The Laurels

What families say

People often mention the regular activities and entertainments that bring energy to each week. The garden offers a peaceful spot for those who prefer quieter moments outdoors. There's a sense that residents can choose their own pace here, whether joining in with organised events or simply enjoying the surroundings.

Based on 5 Google reviews · 0 reviews on carehome.co.uk · most recent 2026-04-10

The eight family priority themes

• Staff warmth55
• Compassion & dignity55
• Cleanliness55
• Activities & engagement50
• Food quality50
• Healthcare50
• Management & leadership60
• Resident happiness55

What inspectors found

Inspected 2019-09-17 · Report published 2019-09-17 · Inspected 4 times in the last three years

• Is this home safe?

  Good

  {"found":"The home was rated Good for safety at its October 2020 inspection. No specific safety concerns were identified in the published summary. The previous Requires Improvement rating means that safety was once a concern, and inspectors found sufficient progress to award a Good rating. No detail about falls management, medicines, infection control, or staffing ratios was included in the published findings.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"A Good safety rating is reassuring, but it was awarded in 2020 and the inspection text gives you almost nothing to examine in detail. Good Practice research consistently finds that night staffing is where safety problems are most likely to go unnoticed, and that heavy reliance on agency staff can undermine the consistency that people living with dementia depend on. For a 36-bed home with a dementia specialism, you should ask specifically how many permanent carers are on duty after 10pm and what the agency usage was in the last month. The fact that the home previously required improvement on safety makes these questions more important, not less.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research and Leeds Beckett University rapid evidence review found that night staffing ratios and agency staff consistency are among the strongest predictors of safety outcomes in dementia care homes. A Good rating does not tell you what those numbers are.","watch_out":"Ask the manager to show you the actual staffing rota for the last two weeks, not the planned template. Count permanent staff names versus agency names on night shifts, and ask what the home's target ratio is for the dementia unit after 10pm."}

  Verified by inspectorMentioned, not assessed

• Is the care effective?

  Good

  {"found":"The home was rated Good for effectiveness at its October 2020 inspection. The home is registered to care for adults over 65 and people living with dementia. No specific evidence about dementia training, care plan quality, GP access, or food provision was included in the published inspection summary.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Good Practice evidence identifies care plans as living documents that should be updated when your parent's needs change, not filed away after admission. The inspection does not tell us how often plans are reviewed here or whether families are routinely invited to contribute. Food quality is mentioned by name in 20.9% of positive family reviews in our data, yet this inspection gives us nothing to report on that front. Ask to sit in at a mealtime and ask the manager to walk you through what a care plan looks like for a resident living with advanced dementia.","evidence_base":"The Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that dementia-specific training, when it goes beyond basic awareness to include communication techniques and behavioural understanding, measurably improves the day-to-day experience for residents. Ask what training content all staff complete, not just whether training exists.","watch_out":"Ask to see the training records for two or three carers who work on the dementia unit. Check whether their dementia training covers communication and distress responses, and ask when it was last updated."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is this home caring?

  Good

  {"found":"The home was rated Good for caring at its October 2020 inspection. No inspector observations of staff interactions, no resident testimony, and no family quotes were included in the published findings. The Good caring rating is therefore present as a conclusion but without the specific evidence that would let you evaluate it independently.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Staff warmth is the single biggest driver of positive family reviews in our data, cited in 57.3% of positive responses, and compassion and dignity follow closely at 55.2%. These are the things families notice most and value most. The inspection tells us inspectors were satisfied, but gives you nothing specific to compare against. On a visit, watch whether staff knock before entering rooms, whether they use your parent's preferred name without being prompted, and whether they move at the resident's pace rather than their own. These small observable details are the most reliable signal of a genuinely caring culture.","evidence_base":"Good Practice research highlights that non-verbal communication matters as much as verbal interaction for people living with dementia. A staff member who makes eye contact, crouches to the resident's level, and responds without hurry is demonstrating trained, person-led care. Watch for this on your visit.","watch_out":"Arrive unannounced if possible, or ask to visit at a time you have not prearranged. Watch how staff interact with residents in corridors and communal areas when they do not know a family member is observing. Are residents greeted by name? Do staff stop and make contact, or walk past?"}

  Verified by inspectorResident testimony recorded

• Is the home responsive?

  Good

  {"found":"The home was rated Good for responsiveness at its October 2020 inspection. The home is registered as a dementia specialism. No detail about the activity programme, one-to-one engagement, end-of-life planning, or how the home responds to individual preferences was included in the published summary.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Resident happiness appears in 27.1% of positive family reviews in our data, and activities in 21.4%. For people living with dementia, the Good Practice evidence is clear that group activities alone are not enough: tailored one-to-one engagement, including everyday tasks like folding, sorting, or simple household routines, can provide purpose and reduce distress. This inspection cannot tell us whether the home provides that level of individual responsiveness. Ask the activity co-ordinator what they would do on a Tuesday afternoon for a resident who can no longer join a group session.","evidence_base":"The Leeds Beckett rapid evidence review found that Montessori-based approaches and everyday household task participation are among the most effective activity methods for people with moderate to advanced dementia. A varied planned schedule on a noticeboard is not sufficient evidence of this in practice.","watch_out":"Ask to see the activity records for the last two weeks for a resident living with dementia, not just the posted schedule. Check whether one-to-one sessions are recorded, and ask what the activity co-ordinator does for residents who spend most of their time in their rooms."}

  Verified by inspector

• Is the home well-led?

  Good

  {"found":"The home was rated Good for leadership at its October 2020 inspection, having previously been rated Requires Improvement. A named registered manager, Ms Michele Jackson, is recorded as in post. No observations about management visibility, staff culture, or governance processes were included in the published summary. The improvement from Requires Improvement suggests that governance issues were previously identified and subsequently addressed.","quotes":[],"family_meaning":"Management stability is one of the strongest predictors of care quality over time, according to Good Practice research. A Good leadership rating after a period of Requires Improvement is a positive signal, but the inspection is now several years old. Ask how long the current manager has been in post and whether there have been significant staffing changes since 2020. Communication with families is mentioned in 11.5% of positive family reviews in our data: ask how the home contacts you if your parent's condition changes overnight, and how often formal reviews are held.","evidence_base":"The IFF Research and Leeds Beckett review found that leadership stability, specifically a consistent registered manager who is visible on the floor and known to staff by name, is one of the clearest predictors of sustained care quality. Manager tenure matters as much as the rating itself.","watch_out":"Ask the registered manager directly how long they have been in post at this home, whether they work on the floor regularly, and how they would contact you if your parent had a fall or a health change overnight. The answers will tell you as much as any inspection rating."}

  Verified by inspector

Source: CQC inspection report →

What the evidence base says

Against the DCC Good Practice in Dementia Care standards, this home’s evidence aligns most strongly on The Laurels provides specialist dementia care alongside general support for adults over 65.. Gaps or open questions remain on For those living with dementia, the team understands how to provide reassuring routines while still encouraging independence where possible. The combination of structured activities and peaceful spaces helps residents feel secure. — areas worth probing directly during a visit.