CC The Laurels Ltd

This report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) provides an overview of The Laurels care home following an inspection in November 2019. It details how the home performs across five key areas: safety, effectiveness, caring, responsiveness, and leadership. The inspection assessed whether the home is meeting essential standards of quality and safety for its residents, who are individuals aged 65 and over, including those living with dementia. Families considering this home will find insights into the day-to-day experience of residents and the operational practices of the care team.

On safety, the home has systems in place to protect residents from harm, with risks assessed and managed. While staff are trained in medication administration, two errors were identified and are being addressed. The home is also working to improve staff awareness regarding falls prevention.

In terms of how effective the care is, residents' needs are assessed and care plans are regularly updated to reflect changes. Staff receive relevant training and support, and the home collaborates with health professionals to ensure residents' health needs are met.

Regarding how caring the service is, residents and their relatives consistently described staff as compassionate and respectful. People felt their privacy was maintained and they were supported to make choices about their daily lives.

In its responsiveness, the home ensures care plans are personalised, although some life history details are still being gathered. Communication needs are well addressed, and residents are supported to engage in meaningful activities and maintain relationships. Concerns raised are documented and acted upon.

However, the service was not always well-led. While the registered manager conducts regular audits and acts on findings, there were instances where the commission was not notified of important events, a process that has since been reviewed. Additionally, the home is looking to enhance falls awareness training for staff.