Archived: Woodlands

Woodlands is a residential care home registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to four people. At the time of the inspection three people were living in the service.

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

Medicines were managed safely. We observed sufficient numbers of staff in place to support people’s needs and staff had been recruited safely. People looked relaxed in the company of staff and people’s relatives confirmed they felt people were safe living there.

Staff had undertaken a range of training to support the care which people received. Where required relevant professionals had been involved in the assessments of people’s needs. The service had been developed to meet the individual needs of people living there. People’s dietary needs were supported. 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.

People received good care, their needs, likes, dislikes and choices were provided by the staff team. People were treated with dignity and respect and they were involved in decisions. Care files were individualised and contained information about how to deliver care to people. Records included information about how to communicate with people effectively. A range of activities were provided to people.

The registered manager understood her role and responsibilities and she was open and transparent with the inspection process. There was evidence of community engagement taking place. A range of audits and monitoring was seen. We received positive feedback about the registered manager and the staff team.

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

Rating at last inspection

The service was rated good at the last inspection (Published on 14 December 2016).

Why we inspected

This was a scheduled inspection based on the previous ratings.

Follow up

The service will be re-inspected as per our inspection programme. We will continue to monitor any information we receive about the service. The inspection may be brought forward if any risks are identified.

Bedrooms and facilities at the home are located over two floors. All bedrooms are single occupancy. There is a kitchen, dining room, lounge, bathroom and shower room. There are gardens to the front and rear of the property.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager at the service who had been in post since 2011. 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.

At our last inspection on 19 July 2012, the provider was compliant with all of the standards that were reviewed at that time. During this inspection we found that the service was meeting the current regulations.

Relatives told us their family members were kept safe at the home. The staff we spoke with had a good understanding of how to safeguard vulnerable adults from abuse and what action to take if they suspected abusive or neglectful practice.

Records showed that staff had been recruited safely and their suitability to support people living at the home had been checked. We found that staffing levels were appropriate to meet people’s needs and relatives and staff were happy with the staffing levels at the service. Staff received a thorough induction, effective training and regular supervision. They told us they felt well supported by the registered manager.

There were appropriate policies and procedures in place for the management of medicines and we observed people receiving their medicines safely. The relatives we spoke with were happy with the way people’s medicines were managed. People were supported with their healthcare needs and were referred appropriately to a variety of healthcare services. A local healthcare professional gave us positive feedback about the care provided at the service.

One person living at the home told us they were happy living there. The relatives we spoke with were happy with the care provided to people living at the home and felt staff had the knowledge and skills to meet people’s needs. Staff responded to people’s needs quickly and we saw evidence that people’s needs and any risks to their health and wellbeing were reviewed regularly.

Risks relating to people’s nutrition and hydration were assessed and managed appropriately. We observed people being supported appropriately with their meals.

The service had taken appropriate action where people lacked the capacity to make decisions about their care and where they needed to be deprived of their liberty to keep them safe. Relatives told us they were involved in decisions about their family member’s care.

One person living at the service told us the staff were nice. Relatives told us the staff who supported their family members were caring. They told us staff respected people’s privacy and dignity and encouraged them to be independent. We saw staff treating people with kindness and affection and saw that people were relaxed and comfortable around the staff who supported them.

People took part in a variety of activities within the home and staff supported them to participate in a variety of activities in the community regularly. Staff encouraged and supported people to maintain regular contact with their relatives wherever possible.

Relatives felt the registered manager managed the service very well and they felt able to raise any concerns with her. Staff told us the registered manager was very approachable and supportive.

The registered manager and service provider completed a variety of audits which were effective in ensuring that appropriate levels of care and safety were achieved and maintained at the home.

We spoke with one resident who told us that she liked living at Woodlands. She spoke highly of her support workers and told us about a number of recent events that she had enjoyed very much with her support workers. These included a birthday party that she had organised with staff. She said, 'I loved it. It was a special time.' We also heard about her recent holiday which she described as brilliant!

This resident also showed us her bedroom, which she was very proud of. She told us that she had picked the furnishings and said, 'My bedroom is beautiful, isn't it?'

During this inspection we looked at a number of areas including capacity and consent, care and welfare of people who used the service, medicines management and staff recruitment. We also looked at how managers assessed important areas of quality and safety. We found the home was compliant, in all the areas we assessed.