A Shaw care home described by relatives of residents as ‘absolutely brilliant’ has received a good rating from inspectors.

Laburnum House, on Laburnum Avenue, in Shaw, is a care home caring for 33 people.

It has been rated ‘good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in a report published on September 20 based on an unannounced inspection at the end of August.

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A team of three inspectors visited the care home, and found that everyone they spoke with, including residents, relatives of residents, and staff ‘praised the care and support’ at the home, which inspectors described as ‘bright and airy’.

The home was given ‘good’ in answer to all the CQC’s five key questions - whether the home is: safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led. Other possible ratings are ‘outstanding’, ‘requires improvement’, and ‘inadequate’.

Smell praised

Food on offer at the home, which has a five-star food hygiene rating, was praised. One resident said that there were always ‘nice smells at lunchtime when I visit’.

Others said staff were able to find them something else if there was food they did not like.

Inspectors noted a ‘pleasant atmosphere’ throughout the lunchtime meal they observed, with staff described as ‘attentive, friendly and alert to people’s needs’.

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Bright and airy

Communal areas in the home were described as ‘large’, as well as ‘bright and airy with lots of natural light’. Inspectors noted the presence of a secure garden which could be used during good weather.

One relative described the home as ‘spotless’.

The report noted that some bedroom furniture was ‘rather old’, but inspectors noted that the home has an ongoing maintenance and refurbishment programme.

Staff at the home were praised throughout the report.

One resident told inspectors: “Even at night, if I use my buzzer they are quite quick at helping me.” Inspectors praised staff for helping residents in the ‘least restrictive way possible’.

A relative of a resident said the ‘lovely’ staff even visited their mother when she was in hospital during their free time.

'Mixed' comments about activities

While comments were emphatic about most aspects of the home, one area with less enthusiastic responses was the provision of activities.

Inspectors said comments were ‘mixed’ about the activities, with some saying there was not enough to do. However, the report noted the home put on events such as a twice-monthly fitness class, a monthly music therapy class with visiting musicians, and staff encouraged people to take part in board games, quizzes, movie sessions, and event celebrations.

Some residents had also recently visited a local primary school to talk about their experiences of World War Two, and 12 residents had recently gone on a trip to Blackpool to see the illuminations.

The full report can be read on the CQC website.