Woodlands House

Updated 26 August 2023

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. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

The inspection was completed by 1 inspector.

Service and service type

Woodlands House is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement dependent on their registration with us. Woodlands House is a care home without nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Registered Manager

This provider is required to have a registered manager to oversee the delivery of regulated activities at this location. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Registered managers and providers are legally responsible for how the service is run, for the quality and safety of the care provided and compliance with regulations.

The provider is required to have a registered manager to manage the service. At the time of our inspection there was not a registered manager in post. An application to register a manager had been submitted to the CQC, however this application was subsequently withdrawn after the inspection. The deputy manager was in charge of the day to day running of the service, with support from the Deputy Manager, General Manager for Care and The Director. The provider informed us they are in the process of trying to recruit a registered manager.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We spoke with people, relatives and staff and gathered information relating to the management of the service. We reviewed a range of records. This included 4 care plans. We spoke with 2 people living at the service. We also spoke with 5 members of staff, including the deputy manager, the chef, care staff and ancillary staff. We spoke with 3 relatives over the telephone.

Updated 26 August 2023

About the service

Woodlands House is a 'care home'. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 14 people and there were 11 people living at the home when we inspected. The service was providing care for a wide range of care needs such as for older persons, and those living with dementia.

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

The service is a specialist dementia service and the provider had not fully considered people’s needs with regards to the layout of the service and providing accessible information. Improvements were required to the mealtime experience for people and the environment of the service. The provider had systems of quality assurance to measure and monitor the standard of the service and drive improvement. However, these systems had not ensured the areas of improvement we identified were prevented and rectified.

We have made a recommendation about supporting people with dementia to eat and drink well.

People were happy with the care they received, felt relaxed with staff and told us they were treated with kindness. They said they felt safe, were well supported and there were enough staff to care for them. One person told us, “I’m having a good day, I’m alright.” Our own observations supported this, and we saw friendly relationships had developed between people and staff. A relative told us, “My [relative] has been at the home for a long time, he seems very happy, and I have no concerns about the care he receives.”

People received medicines safely. People’s care plans were up to date and accurately reflected their needs. People were able to receive visits from their relatives and there was a programme of activities to support their well-being.

Staff worked collaboratively with outside agencies such as the local authority and healthcare professionals. Complaints were handled appropriately, and people enjoyed the food and drinks on offer. People were protected from harm and abuse, as staff knew how to safeguard people and what procedures they should follow.

Staff had received relevant training to meet people’s needs, and people’s wishes at the end of their life were respected. People were able to express their views and had their dignity, independence and privacy promoted.

Systems were in place to assist people to stay safe by assessing and mitigating risks, ensuring people were cared for in a person-centred way and that the provider learned from any mistakes. Our own observations and the feedback we received supported this. People received good care that met their needs and improved their wellbeing. The staff team were dedicated and enthusiastic.

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 supported this practice.

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

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 29 October 2021 and this is the first inspection. The last rating for the service under the previous provider was good, published on 29 September 2018.

Why we inspected

The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns received about care delivery and the environment of the service. A decision was made for us to inspect and examine those risks.

You can see what action we have asked the provider to take at the end of this full report.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.

Follow up

We will request an action plan from the provider to understand what they will do to improve the standards of quality and safety. We will work alongside the provider and local authority to monitor progress. We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.