Your Life (Bath)

Updated 24 May 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. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team: The inspection was carried out by one lead inspector. Over two days.

Service and service type: Lambrook Court is a domiciliary agency. People receive personal care. CQC regulates the care provided, and this was looked at during this inspection.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means 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 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because we needed to ensure a registered manager would be present to facilitate the inspection and to arrange visits and contact with people using the service..

What we did: Before the inspection we looked at information we had about the service. This information included the statutory notifications that the provider had sent to CQC. A notification is information about important events, which the service is required to send us by law.

We spoke individually with three people. two families were happy to speak with us and share their thoughts about the home. We spent time with the registered manager and the operations manager. We spoke individually with five staff. We looked at three people's care records, together with other records relating to their care and the running of the service. This included five staff employment records, policies and procedures, audits and quality assurance reports.

Updated 24 May 2019

About the service: Your Life (Lambrook Court) operates an assisted living scheme in a morden and purpose built private development called Lambrook Court. This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own flats. It provides a service to older adults. The development consists of 50 flats privately owned and occupied by older people who also share some communal areas and facilities; such as dining rooms, lounges and gardens.

Not everyone using Your Life (Lambrook Court) receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided. At the time of our inspection three people who lived at Lambrook Court received personal care and support

What life is like for people using this service: People were relaxed, comfortable and confident in their flats and in communal areas. Without exception the feedback we received from people and relatives about the care was very positive and good. Staff we met and spoke with were happy working at Lambrook Court and enjoyed their roles and responsibilities.

Staff understood their responsibility to keep people safe from harm. People were supported to take risks and promote their independence. Risks were assessed and plans put in place to keep people safe. There was enough staff to safely provide care and support. Checks were carried out on staff before they started work to assess their suitability to support people in a care setting. Medicines were well managed and people received their medicines as prescribed. People were protected by the providers infection control policy and procedures.

The service was effective in meeting people’s needs. Staff received regular supervision and training. Arrangements were made for people to see a GP and other healthcare professionals when they needed to do so. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People were provided with a healthy, balanced diet whilst promoting and respecting choice.

Everyone we spoke with agreed that staff were caring and kind. Comments included, “very Kind”, “They treat you with respect” and “Patient”. “Staff are reassuring and considerate” and they are a good team they work well together.” Staff had a good awareness of individuals' needs and treated people in a warm and respectful manner. They were knowledgeable about people's lives before they started using the service.

The service was responsive to people’s health and social needs. People received person-centred care and support. Regular monitoring and reviews meant that referrals had been made to appropriate health and social care professionals. Where necessary care and support had been changed to accurately reflect people's needs and improve their health and wellbeing. People were encouraged to make their views known and the service responded by making changes.

People benefitted from a service that was well led. One relative recently send a card to the team. They wrote, “Thank you for the time, kindness and patience you give me throughout the year”. Quality assurance systems were in place and based upon regular, scheduled audits, which identified any action required to make improvements. This meant the quality of service people received was monitored on a regular basis and, where shortfalls were identified they were acted upon.

Rating at last inspection: This was the home’s first inspection since their registration in March 2018.

Why we inspected: This was a planned comprehensive inspection. All services registered with CQC must have an inspection within the first year of their registration.

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