additional outcomes. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. People receive care and support from skilled staff that they like and know well. Evidence: We looked at the homes AQAA which showed us that a variety of staff are employed to provide care and support to the people who live in the home and that the staff was recruited correctly. We found this to be true. We found that staff are supplied in sufficient numbers to meet peoples needs and people who live in the home said they thought that there was enough staff on duty on each shift. People said that if they needed help this was supplied quickly. A number of staff have worked at the home for an excess of twenty years which has resulted in them receiving an award from the company. We saw that most of the staff working in the home have achieved a national vocational qualification in care. This shows that staff have had formal training to carry out their roles. We saw staff training is on-going and that all staff have received mandatory training in key subjects. This means that staff have been given the skills to promote peoples health and welfare. Care Homes for Older People Page 15 of 20 Management and administration These are the outcomes that people staying in care homes should experience. They reflect the things that people have said are important to them: People have confidence in the care home because it is led and managed appropriately. People control their own money and choose how they spend it. If they or someone close to them cannot manage their money, it is managed by the care home in their best interests. The environment is safe for people and staff because appropriate health and safety practices are carried out. People get the right support from the care home because the manager runs it appropriately with an open approach that makes them feel valued and respected. The people staying at the home are safeguarded because it follows clear financial and accounting procedures, keeps records appropriately and ensures their staff understand the way things should be done. They get the right care because the staff are supervised and supported by their managers. This is what people staying in this care home experience: Judgement: People using this service experience good quality outcomes in this area. We have made this judgement using a range of evidence, including a visit to this service. The home is well managed and the views of people who live, work and visit the home are listened to. Evidence: The organisition which owns the home has some quality assurance systems in place designed to identify strengths and areas of improvements, these included audits for areas such as medications. The manager audits care plans and accidents within the home. Staff spoken with felt that the manager was supportive. The staff are supported by regular formal supervision sessions so that they can discuss their development and improve their skills and competence. Regular staff meetings take place for all grades of staff and minutes are taken. Resident/relative meetings are also held on a regular basis and the manager has an open door policy. It was observed that the manager had a good relationship with relatives present on the day of the visit. Questionnaires are sent to relatives to check their satisfaction with the home and a report of the findings were present in the Care Homes for Older People Page 16 of 20 Evidence: service user guide. Comments such as staff are very good staff are friendly and helpful good home my father is looked after well, were recorded. Regular fire drills and staff training sessions are held to make sure staff know what to do in case of fire and there was a record of the names of staff attending. The AQAA gave us details of when equipment in the home had been checked and serviced to make sure that it continues to be safe and effective. Small amounts of residents monies are held in the safe and all transactions are recorded so people who live at the home know their money is safe. There is a robust recruitment system in place so that all staff employed have the correct safety checks so that the manager knows they are safe to work with elderly people. Care Homes for Older People Page 17 of 20 Are there any outstanding requirements from the last inspection? Yes £ No R Outstanding statutory requirements These are requirements that were set at the previous inspection, but have still not been met. They say what the registered person had to do to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Care Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Care Homes for Older People Page 18 of 20 Requirements and recommendations from this inspection: Immediate requirements: These are immediate requirements that were set on the day we visited this care home. The registered person had to meet these within 48 hours. No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Statutory requirements These requirements set out what the registered person must do to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Care Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must do this within the timescales we have set. No. Standard Regulation Requirement Timescale for action Recommendations These recommendations are taken from the best practice described in the National Minimum Standards and the registered person(s) should consider them as a way of improving their service. No. Refer to Standard Good Practice Recommendations Care Homes for Older People Page 19 of 20 Helpline: Telephone: 0845 015 0120 or 0191 233 3323 Textphone: 0845 015 2255 or 0191 233 3588 Email: enquiries@csci.gsi.gov.uk Web: www.csci.org.uk We want people to be able to access this information. If you would like a summary in a different format or language please contact our helpline or go to our website. Copyright © (2009) Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, free of charge, in any format or medium provided that it is not used for commercial gain. This consent is subject to the material being reproduced accurately and on proviso that it is not used in a derogatory manner or misleading context. The material should be acknowledged as CSCI copyright, with the title and date of publication of the document specified. Care Homes for Older People Page 20 of 20 - Please note that this information is included on www.bestcarehome.co.uk under license from the regulator. Re-publishing this information is in breach of the terms of use of that website. Discrete codes and changes have been inserted throughout the textual data shown on the site that will provide incontrovertable proof of copying in the event this information is re-published on other websites. The policy of www.bestcarehome.co.uk is to use all legal avenues to pursue such offenders, including recovery of costs. You have been warned!