Wolsey House

Updated 10 February 2022

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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.

As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This included checking the provider was meeting COVID-19 vaccination requirements. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.

Inspection team

One inspector carried out the inspection.

Service and service type

Heathcotes Wolsey House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a 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 to assess any COVID-19 risks.

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. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We used all this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with four people who used the service and one relative about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with seven members of staff including the registered manager, regional manager, deputy manager, team leaders and care workers.

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.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at staff survey results.

Updated 10 February 2022

About the service

Heathcotes Wolsey House is a residential care home providing accommodation and personal care for up to a maximum of six people in one adapted building. The service provides support to people with a learning disability and autistic people . At the time of our inspection there were six people using the service.

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

People were protected from the risks of abuse and harm and people said they trusted staff to keep them safe. Staff had received training in safeguarding people. Staff we spoke with were confident to report concerns and satisfied that action would be taken to investigate the concerns.

People's care needs were risk assessed and care plans provided staff with the information they needed to manage the identified risk. Accidents and incidents were recorded and analysed. Risk assessments were reviewed following incidents to ensure the service was meeting the needs of people appropriately. Medicines were managed safely. People’s medicine needs were risk assessed and they were supported to manage their medicines independently where appropriate. Staff were trained to administer medicines. Appropriate infection prevention and control measures were in place.

Recruitment checks were robust to ensure staff were suitable to work with vulnerable adults. During the inspection we observed appropriate levels of staffing to support the people who used the service.

The registered manager and staff demonstrated a commitment to people and they displayed strong person-centred values. Staff praised the registered manager and wider management team, they felt supported in their roles. The service worked in partnership with other health and social care organisations and the community to achieve better outcomes for people using the service.

People’s views and decisions about support were incorporated in their care plans. This helped staff to support people in a way that allowed people to have control over their lives. There was a good culture within the service which had a positive impact on people.

Staff, people and their relative's views had been sought through regular contact, surveys and quality monitoring. Regular management and staff meetings were held. Regular meetings with people also took place where people had the opportunity to express what they thought about the service and whether anything could be improved.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people .

Based on our review of key questions safe and well-led, the service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. Care plans were detailed and person-centred. The care plans provided guidance for staff about how best to support people's needs and preferences; encouraging people’s choice, control and independence.

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

Rating at last inspection and update

The last rating for this service was requires improvement (published 13 January 2020). The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve. At this inspection we found improvements had been made and the provider was no longer in breach of regulations.

Why we inspected

We carried out an unannounced comprehensive inspection of this service on 31 October 2019. A breach of legal requirements was found. The provider completed an action plan after the last inspection to show what they would do and by when to improve good governance.

We undertook this focused inspection to check they had followed their action plan and to confirm they now met legal requirements. This report only covers our findings in relation to the key questions safe and well-led which contain those requirements.

We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the safe key question. We look at this in all care home inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively. This included checking the provider was meeting COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

For those key questions not inspected, we used the ratings awarded at the last inspection to calculate the overall rating. The overall rating for the service has changed from requires improvement to good. This is based on the findings at this inspection.

You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Heathcotes Wolsey House on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.