Woodleigh House

Updated 2 November 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 inspection site visit took place on 08 October 2018 and was unannounced.

The inspection team consisted of one adult social care inspector.

Before our inspection visit we reviewed the information we held on the service. This included notifications we had received from the provider about incidents that affect the health, safety and welfare of people who used the service. We also reviewed the Provider Information Return (PIR) we received prior to our inspection. 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. This provided us with information and numerical data about the operation of the service.

We spoke to four people who used the service, one relative face to face and three relatives via telephone interviews. We also spoke to three staff members face to face. In addition, we spoke to two more staff on the telephone. We spoke with the business manager, the deputy manager, and the registered manager.

We looked at care records of three people, training records, three recruitment records of staff members and records relating to the management of the service. We also contacted the safeguarding and contracts monitoring departments at the local authority.

Updated 2 November 2018

The inspection visit took place on 08 October 2018 and was unannounced.

Woodleigh House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Woodleigh House is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to eleven adults who live with a learning disability. At the time of the inspection, there were 10 people accommodated in the home.

The care service is aware of the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen. We found on this inspection that the service was delivering these values.

At the last inspection in May 2016 the service was rated 'Good'. At this inspection we found the service remained 'Good'.

The registered manager had systems in place to record safeguarding concerns, accidents and incidents and take appropriate action when required. Recruitment checks were carried out to ensure suitable people were employed to work at the service.

Staff skills, knowledge, training and support demonstrated a commitment to providing high standards of care which was embedded into the practices of the staff and the management team. The service put people's views at the forefront of the service and designed the service around their needs.

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.

Risk assessments had been developed to minimise the potential risk of harm to people who used the service. These had been kept under review and were relevant to the care and support people required.

Care plans were in place detailing how people wished to be supported. People who received support, or where appropriate their relatives, were involved in decisions and consented to their care. Improvements were required to the process for assessing mental capacity. People’s independence and choice was promoted.

Staff responsible for assisting people with their medicines had received training to ensure they had the competency and skills required. We noted some improvements were required to the documentation for medicines such as thickening powders and ‘as required medicines’. The registered manager took immediate action to rectify this.

We found people had been assisted to have access to healthcare professionals and their healthcare needs were met and reviewed regularly.

People had been supported with various activities of their choice. There was a strong emphasis on maintaining people’s independence and ensuring people remained active members of their local community.

People who used the service and their relatives knew how to raise a concern or to make a complaint. The complaints procedure was available, and people said they were encouraged to raise concerns. Staff had received compliments from people's relatives.

The registered manager used a variety of methods to assess and monitor the quality of service provided to people. These included regular internal audits of the service, surveys and staff and peoples’ meetings to seek the views of people about the quality of care being provided.