Lauren Court Residential Care Home

Updated 29 April 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

The inspection team was made up of 2 inspectors and an Expert 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

Lauren Court Residential care home is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Lauren Court Residential care home 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

The 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. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.

During the inspection

We spoke to 12 people who used the service and 1 family member to understand their experience of the service. We spoke to 5 staff members including carers, auxiliary staff and kitchen staff.

We reviewed care records and additional records in relation to the management of medication.

We reviewed multiple records in regarding to the management of quality and assurance of the service.

After the inspection

We reviewed information the registered manager sent and continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found.

Updated 29 April 2023

About the service

Lauren Court Residential care home is a care home providing accommodation and personal care to up to 48 people. At the time of the inspection there were 36 people living in the home.

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

Systems to monitor the environment and the quality of care within the home were not always effective, they did not identify some of the concerns we found during this inspection.

Care plans and risk assessments were not always being followed, there was no evidence people were receiving oral care. There were gaps in the recording of information which meant we were not always assured people were getting the care they required in line with their assessed need.

The deployment of staff within the home was not always appropriate, we observed people being left for long periods of time without their assessed level of support. People told us they were not able to have a shower or bath when they wanted due to staffing levels.

People told us they felt safe and supported within the home and positive staff interaction was observed. People told us permanent staff knew their needs and supported them with dignity and respect. Some concerns were raised in relation to the use of agency staff and their lack of understanding of people’s needs. The provider had recruited more staff who were undergoing their induction and continued to recruit further staff, to ensure there is enough permanent staff to cover holiday leave or any periods of sickness.

Medicines were not always managed safely to ensure people had taken the medicines they needed.

Systems were in place to gather feedback from people regarding the service and some identified actions were acted on although some concerns still remain a concern for some people.

Policies and procedures were in place to safeguard people from abuse and staff were aware of their own roles and responsibilities.

People were offered a choice at mealtimes and were provided with serviettes and condiments.

Health and safety checks were in place and were being monitored.

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.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 08 June 2022). The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations 11 and 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2014. However, we found the provider remained in breach of regulation 17.

The service remains rated requires improvement. This service has been rated requires improvement for two consecutive inspections.

Why we inspected

We received concerns in relation to quality of care. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of Safe, Effective, Responsive, and Well-led only.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

For the key question not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has remained requires improvement. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

We have found evidence that the provider needs to make improvements. Please see the safe, effective, responsive and well led sections of this report.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Lauren Court Residential care home on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Enforcement and Recommendations

We have identified an ongoing breach in relation to the governance systems and management within the service at this inspection.

Please see the action we have told the provider to take at the end of this report.

We have also made recommendations in relation to medicines, the environment and engaging with people.

Follow up

We will meet with the provider following this report being published to discuss how they will make changes to ensure they improve their rating to at least good. We will work with the local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.