CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at The Lawns
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- Inspectors found enough trained staff, safe medicines systems, suitable risk assessments and effective infection control. They also found that epilepsy risks had been reassessed and monitoring systems improved.
- Effective?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous comprehensive inspection rating was used in calculating the overall rating.
- Caring?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous comprehensive inspection rating was used in calculating the overall rating.
- Responsive?
- Good
- This question was not inspected during this visit. Its previous comprehensive inspection rating was used in calculating the overall rating.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found committed leadership, open communication and systems for checking quality and safety. Some staff supervision and record keeping needed to be improved.
What inspectors found, June 2021
The Lawns was rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care, with some records and staff supervision needing improvement.
This was a focused inspection on 20 April 2021. Inspectors looked closely at safety, infection control and how the home was led. The inspection followed concerns about epilepsy care and the registered manager.
Inspectors found people were safe, treated kindly and supported to make choices and build independence. There were enough trained staff, medicines were managed safely, and infection control arrangements for COVID-19 were in place.
The home had improved its epilepsy risk assessments and checks on listening devices. Inspectors also found some weaker areas, including less detailed records for some medicines, daily activities and family contact, and staff supervision that was not regular or detailed enough.
The overall rating was Good. Safe and Well-led were rated Good at this inspection. The other three question ratings were not inspected during this visit and were carried forward from the previous comprehensive inspection.
Kind, individual support
People were treated with kindness and supported to make choices, gain skills and maintain independence. Staff took time to understand how people communicated.
“People were treated with kindness and compassion. People spent time in the community within COVID-19 guidelines” from the report
Epilepsy safety improved
The home had reviewed epilepsy risk assessments and introduced checks on listening devices used during shifts. Inspectors found the provider had acted on learning from concerns.
“New handover monitoring systems ensured the three epilepsy listening devices in use were checked before and after each shift by two staff” from the report
Safe staffing and medicines
There were enough staff to meet people's needs, recruitment checks had been completed, and medicines were ordered, stored, given and monitored safely.
“There were effective systems to ensure medicines were ordered, stored, administered and monitored safely, including pro-active medicine reviews with GPs.” from the report
Infection control
Inspectors were assured that the home was following COVID-19 guidance, using protective equipment safely and supporting safe visiting.
“We were assured that the provider was using PPE effectively and safely.” from the report
Open leadership
Inspectors found leaders who knew people well and encouraged staff, people and families to share views and ideas.
“The registered manager had an open-door policy and encouraged staff and people to come and talk to them whenever they wanted to.” from the report
Some medicine instructions needed more detail
minorInformation about medicines given when needed was recorded in care plans but was not detailed enough on the medicine administration sheets. The report says this was being addressed.
“There was information about medicines that were given as needed (PRN) in care plans. This could be more detailed within the medicine administration sheets themselves” from the report
Daily records needed improvement
needs fixingRecords about goals, family contact and activities were not as easy to audit as they should have been. Training and monitoring were being arranged.
“The service had identified that daily records including those relating to goals, records of family contact and activities could be improved” from the report
Staff supervision was not regular enough
needs fixingStaff supervision was not as regular or detailed as required, although staff said they could speak to the manager at any time. The manager was addressing this.
“Staff supervision was not as regular and detailed as required but staff felt they could speak to the manager at any time.” from the report
Larger than current best practice guidance
minorThe home was registered for nine people and eight people lived there at the inspection. Inspectors noted that its size was larger than current best practice guidance, but said the building and surroundings reduced the possible negative impact.
“This is larger than current best practice guidance.” from the report
- 01How are epilepsy risks and listening devices checked for my relative, and what happens if a seizure occurs?
- 02What changes have been made to the detail recorded on medicine administration sheets for medicines given when needed?
- 03How do you now record and check my relative's goals, activities and contact with family?
- 04How often do staff receive supervision, and how is the quality of that supervision monitored?
- 05How would the home's size and layout affect my relative's privacy, choice and independence?
This was a focused inspection of Safe and Well-led, including infection control and concerns about epilepsy care; the Effective, Caring and Responsive ratings were not inspected and were carried forward from the previous comprehensive inspection. This explanation was written from the published report of 2 June 2021 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
What inspectors found, March 2018
Rated Good; inspectors found kind, personalised care, with some relatives saying family meetings had become less frequent.
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection on 19 and 22 January 2018. Inspectors met all nine residents, spoke with three residents, staff, relatives and health and social care professionals, and checked care, medicines, staff and quality records.
The inspectors found the home safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Staff knew residents well and supported their communication, choices, health, activities and independence. Medicines were managed safely, staffing was suitable, and the home was clean.
The home had a registered manager and systems for checking quality and safety. Where checks found issues, action plans were used. The home had also remained Good in all areas since the previous inspection in October 2015.
Kind and respectful staff
Staff understood residents' communication methods and responded to their moods, gestures and wishes. Inspectors saw people being treated with dignity and kindness.
“We observed that staff were very caring and showed compassion and kindness to people.” from the report
Personalised communication
Care records explained how each resident communicated, including through objects, gestures, facial expressions and key words. Staff were able to describe these methods.
“Staff were able to describe how they communicated with each person.” from the report
Choice and activities
Residents were supported to choose food, clothes, routines and activities. The report describes trips, swimming, horse riding, music, arts and sensory activities.
“Each person's care plan described the activities people enjoyed and a weekly timetable of when they would do particular activities.” from the report
Safe medicines and staffing
Inspectors found enough suitably qualified staff and accurate medicines records. Medicines were securely stored and checks were carried out.
“Medicines were managed and administered safely.” from the report
Quality checks
The manager and senior staff carried out regular checks on safety, care, records, equipment and staffing. Action plans were used when improvements were needed.
“Where issues were identified, action plans were drawn up to rectify them.” from the report
Family meetings
minorOne relative said annual meetings where families could raise concerns appeared to be less frequent. Ask how often meetings now take place and what other ways families can be involved.
“There have been annual meetings at which I can voice any concerns I may have but these appear to be less frequent now.” from the report
Staffing concerns raised by a relative
minorInspectors found staffing levels were suitable during the inspection, but one relative sometimes had concerns about the number of staff on duty. Ask how staffing is adjusted for residents' needs and outings.
“Sometimes I have concerns about the number of staff on duty” from the report
- 01How do you decide how many staff are needed when residents are out in the community or taking part in activities?
- 02How often are family meetings held now, and how can families raise concerns between meetings?
- 03How would you communicate with my relative if they have little or no verbal communication?
- 04What activities would be available for my relative, and how would their personal interests and choices be recorded?
- 05How would you support my relative's particular health, dietary, cultural or religious needs?
This was an unannounced comprehensive inspection covering all five CQC questions; the report says the previous October 2015 ratings remained Good. This explanation was written from the published report of 8 March 2018 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of The Lawns
3 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- June 2021Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- March 2018Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodWell-led: Good
- November 2015GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2014
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 30 June 2014.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
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