Wheatlands

Updated 16 December 2022

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 carried out by three inspectors.

Service and service type

Wheatlands 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. Wheatlands 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 service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection there was a manager in post who had submitted an application to register with us.

Notice of inspection

The inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the 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 reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service and Healthwatch. Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion that gathers and represents the views of the public about health and social care services in England. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with 8 people who lived at the home and 3 relatives. We spoke with 7 members of staff which included the regional director, manager, maintenance staff, senior care and care staff. We looked at 4 care plans and medication administration records. We looked at staff training records, 2 staff recruitment files and records relating to health and safety and the management of the home.

Updated 16 December 2022

About the service

Wheatlands is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care to a maximum of 53 people. The home currently uses double bedrooms for single occupancy which means they take a maximum of 46 people. At the time of the inspection, 45 people were using the service. Accommodation is provided in one adapted building consisting of two units.

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

People felt safe living at the home and with the staff who supported them. The provider’s staff recruitment procedures helped to protect people from harm. Staff had been trained and knew how and when to report any concerns about people’s well-being. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the provider's policies and procedures supported this practice. Risks to people were assessed and there were plans in place to mitigate risks. People received their medicines when they needed them from staff who were trained and competent. The provider followed best practice in relation to infection control and prevention and management of risks relating to COVID-19.

The views of people were sought and valued. There were effective systems to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. The provider worked in partnership with other professionals to ensure good outcomes for people. Staff morale was good and staff told us they felt well supported. Staff received the supervision and support needed to carry out their role effectively. The provider was aware of legal requirements and of their responsibility to be open and honest when things go wrong.

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

Rating at last inspection

The last rating for this service was good (published 19 July 2019).

Why we inspected

We received concerns in relation to the general care and welfare of people. As a result, we undertook a focused inspection to review the key questions of safe and well-led only.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has remained good based on the findings of this inspection.

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.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Wheatlands on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.