The Lawns

Updated 22 August 2019

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

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

This service provides care and support to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is rented and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support service.

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

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people to speak with us.

What we did before inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. 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 used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 13 people who used the service and five relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the regional director, registered manager, deputy manager, team leader, activity co-ordinator, and care workers. We also spoke with two visiting health professionals.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and five medication records. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. They sent us additional quality reports to review. We made contact with one other health professional.

Updated 22 August 2019

About the service

The Lawns is a housing with care scheme. People live on site in their own flats and have secure tenancies with a housing provider. Norse Care provides care and support over a twenty-four-hour period. At the time of the inspection, 28 people were receiving care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.

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

The service was exceptional in placing people at the heart of the service with a strong person centred, caring and responsive ethos. People consistently told us how they were treated with exceptional kindness, compassion and respect. We received many accounts of people's views of their support. Comments included, “This is my home from home. The staff are absolutely wonderful. They’re always there when you need them and they’re always cheerful”, and, “The staff couldn’t be nicer. There’s nothing I can think of that could be better.”

People's needs and wishes were fully supported by staff that knew them well. People were respected and valued as individuals and empowered as partners in their care.

People received personalised care and support specific to their needs and preferences. People's needs were considered and reviewed, and changes made where improvements were needed. Each person was respected as an individual, with their own social and cultural diversity, values and beliefs.

The management of the service had instilled a culture of care and support. Excellent teamwork was embedded in the service to ensure that people received continuity of care. Staff considered themselves, people using the service and their visitors as family and this ensured that people were cared for in a way that provided them with a happy, meaningful and enjoyable lifestyle.

The registered manager was passionate about the quality of service delivery and led by example. They followed best practice and pursued opportunities to improve care and people's experiences to attain better outcomes. This was often over and above the regulated activity of providing personal care to people.

Staff were skilled, motivated and knowledgeable. They provided flexible care and support in line with a person's needs and wishes. The stability of the staff team helped to ensure people felt cared for, understood and supported to achieve positive outcomes.

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 provided a safe environment and people's independence was not compromised. Risks were assessed to encourage people to do as much for themselves as they could.

Medicines were managed safely to ensure people received them safely and in accordance with their health needs and the prescriber's instructions.

Rating at last inspection: The last rating for this service was Good (published 16 December 2016).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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