Archived: Woodlands

Updated 9 March 2021

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.

As part of CQC's response to the coronavirus pandemic we are looking at the preparedness of care homes in relation to infection prevention and control. This was a targeted inspection looking at the infection control and prevention measures the provider has in place.

This inspection took place on 2 March 2021 and was announced, so we could ensure that measures were in place to support an inspection and manage any infection control risks.

Updated 9 March 2021

Woodlands is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Woodlands accommodates 28 people in one adapted building.

At the time of our unannounced inspection on 8 November 2017 there were 25 older people and people living with dementia living at the service.

At the last inspection on 1 December 2015, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

The service has a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

Processes were in place to ensure that infection control was promoted and the risk of cross contamination was reduced.

The service was currently being refurbished. Some communal areas had been redecorated and other areas were awaiting refurbishment, including the communal bathrooms. The building, although listed, had minor adaptations in place to help people with limited mobility such as ramps, a stair lift and a passenger lift.

Staff were available to support people’s individual needs in a kind and respectful way. People and their relatives were given the opportunity to be involved in the setting up and review of their individual support and care plans. Staff encouraged people to take part in activities. People’s friends and family were encouraged by staff to visit the service and were made welcome.

People were supported by staff and external health care professionals, when required, at the end of their life to have a comfortable and dignified death.

Staff were knowledgeable about how to report suspicions of harm and poor care practice. Pre-employment checks were in place to make sure that new staff were deemed suitable to work with the people they were supporting. People were assisted to take their medicines as prescribed.

People had individualised care and support plans in place which recorded their needs. These plans informed staff on how a person would like care and support to be given, in line with external health care professional advice. Individual risks to people were identified and assessed by staff. Plans were put into place to minimise these risks as far as practicable to enable people to live as safe and independent a life as possible.

People were assisted to access a range of external health care professionals and were supported to maintain their health and well-being. People’s health and nutritional needs were met.

Staff were trained to provide effective care which met people’s individual needs. The standard of staff members’ work performance was reviewed by the registered manager through supervisions, spot checks and appraisals.

The registered manager sought feedback about the quality of the service provided from people and/or their relatives, staff and visiting health professionals. There was an on-going quality monitoring process in place to identify areas of improvement required within the service. Where improvements had been identified, actions were taken. Learning from incidents were discussed at staff meetings to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Records showed that the CQC was informed of incidents that the provider was legally obliged to notify us of.

Further information is in the detailed findings below