Willowstone

Updated 17 October 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 completed by a single inspector.

Service and service type:

Willowstone is a care service, providing personal care and support to people in their own homes. This may include adults living with dementia, sensory impairment or physical disability. Not everyone using the service receives regulated activity. CQC only inspects the service 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.

There was a registered manager for the service. A registered manager is legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

Notice of inspection:

The inspection was announced. We gave the service initial 48 hours notice of the inspection site visit. This was because it is a small service and we needed to be sure the registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection; care staff were available to speak with us; and people’s consent was obtained, for us to speak with them or their relative about their care experience.

What we did:

We looked at information we held about the service to help us plan the inspection. This included checking written notifications the provider had sent to us about any important events that happened at the service. On this occasion we did not ask the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) before our inspection. This is information we may ask the provider to send us, usually at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and any improvements they plan to make. However, we gave the registered manager opportunity during the inspection, to give us any relevant updates from this.

The inspection site visit activity started on 11 September and ended on 19 September 2019. We used a range of different methods to help us understand people’s experiences. We visited the office location on 11 and 19 September 2019. During this time we spoke with the registered manager, team leader and three care staff. We reviewed two people’s care records to check whether they were accurately maintained and checked a range of records relating to the management of the service. This included staffing, medicines and complaints records and areas of care policy. We also looked at the provider’s arrangements to check the quality and safety of people’s care. We spoke with two people’s relatives by phone on 12 September 2019 and visited one person in their own home on 19 September 2019 to speak with them about their care experience.

Updated 17 October 2019

Willowstone provides personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of the inspection there were eight people using the service. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided. At this inspection three older people were receiving personal care from staff at the service.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found.

The service met the characteristics of Good in all areas.

People received care that was safe. The provider’s arrangements for people’s care helped to protect from them the risk of harm or abuse. Staff were safely recruited and deployed. Risks to people’s health, associated with their care and related safety needs, were effectively assessed, monitored and managed. Staff supported people to take their medicines safely, when needed. Relevant management checks of staff practice and competency, helped to ensure people’s safety when they received care.

People received care that was effective. People’s care needs and choices were effectively accounted for. Staff supported people to maintain or improve their health and nutrition. Staff worked in consultation with relevant care professionals or across services when needed; to ensure people received timely, consistent support.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service support this practice. Staff were trained and supported to ensure they delivered effective care and support to people. This helped to ensure people received consistent and informed care, which they had agreed to.

People received care from kind, caring and compassionate staff; who treated people with respect and ensured their dignity, equality and rights in their care. Staff had good relationships with people and their representatives and knew what was important to people for their care. People were informed, involved and supported to understand, agree and make ongoing decisions about their care as far as possible. Staff knew how to communicate with people in the way they understood.

People received timely, individualised care, tailored to their individual needs and wishes. Care was provided in a way that helped to optimise people’s choice, independence, autonomy and inclusion. People were confident and knew how, to raise a concern or make a complaint if they needed to. People’s views and those of their representatives, were regularly sought and used to inform and ensure people experienced the right care outcomes from the service. Personal care for people living with a life limiting condition, including at the end stage of life, was considered against recognised national standards for end of life care.

The provider ensured effective governance and oversight of the service; to ensure the quality and safety of people’s care and for continuous learning and service improvement. The service was well led, effectively managed and operated within the legal requirements for registration. People received individualised, high quality care, from staff who understood their role and responsibilities. The provider’s engagement and partnership working strategies took account of people’s equality and rights; to ensure the right care outcomes for people and optimise their care experience.

More information is in the full report.

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

This service was registered with us on 24 August 2018 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection to provide a rating for the service.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.