Archived: Wellwick House

Updated 15 February 2019

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.

The inspection took place on 16 January 2019. It was undertaken by one inspector.

Prior to our inspection we reviewed the information we held about the service, including previous inspection reports. We contacted the local authority to obtain their views about the care provided. We considered the information which had been shared with us by the local authority and other people, looked at safeguarding notifications which had been submitted. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.

A Provider Information Return (PIR) was requested prior to the inspection. We used information the provider sent us in the Provider Information Return. This is information we require providers to send us at least once annually to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We used all of this information to plan how the inspection should be conducted.

During our inspection we observed how the staff interacted with people and we spent time observing the support and care provided to help us understand their experiences of living in the service. We observed care and support in the communal areas, the midday meal, and we looked around the service. Some people were able to talk with us about the service they received but others could not. 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.

During the inspection we reviewed the records at the service. These included four staff files which contained staff recruitment, training and supervision records. Also, medicine records, complaints, accidents and incidents, quality audits and policies and procedures along with information with regard to the upkeep of the premises.

We looked at two people's care documentation along with other relevant records to support our findings. We also 'pathway tracked' people living at the service. This is when we looked at their care documentation in depth and obtained information about their care and treatment at the service. It is an important part of our inspection, as it allowed us to capture information about a sample of people receiving care.

During the inspection we spoke briefly with three people, three staff, the care co-ordinator and the registered manager.

Updated 15 February 2019

Wellwick House is a 'care home'. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and personal care as a single package under a contractual agreement with the local authority, health authority or the individual, if privately funded. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Wellwick House provides accommodation and personal care for up to six people who have a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder and high functioning needs. Wellwick House is an adapted residential property which can accommodate six people. The service is situated in a residential area of St Osyth in Clacton and is close to amenities and main bus routes. The premises is set out on two floors with each person using the service having their own individual bedroom and adequate personal and communal facilities are available for people to make use of within the service. At the time of our inspection four people were using the service.

The care service has been developed and designed in line with 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.' Registering the Right Support CQC policy.’

At our last inspection of this service on 24 February 2016 the service was rated 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.

A registered manager was in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People were kept safe from harm because staff routinely assessed risks and worked collaboratively to reduce them. Where incidents had occurred, action was taken to keep people safe.

Staff knew how to identify and respond to potential abuse and were trained in safeguarding adults procedures.

People's medicines were managed and administered safely by trained staff and the systems were regularly checked.

The service environment was clean and safe with regular checks carried out on its safety.

People were prepared food in line with their preferences and dietary requirements. Staff ensured people's healthcare needs were met. Before coming to live at the service, a thorough assessment of people's needs was carried out.

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. Staff had the right training and support for their roles.

People were supported by kind and committed staff who knew them well. Staff provided care in a way that encouraged people to develop skills and independence. People's dignity and privacy was promoted as staff provided care in a respectful manner. Staff involved people in their care and the provider had systems to ensure people could express their culture, religion, gender and sexuality.

Care was planned in a personalised manner, with detailed care planning around people's needs, preferences and routines. Care was regularly reviewed and where changes in need were identified, care plans were updated.

Staff supported people to attend activities that suited their interests and personalities. People's wishes with regards to end of life care had been recorded.

People, relatives and staff got on well with the registered manager. Systems were in place to seek feedback or suggestions from stakeholders and staff. There were a variety of checks and audits carried out at the service and a continuous plan to improve.

The registered manager engaged with the local community, as well as relatives and professionals in an open and transparent manner.

Further information is in the detailed findings below