All nineteen residents at a nursing home near Market Rasen are being moved to alternative accommodation after an urgent inspection uncovered several ‘areas of concern’.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) carried out an inspection at The Laurels Nursing Home on Lincoln Road in Holton-cum-Beckering on September 14 after reports of concerns. Following this, the CQC said it was taking action, while Lincolnshire County Council said the “support isn’t up to standard” at the home.
The Laurels Nursing Home, run by Vaghjiani Limited, is currently rated as ‘requires improvement’ by the CQC. The home provides personal and nursing care and can support up to 30 people in one adapted and extended building over two floors.
The report detailing the inspection findings will be published by the CQC in due course. The previous inspection report from February 2021 is available here.
A CQC spokesperson said: “CQC carried out an urgent inspection of The Laurels Nursing Home, in Holton-cum-Beckering, Lincolnshire, on September 14 following several concerns raised with the commission. As a result of the inspection and the serious concerns found, we are taking action to protect the welfare and safety of people living at the home.
“While our legal processes do not allow us to go in to further detail at this time, we will publish a report in due course. In the meantime we continue to work closely with the local authority. All CQC’s action is open to appeal.”
Alina Hackney, head of commercial services at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Working closely with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and health colleagues, we have identified areas of concern where the support isn’t up to standard at the Laurels Care Home, which is a nursing home.
“The health and safety of the 19 residents is our main priority and we are working with their families to find suitable alternative homes where we can be assured they will receive the best possible care and support.”
Prior to this inspection, the home was last inspected on February 2 this year. At the time of the inspection in February it was providing care to 13 people.
The report in February stated the infection prevention and control practices at the service had shown a marked improved since CQC’s last visit.
This came after a focused inspection was carried out on August 4 this year, when it was rated as ‘requires improvement’. After this, the CQC undertook a targeted infection prevention and control (IPC) inspection on December 22 last year after an outbreak of coronavirus at the service.
At the time, CQC found the home was in breach of regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. After this inspection, a warning notice was issued to the provider by CQC.
Shortfalls were found in the way infection prevention and control was managed at the time to ensure people’s safety. This included staff practice, cleanliness and maintenance of the environment and equipment, and the management of the layout of the building during the COVID-19 outbreak.
It was also noted that there was also a lack of information in people’s care records on how to support people during the coronavirus pandemic.
However, after the visit in February, it was revealed that evidence had proved the provider was no longer in breach of Regulation 12, including staff wearing the appropriate PPE, and regular checks being carried out to ensure staff practices were in line with the government recommended guidance.
The Lincolnite tried to contact the care home for a response via telephone on numerous occasions on Friday, but the phone line was continuously engaged before later just ringing, going to voicemail, and cutting off.
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Lloyds Banking Group will close 28 branches across the country this year, including the only bank left in Bourne.
The group, which owns Lloyds and Halifax, has blamed failing customer numbers on the closures, which will take place between August and November this year.
20 Lloyds Bank and eight Halifax branches will close nationally across this time period, with Bourne being the only Lincolnshire area to be affected.
Bourne’s Lloyds Bank branch closes on November 21, and it is a bitter blow to the market town as it will now be left without a central bank, meaning residents will have to travel elsewhere.
However, Lloyds Banking Group has said that all affected places have a free cash machine or Post Office within a mile, allowing customers access to limited banking services in their towns or villages.
You cannot open a bank account at these sites, or sort issues with an existing account, but some services can be accessed via free cash machines or Post Office branches if need be – such as withdrawing and depositing cash or cheques if you are a Lloyds customer.
It is the latest in a long line of closures for the group, as the shift towards online and mobile banking continues to gather momentum in the modern age.
These 28 branch closures will bring the total figure of shut down Lloyds Banking Group sites to 88 by the end of 2022.
Plans to expand and refurbish Alford’s public library and toilets have been revealed.
Alford Town Council has applied to East Lindsey District Council to partially demolish the existing library building, known as Alford Focal Point, and the public toilet block on South Market Place and replace them with an extension which will create additional rooms and new facilities.
The council was given the library building by Lincolnshire County Council in 2021 and the public toilets by East Lindsey District Council in 2020 as the authorities looked to save cash in their own budgets by cutting down on maintenance.
A design and access statement said the proposals will provide a dedicated children’s library which will also include the ability to be used for public events such as playgroups, yoga classes and social events. Income from hire will go to the library charity running the building.
The plans show a dedicated computer space and café servery. An additional office space will also be created which can be hired out for use or used by council officers and members of other public bodies.
A new lift and disabled accessibility features will be included in the build, while dedicated office space for the town council’s clerk will be included.
Designs for the new library submitted to East Lindsey District Council.
The statement said the public toilets, built in the 1970s, were “tired”.
The proposals will see the existing facility upgraded with five general unisex toilets and one changing places/disability friendly toilet.
“The fundamental objective of this project is to reinvigorate this key existing social hub for the town of Alford and the surrounding wider areas, to ensure the longevity of this important community asset and resource,” said the document.
“Failure to move forward and evolve with the modern requirements of its users will ultimately result in obsolescence and subsequent closure.”
How the library and toilet extension could look.
In 2016, the library was taken over by a group of volunteers after the county council outsourced 16 of its “core” libraries to Greenwich Leisure and handed 30 others to local groups as part of a bid to save £1.9million.
At the time it was given an interior refurbishment and decoration in a bid to attract new users.
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