The Wheelhouse

Updated 19 November 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. 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 Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

The inspection was conducted by one inspector.

Service and service type

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

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. 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.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 24 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because the service is small and people are often out and we wanted to be sure there would be people at home to meet with us.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

People living at The Wheelhouse were not able to tell us about their experiences of living there. Therefore, we spent time observing interactions between staff and people. This included activities and mealtimes. We also pathway tracked three people. This is when we check that the care detailed in individual plans matches the experience of the person receiving care. It is an important part of our inspection, as it allows us to capture information about the people receiving care.

We spoke with five members of staff including the registered manager, deputy manager, a training lead for the provider, a senior support worker and a support worker.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with one relative and one professional who regularly visited the service.

Updated 19 November 2019

About the service

The Wheelhouse is a residential care home providing personal care for up to four people with learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorder. At the time of the inspection, three people were living at the service.

The Wheelhouse is a four-bedroom house, situated over two floors. There was a homely atmosphere with several communal spaces for people to relax in. This included a large garden and cabin, where people liked to listen to music. People’s bedrooms were spacious and decorated to their individual preferences.

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

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

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.

People were safe. Staff knew people and risks to their wellbeing. This meant they understood actions to be taken to minimise risks and support people to feel calm and happy in their home. There were robust risk assessments for people and the building, to ensure the environment was safe to live in. People received their medicines safely from staff who were trained and competent. When incidents occurred, the registered manager and staff worked together to identify lessons learned and act to ensure incidents did not reoccur.

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.

Staff had the skills and knowledge to meet people’s needs. They had received specialised training in positive behaviour support, autism and epilepsy to understand people and their support needs. Staff also had a thorough induction and regular supervision to support them in their roles. People had regular input from a variety of health and social care professionals to promote their wellbeing. Their nutritional needs were met. The building had been adapted to ensure that people’s preferences and support needs could always be met.

People appeared relaxed and happy around staff they knew well. We observed people interacting with staff by smiling and holding their hands. Staff told us they had mutual respect for people and genuinely enjoyed working at The Wheel House. One staff member said, “It’s all about people. We’re here for them. That’s what it’s all about.” A relative spoke highly about staff. They said, “Meeting the staff at The Wheel house was absolutely amazing. The show of love around them is very infectious and it was a blessing to see and witness it.” A professional was also complimentary, telling us, “I always find the staff very kind & caring at The Wheelhouse and very supportive to people’s needs.”

People were supported to be involved with activities that they were interested in. This included holidays, trips to the zoo and London, as well as horse-riding and swimming. No complaints had been received since the previous inspection, however there was a clear complaints process that was regularly reviewed with people, relatives and staff. Staff knew people’s communication needs well and recognised signs that they were happy or unhappy. Although no one was receiving end of life support at the time of inspection, staff continued to explore people’s preferences and choices regarding this.

Everyone we spoke to was complimentary about the registered manager and deputy manager and felt the service was well-led. Staff felt involved in a supportive, team working culture, where they were encouraged to share any concerns and ideas. Feedback was continually sought from people, staff, relatives and professionals to improve the service. The management team were supported by company quality assurance teams to ensure they were up to date with current legislation and guidance.

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 30 November 2016).

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.

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.