Westholme

Updated 8 February 2020

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 team consisted of one inspector.

Service and service type

Westholme 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 did not have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. The manager had begun their application process to register. A registered manager 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

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before inspection

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. The provider was not asked to complete a provider information return prior to this inspection. This is information we require providers to send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We took this into account when we inspected the service and made the judgements in this report. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service and two relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four members of staff including the provider, the manager and three care staff. We carried out observations of people interacting with the staff.

We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and multiple 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 reviewed.

Updated 8 February 2020

About the service

Westholme is a residential care home providing care for seven people at the time of the inspection. The service can support up to eight people with learning disabilities. Accommodation is provided in a large end of terrace house over three floors.

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

People had lived in the home for several years and were comfortable in their environment. The atmosphere in the home was calm and relaxed.

Effective arrangements were in place to keep people safe. No one had experienced an accident since the last inspection. People’s personal risks were well-managed and regular checks were carried out on the building. The provider carried out pre-employment checks on staff. Medicines were administered in a safe manner. The manager was open to learning lessons from audits to improve the service.

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 this practice.

The design and decoration of the home required improvement. The provider confirmed improvements would be made.

Staff were kind to people. People used nods and gestures to confirm they liked the staff. Staff reviewed people’s care with them at the end of every month to involve them in their care and promote their independence.

Care plans were very detailed and included people’s preferences and wishes. They were regularly reviewed. End-of-life plans were in place. The service had a complaints procedure. No complaints had been made since the last inspection. Care plans described people’s behaviour if they were expressing any dissatisfaction.

The registered manager and the staff worked in partnership with other professionals to meet people’s needs. Staff felt they could approach the manager to discuss any worries or concerns.

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.

The provider had recently introduced a new electronic system to monitor the quality of the service. The manager had begun to use the system and had identified actions to make improvements. The staff worked well with relatives and other professionals to support people’s care.

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 (report published 17 June 2017).

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.