Background to this inspection
Updated
1 December 2018
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
This comprehensive inspection took place on 1 November 2018 and was announced. We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection visit because the service was a small care home for people who have a mental health condition who are often out during the day. We needed to be sure that they would be in.
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Prior to our inspection, we reviewed information we held about the service, including notifications sent to us at the Care Quality Commission. A notification is information about important events which the service is required to send us by law. Before the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We requested feedback from the funding local authorities and healthcare professionals in relation to this service.
During the inspection visit, we spoke to five people who used the service, the registered manager, the team leader and a care staff member. We reviewed four people's care plans, risk assessments, daily care logs and medicines administration records. We looked at three staff files including recruitment, training, supervision and appraisal records, and records related to the management of the service.
Following the inspection, we spoke to two relatives. We reviewed documents provided to us after the inspection including policies and procedures, training matrix and annual survey report.
Updated
1 December 2018
Willow House is a residential care home for six people who have a mental health condition and a learning disability. Willow House is a terraced house and accommodation is provided over three floors. The ground floor also provides communal areas including a kitchen and open plan dining and sitting room. The service has an accessible garden and a games room in the garden. At the time of inspection, six people were living at the home.
At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.
At this inspection we found the service remained Good.
People told us they trusted the staff team and felt safe at the service. The provider had systems and processes in place to safeguard people against harm and abuse. Staff knew how to report and act on concerns of poor care and abuse.
People’s medicines were managed safely. There were enough suitable staff to meet people’s needs safely. Staff followed safe infection control practices. Accidents and incidents were recorded and lessons learnt to improve when things went wrong.
Staff were well trained and received regular supervision to meet people’s needs effectively. Staff worked well together as a team.
People’s needs were assessed before they moved to the service. People’s dietary needs were met and they were supported to access healthcare services.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People told us staff were caring and treated them with dignity and respect. Staff encouraged and assisted people to remain as independent as possible.
People’s cultural and spiritual needs were identified, recorded and met.
Staff knew people’s personalised needs and these were recorded in their care plans. People and their relatives were involved in the care planning process and their care was reviewed regularly.
Staff were trained in equality and inclusion and told us they treated people equally. People were asked about their sexuality but this was not recorded in their care plans. We have made a recommendation in relation to recording people’s sexuality.
People and their relatives were encouraged to raise concerns and told us they felt comfortable to make a complaint.
People were encouraged to discuss their end of life wishes and where disclosed these were recorded in their care plans.
The provider had effective monitoring, auditing and evaluating systems and processes in place to ensure the quality and safety of the service.
People, their relatives and staff spoke positively about the registered manager and they told us the service was well-led.
The registered manager worked with several services to improve the care delivery and people's experiences.
Further information is in the detailed findings below.